More than 250 taxi drivers were back on the ranks at Birmingham Airport last night after winning a High Court injunction.

Members of the Birmingham and Solihull Taxi Association (BASTA) lost an airport contract earlier this month to rival firm Passenger Transport Services (PTS) despite serving the terminal since 1951.

But now an injunction permits BASTA members to work from the airport until contractual matters are resolved in the High Court hearing scheduled for between July 13 and 17.

The news came as former drivers from BASTA, who joined PTS so they could continue to operate from the airport, said they had been threatened physically and their vehicles sabotaged.

According to sources, at least ten cabs working at the airport had been vandalised and there had been threats to drivers.

A source close to the airport said there had been a dozen attacks on drivers who had switched to PTS ranging from paint stripper thrown over cars to brake cables being cut and windows smashed.

One former BASTA member, who did not want to be named, said his taxi had been damaged and he had received “aggressive” text messages.

“Since I signed to work for PTS my taxi has been attacked, scratches on the front and sides and a wing mirror kicked off.

“I’ve had aggressive text messages and many drivers have said similar things,” he said.

The majority of the 240 PTS drivers left the airport yesterday as BASTA drivers returned to the terminal.

Earlier this week a newsletter was issued by the Friends of the Hackney Carriage Drivers in Birmingham and Solihull naming all the BASTA drivers who had joined PTS and calling them “selfish scums”.

No one from the group has been available to comment.

BASTA chairman Irfaan Ahmed said the association was not responsible for the newsletter or the alleged incidents, which have not been confirmed by the police, and claims the High Court injunction was a “victory for the people”.

“We don’t do those kind of things, we like to go down legal channels,” he said.

“When the airport issued the tender they wanted us to have new cabs which was not economically viable.

“Never did they say if you don’t sign this contract it will be farmed out.

“The last contract (a five-year deal signed in 2004) took me eight months to sign and there was no problem.

“We want those drivers who moved out to come back to us and we can work together because at the end of the day they are our fellow man.

“We have set a precedent – we are small people who have taken them to court and won.

“It’s a victory for the people.”

Mike Gilbert, managing director of PTS, said he was pleased to have many of the BASTA drivers back.

He said: “Suddenly we’ve got a lot more drivers here.

“A lot of the guys have been wonderful – we don’t like the people who have caused trouble but the majority are good guys.”

An airport spokesperson said: “We understand BASTA applied for a High Court judicial review concerning the termination of its licence to provide the Hackney Carriage operation at the airport.

“An injunction has been served by the High Court to allow BASTA drivers to provide interim services at the airport and to maintain the status quo. The airport is receiving legal advice.”