PASSENGERS on a holiday jet screamed in terror as their plane was struck by lightning minutes after take-off.

There was a loud thud as a lightning bolt hit the side of the airliner, forcing the pilot to turn round and make an emergency landing.

Passengers spent the night in a hotel as any further plans to take off in the violent storm were abandoned.

Maria Humphreys and her partner, Paul McGibbon, of Jarrow, South Tyneside, were on a flight bound from newcastle Airport for the Algarve, in Portugal, when their plane was caught up in a thunder storm.

Mrs Humphreys, 46, later rang her mother, June McCourt, of Primrose Terrace, Jarrow, to tell her about the drama, which unfolded at 4.30pm on Sunday.

Mrs McCourt said: "Maria told me she was looking out the side of the window and actually saw the lightning bounce off the side of the plane.

"Maria saw a flash and a loud crack as the lightning hit the plane just after they had taken off."

A spokeswoman for Newcastle Airport said: "Flight MYT897 for Faro, in Portugal, took off at 16.30 and was ten minutes into the flight when it was struck by lightning.

"The flight turned back to Newcastle Airport as a precautionary measure, and the decision was made to hotel the passengers at the Silverlink Estate overnight."

The passengers were put on a flight to Portugal yesterday.