THOUSANDS of holidaymakers had to be evacuated from Manchester Airport after a bomb scare.

Police were called to Manchester Airport shortly after 4.30pm on Wednesday after a suspicious bag was found in Terminal 2.

A bomb squad unit examined the bag and declared it safe.

Holidaymakers travelling from Terminal 2 were forced to stay in Terminal 1 for three hours while the bomb squad examined the bag. The scare also caused traffic chaos for thousands of motorists arriving to leave on holiday and flights were grounded. The airport reopened at 6.50pm.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police, said: "A controlled, planned evacuation operation was successfully carried out following the discovery of the bag."