A flight carrying sick holidaymakers from a Caribbean resort at the centre of a viral outbreak was put into quarantine for 90 minutes yesterday.

Glasgow airport authorities were warned by the pilot ahead of the MyTravel flight's arrival that 27 people on board were complaining of severe sickness and diarrhoea.

All had stayed at a hotel in the Dominican Republic where scores of British holidaymakers have become ill.

The plane, which landed at 5am yesterday and with several hundred people, was met by four doctors and Health Protection Scotland staff.

A spokesman for BAA Scotland, the operator of the airport, said the sick passengers were diagnosed as having the winter vomiting bug. All passengers were allowed off at 6.30am and it is understood no-one needed hospital treatment.

A hygiene expert is to investigate the outbreak at the Bahia Principe San Juan Hotel in the Dominican Republic, where some guests have been so ill with vomiting and diarrhoea that they have had to be treated in hospital.

A spokesman for BAA Scotland said the quarantine measure was standard procedure.

Most major UK holiday firms use the hotel, including Thomas Cook, which said yesterday it would now send clients to other hotels.