AIRLINE passengers were left shaken but unhurt when their aircraft veered off the runway at Newcastle Airport as it landed yesterday.

Several flights to and from the airport were disrupted as firefighters helped disembark 54 passengers and four crew from the four-engined jet plane, operated by Sabena.

South Tyneside Council mayor Councillor Alan Kerr, who was part of a civic delegation returning from Belgium on flight SN2189, said: "As it made its approach to land, everything seemed to be perfectly normal.

"Then as the pilot started to brake the aircraft suddenly veered off to the side and we ended up on the grass."

Coun Kerr said passengers, who were shaken by the incident, were asked to loosen their seatbelts and to "sit tight" until the firebrigade arrived to let them out 15 minutes later.

He added: "The pilot did come out of his cabin after a while and explained to us that when he had started to brake to slow the aircraft down, it became uncontrollable."

"Firemen carried out an examination of the wheels, but there were no flat tyres."

"We were travelling quite fast at the time. There were long skid marks on the runway and on to the grass. The pilot had to brake very very hard."

A Newcastle Airport spokesman said: "At no point were the passengers in danger, and no one was hurt.

"As is normal practice, the airport's own fire service together with external fire brigade were in attendance.

"All the passengers were disembarked safely from the aircraft."

The runway was closed after the incident at 4.30pm to enable the removal of the aircraft from the runway.

Several flights were diverted to Teesside Airport and Manchester Airport, while the runway was cleared.

A Sabena spokesman said a full investigation would be carried out into the incident.

The Sabena aircraft was an RJ100, which has a capacity for 84 passengers.