A 45-YEAR-OLD engineer from Burnley was arrested at Manchester Airport for affray after an incident on board a plane forced the pilot to make an early landing.

The man, who police have not named, was arrested along with a 27-year-old man from Plaistow, East London, following an allegation of assault.

The captain of the Britannia plane, BY423B, radioed ahead for police to meet the aircraft after the men had allegedly been disruptive and a fight had broken out on board.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "They were on board a flight from the Dominican Republic bound for Gatwick when the captain diverted to Manchester Airport.

"At 8am the plane landed and two men were arrested. No other people on board were involved in the incident.

"The plane then continued on to its original destination."

A spokesman for Britannia said: "Britannia Airways will not tolerate disruptive behaviour of any kind on board its flights."