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Although shooting-down a drone is far from straight-forward and potentially very risky, I understand that armed police were poised at Gatwick to start shooting during the incident before Christmas.

I’m also told that some of the drone sightings at Gatwick were in critical parts of the airport, near or in landing and take-off zones, making the threat to aircraft all the more real.

The police are said to have photos of the drone or drones used at Gatwick.

However no credible arrests have been made.