MANCHESTER Airport was operating normally again today after being forced to close when two tyres on an Airtours jet burst as it landed.

The Airbus A321 had arrived from Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands when the drama happened.

All 169 passengers were led from the plane via steps and no one was injured.

The airport was closed for more than an hour, and a dozen incoming flights were diverted to Leeds, Liverpool and Birmingham.

An airport spokesman said: "There was no indication of any problems on landing, but as the plane reached the end of the runway two of its tyres burst.

"The plane came to a natural halt when this happened. There was no crash landing.

"At no time were any of the 169 passengers or the crew of 10 in danger."

A spokesman for Rossendale-based Airtours International said: "The aircraft made a normal approach to Manchester Airport and landed normally. When it landed one of the tyres burst.

"The pilots are highly trained to deal with these situations. The aircraft came to a stop, the passengers disembarked using the steps in the normal way and were brought back to the terminal."

The company said the plane had been fixed and was expected to be back in operation today.

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