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Jet2 flights headed for Spain are reportedly returning to the UK after being turned around 'in mid air'.

At least half a dozen flights are thought to have been affected, amid coronavirus fears.

TUI has also released a statement telling all customers that holidays booked to Spain between today and Monday have been cancellend.

Jet2 planes flying from Birmingham to Malaga, Leeds to Alicante, Glasgow to Alicante, East Midlands to Alicante and Manchester to Alicante are all allegedly being forced to return to England.

Flight Radar 24 reports that at the moment, other airlines are still flying into the country.

In a statement, Jet2 said: "In response to local measures introduced throughout Spain to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including the closure of bars, restaurants, shops and activities including any water sports, we have taken the decision to cancel all flights to Mainland Spain, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands with immediate effect.

"We know these local measures will have a significant impact on our customers’ holidays, which is why we have taken this decision.

Was your flight to Spain cancelled today? Get in touch at webnews@mirror.co.uk

"We are contacting our customers who are currently in these destinations, and who are due to travel, to advise them of their options, so we urge customers not to call us.

"This is a fast-moving and complex situation and we are reviewing our programme as a matter of urgency, so that we can fly customers back to the UK.

"The health and safety of our customers is our number one priority, and we would like to thank our customers for their understanding."

Passengers waiting in airports around the country have tweeted about their ordeal, with one writing: "Sat at the airport, waiting to hear if Jet2 planes are staying grounded or if we can go on holiday."

Another added "At departure gate for our Jet2 holiday to Fuerteventura... but looking like it's about to be cancelled."

TUI has also confirmed that all holidays to Spain are being cancelled between today and Monday after Spain introduced local measures including closing some hotel facilities, local bars, restaurants and beaches.

In a statement, they said: "Following local measures put in place by the Spanish Authorities, including closing some hotel facilities and the local bars, restaurants and beaches we have made the difficult decision to cancel holidays due to travel between 14 and 16 March.

"Although there is currently no advice from the UK Government against travelling to Spain it would not be the holiday experience we would want for our customers.

"We will proactively contact all customers due to travel to Alicante between 14 March and 16 March to offer alternative holiday options or offer a full-refund. Any customers due to travel between 17 March and 23 March will be contacted about their holiday on Monday 16 March."

Current advice from the Foreign Office warns Britons not to travel to parts of Spain - including locked-down Madrid - that have been badly hit by the coronavirus outbreak.

On Friday, Spain declared a 15-day national state of emergency with some hotels, shops, restaurants and beaches being closed to the public.

(Image: REUTERS)

Some sporting events have also been cancelled.

As of this afternoon, Spain had 5,753 confirmed cases of coronavirus, a whopping jump of over 1,500 cases from yesterday's figures.

It is the second most infected country in Europe, behind Italy, in an outbreak that has centred on Madrid and the Basque country.

The national state of emergency begins on Saturday, allowing the government to confine infected people and ration goods, and bring in the military for various roles if needed.

Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who declared the state of emergency, said the country could hit 10,000 coronavirus cases as early as next week.

(Image: REUTERS)

He said the administration would undertake all necessary measures to protect Spain's citizens.

In Madrid, bars, restaurants and non-essential shops were ordered to close during a lockdown that will begin on Saturday.

The only shops allowed to remain open are supermarkets and pharmacies.

All schools and universities were closed and the city's public transport network is being disinfected every day to kill any bacteria on surfaces.

Similar closures or restrictions are to be taken in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, including Ibiza and Majorca, where nightclubs are being closed and restaurants are reducing capacity.