Leeds Bradford Airport confirm drone sighting which shut airport and diverted flight

The disruption started at 13.55 when a drone was spotted by an inbound flight on the approach to the airport.

Safety procedures were activated and the airport was closed, with a number of planes left holding over Leeds.

The airport has confirmed that one flight was diverted to Manchester airport.

The runway has now reopened and all planes that were being held have landed.

A LBA spokesperson said: "At 13:55 today, an inbound flight spotted a drone on approach to Leeds Bradford Airport.

"The necessary safety procedures were immediately activated, which resulted in the airport being closed for 45 minutes and a flight being diverted to Manchester Airport. We can now confirm that the airport is fully open and receiving flights again.

"We are liaising with West Yorkshire Police regarding the incident and will continue to monitor the situation closely.”

West Yorkshire police have also confirmed the report of the drone sighting near the Old Ball roundabout in Horsforth.

They tweeted: "West Yorkshire Police can confirm that at around 2.03pm a report was received of a drone flying in Horsforth, near to the Old ball roundabout.

"Flights were temporarily grounded at Leeds Bradford Airport as a precaution and resumed again at around 2.48pm."

Alana Irvine was travelling from Belfast to Leeds Bradford Airport when the disruption began.

She tweeted: "So just about to take off when drone spotted so flight stopped!!

"Guess I could be sitting on this plane for a while."

Delays to arrivals and departures from the airport are expected well into Friday evening.