Holidaymakers were left stranded after an emergency landing by a private aircraft caused one of Britain’s busiest airports to ground flights. All departures and arrivals at Birmingham airport were halted between 1.40pm and 8pm on Wednesday, leaving thousands of passengers stuck.

Police, fire and ambulance crews all went to the runway as the emergency developed. Three people on board the aircraft were treated at the scene, one suffering minor injuries, West Midlands Police said. Passengers faced hours of delays, even after the runway reopened, including many in Europe trying to fly back to Birmingham.