A flight from the UK to the Canary Islands was escorted by fighter jets and forced to make an emergency landing after a bomb threat was discovered on board.

A threatening note is believed to have been found by one of the crew members in the bathroom on TUI flight BY6422 as it flew over Portugal on Thursday morning.

It was handed to the pilots who diverted the plane to César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport.

Bomb specialists and other specialised units met the aircraft after it landed just before 11am - with all the passengers quickly rushed off the flight.

Fighter jets were also scrambled to intercept the plane and escort it into the airport following the bomb threat.