Passengers at Liverpool John Lennon airport have been ordered to leave the departure lounge after being told there was a "security incident", The Express reported.

A technical problem with a security scanner sparked the evacuation shortly after 12.30pm. 

Passengers were reportedly taken off planes on the runway. 

As large numbers of people were seen leaving the building in Speke, Liverpool airport bosses said passengers were removed from the departure lounge. 

Liverpool John Lennon Airport said in a statement: “Due to a technical problem with one of the Airport’s passenger scanning machines, all passengers have been removed from the Departure Lounge and are currently in the process of being rescreened.

"There is no threat to passenger safety.” 

Passengers previously cleared by airport security are now queuing outside the airport to be rescreened after a metal detector reportedly failed. 
The airport says it hopes to rescreen passengers quickly and securely.

Source: MENA