Flights paused over item found in suitcase

Flights were delayed after concerns were raised about an item found in a suitcase on a passenger aircraft at East Midlands Airport (EMA).

Concerns were raised at the airport in Castle Donington in Leicestershire at about 10:00 GMT on Friday.

Aircraft that had landed at the airport were held back from the terminal for about an hour, and departures were delayed while the issue was dealt with, the BBC understands.

At 11:30, a spokesperson for EMA said: "Routine precautionary measures were put in place to ensure the safety of everyone at the airport and investigations have now concluded, enabling normal operations to resume."

No further details about the item have been given.

A spokesperson for Leicestershire Police said: "Police received notification from the airport about an item located inside a suitcase on board an aeroplane.

"However, it was established shortly afterwards the item was not anything of concern and that there was no risk of harm to anyone on board the aircraft."

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