Security alert 'delaying flights'

A suspicious item was spotted in hand baggage

Passengers have been caught up in long delays at Nottingham East Midlands Airport after a "suspicious object" was spotted in hand luggage by a guard.

Armed police were called in to deal with the alert and flights leaving the airport were stopped for three hours.

An airport spokesman said passengers had started to board flights again but delays were expected for some time. He said safety was the airport's priority.

Police have begun an investigation into the incident on Thursday afternoon.

Additional checks

The airport spokesman said the suspicious item had been spotted by a baggage handler at 1415 BST.

He said: "Police were immediately alerted and all boarding from the lounge has been stopped until such time that the police and airport officials are satisfied that there is no risk to passenger safety.

"Inevitably these additional checks took time and passengers will experience delay and we apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

"The airport remains operational and flights are being processed one at a time with limited capacity, however the security and safety of our passengers and staff must be our priority at all times."

'Quite disturbing'

The spokesman said the object was seen in a passenger's bag while a security guard was cross-checking a screen picture.

Leicestershire police officers were called in to support armed police based at the Castle Donnington site.

Alison Ashcroft, from Leicestershire, was one of hundreds stranded.

She said: "It is quite disturbing because there's an awful lot of police officers around.

"Quite a lot of those are armed and now they've brought in the police dogs and we still don't actually know what the problem is."