Dozens of passengers had to be evacuated today after a jet carrying holidaymakers from Glasgow skidded off a runway as it landed in the Canary Islands.

The Air Europa charter flight UX-196, carrying 80 people, went off the end of the runway after it touched down at Lanzarote airport.

Spanish police said there were no reports of injuries but the airport on the holiday island was reportedly closed following the accident this morning.

The aircraft slewed to a halt near the perimeter fence at the southern end of the runway at the beach side airport near Arrecife, the capital of the popular holiday island.

A spokesman for Air Europa said: "There was a problem on landing. All the passengers left the plane and are fine and are being taken to their hotels."

A spokeswoman for airport operators BAA Scotland said the flight left Glasgow at 3am today and confirmed there were 74 passengers and six crew on board.

Lanzarote Airport was also expected to be closed for two to three hours.

Holiday giants Thomas Cook said they had not chartered the flight but had organised holidays for "several" of the passengers on board.