Two rescued as aircraft overshoots Leeds airport runway

A pilot and co-pilot have been rescued from an aeroplane after its engine caught fire and it overshot the runway at Leeds Bradford airport.

The Cannes-bound Cessna Citation executive jet came off the runway at about 1750 BST on Monday after aborting take off, an airport spokeswoman said.

A West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said there had been a fire in one of the plane's engines.

The two men were not injured in the incident, which is being investigated.

A fire spokesman said: "We were called out to a Cessna Citation jet which had overshot the runway and the starboard engine was on fire.

"There were two people on board and our airport fire crews got them out."

An airport spokeswoman said flights had been suspended at the airport for just over two hours, but resumed at 2000 BST.

She added a full investigation into the incident was being carried out.