SIX flights were diverted to Southend Airport after London City Airport was evacuated due to a chemical incident.

About 500 members of the public and staff were evacuated from the London airport this afternoon, wtih ambulance crews treating patients who had difficulty breathing.

Chris Daly, 35, from Southend, had landed at London City on a British Airways flight from Glasgow when he heard alarms going off.

Speaking to the BBC, he said: "When we got into the airport terminal building we could hear the fire alarms going on, then there were announcements in three different languages saying this is a fire alarm and the crew were directing us at the baggage carousel to evacuate the building."

A London Fire Service spokesman said: "Two complete sweeps of the airport building were carried out jointly by firefighters and police officers both wearing protective equipment.

"No elevated readings were found and the building was ventilated, searched and declared safe."

The fire brigade was called at 4.10pm and the incident was declared safe at 7pm.

Southend Airport confirmed six flights were diverted from London City during the closure.