The company thanked passengers for their patience

Passengers bound for Newcastle Airport were delayed in Spain while their plane was partially dismantled when a mobile phone fell into an air vent.

The Jet2 flight had just landed at Murcia when a traveller dropped the phone, which slid out of sight.

As it had been turned on, airline bosses refused to allow the plane to take off until it was located.

Holidaymakers were delayed for three hours while the cockpit area and front row of seats were taken apart.

A spokesman for Jet2.com thanked the passengers for their patience during the incident on Sunday.

He said: "We always operate to the highest standards of safety and care and whilst it was no doubt inconvenient that people had to wait for us to retrieve the phone, any mobile or similar communications device that is switched on would need to be removed from the aircraft in order to ensure maximum safety for our passengers.

"We would like to remind all those travelling by air not to switch their phones on until they reach the airport terminal."