Four Just Stop Oil protesters have been arrested by Manchester Airport amid fears of disruption to flights.

Officers from Greater Manchester Police's Specialist Operations Branch on suspicion of conspiring to cause a public nuisance.

The suspects are three women aged 21, 30, and 53 and a 23-year-old man.

All four have been taken into custody for questioning.

The arrested persons had items that the force considered a risk to the airport’s operations.

Chief Superintendent Mark Dexter said the operation had “prevented a determined and targeted attack which would have brought significant delays and upset to those hard-working people heading off for their summer holidays.”

He added: “We have been working hard with colleagues from Manchester Airport and police forces across the country, sharing intelligence, with the common goal to prevent these disruptive and targeted attacks on our airports.

“We have a duty of care to all members of the public. The right to protest must be respected, but we have a duty to balance that right against the rights of the public to go about their lives without being subject to unacceptable disruption and will undertake swift and decisive action to arrest those intent on causing disturbances.

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“Anyone who sees anything suspicious or who has concerns about safety or security should speak to an officer or a member of the airport staff.”

The arrests come after several attempts by environmental protest groups to disrupt airports and flights, with Just Stop Oil spraying the departures board at Heathrow last week.