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The drone attack which brought chaos to thousands of Christmas travellers at Gatwick Airport was reportedly an inside job, a source has claimed.

A disgruntled employee is suspected to be the person responsible for flying the drone, bringing misery to passengers at the Sussex airport.

According to Whitehall sources, police believe either a current or former employee was behind the December 19 incident, which saw 1,000 flights cancelled and an estimated 140,000 passengers affected.

Police have now collected 130 witness accounts and made over 1,000 door-to-door enquiries since the disruption as part of their investigation, the Times reported.

Sussex Police were initially criticised for their handling of the drone attack, after wrongly arresting a couple and then suggesting there may not have been a drone at all.

The investigation has led officers to believe the attack must have been carried out by someone who would understand the layout of the airport.

The Whitehall source also claimed the drone could have “hidden” behind structures and buildings.

Gatwick chaos - In pictures 21 show all Gatwick chaos - In pictures 1/21 Marisa age 10 from West Sussex waiting for a bus to Manchester airport then onto Dubai for a family Christmas Jeremy Selwyn 2/21 Adele Barber mother and kids Philip James and Elizabeth Just back from their holiday in Lapland to see Father Christmas. They were delayed overnight in Lapland Jeremy Selwyn 3/21 Elizabeth Barber Just back from a holiday to Lapland to see Father Christmas with family . Jeremy Selwyn 4/21 Staff try to lift the mood of gloomy travellers Jeremy Selwyn 5/21 Passengers boarding coaches at Gatwick this morning Jeremy Selwyn 6/21 Passengers sleep on the floor of the terminal 7/21 Passengers sleep on the floor of the terminal 8/21 Passengers sleep on the floor of the terminal 9/21 Passengers sleep on the floors and seats of the terminal 10/21 Jeremy Selwyn 11/21 Passengers head for the coaches to catch redirected flights Jeremy Selwyn 12/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 13/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 14/21 Florinane Tarrou and Sandra Shaffner stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 15/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 16/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 17/21 Remi Denton 19 and boyfriend Dylan Batley amongst passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 18/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 19/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 20/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 21/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 1/21 Marisa age 10 from West Sussex waiting for a bus to Manchester airport then onto Dubai for a family Christmas Jeremy Selwyn 2/21 Adele Barber mother and kids Philip James and Elizabeth Just back from their holiday in Lapland to see Father Christmas. They were delayed overnight in Lapland Jeremy Selwyn 3/21 Elizabeth Barber Just back from a holiday to Lapland to see Father Christmas with family . Jeremy Selwyn 4/21 Staff try to lift the mood of gloomy travellers Jeremy Selwyn 5/21 Passengers boarding coaches at Gatwick this morning Jeremy Selwyn 6/21 Passengers sleep on the floor of the terminal 7/21 Passengers sleep on the floor of the terminal 8/21 Passengers sleep on the floor of the terminal 9/21 Passengers sleep on the floors and seats of the terminal 10/21 Jeremy Selwyn 11/21 Passengers head for the coaches to catch redirected flights Jeremy Selwyn 12/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 13/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 14/21 Florinane Tarrou and Sandra Shaffner stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 15/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 16/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 17/21 Remi Denton 19 and boyfriend Dylan Batley amongst passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 18/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 19/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 20/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn 21/21 Passengers stranded at Gatwick Airport today Jeremy Selwyn

“[The drone pilot] knew the blind spots for it, where it could not be ‘hit’. It was clearly someone with really good knowledge of Gatwick, someone who had worked there,” the source said.

“Hypothetically it could have been a disgruntled employee.”

Gatwick Airport Limited had previously offered a £50,000 reward through Crimestoppers, for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the criminal act that disrupted flights.

The force said 50 officers had been working on the case at its height to find whoever may be responsible for the chaos.

A spokeswoman for Sussex Police said: “We are keeping an open mind about who is responsible and their motives.”