Ash cloud forces Heathrow and Gatwick airports to close

Britain's two busiest airports have closed as a volcanic ash cloud drifts further south, causing major disruption for many thousands of people. A no-fly zone imposed by the Civil Aviation Authority forced Heathrow, Gatwick and London City airports to shut down completely until 0700 BST.

Flights are also grounded in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds Bradford airports have re-opened after restrictions in the north were lifted.

The closure of Heathrow and Gatwick airports at the beginning of the working week is expected to hit business travellers and holidaymakers hardest.

However, air traffic authority, Nats, said some flights should resume at both airports after 0700 BST. A Nats spokesman said Gatwick was due to be closed to arrivals until 1300 BST and departures would be subject to restrictions.

Eurocontrol, the European air safety body, said Heathrow arrivals would be limited to 30 an hour initially and it warned of significant delays. Travellers are being advised to check with their airline before leaving home.

Elsewhere, Birmingham, Norwich and East Midlands airports are open again, after suspending flights on Sunday. Prestwick Airport is no longer in the no-fly zone, but a spokeswoman said it would not be receiving any flights until lunchtime. According to Nats, other airports closed through the night included Farnborough, Shoreham, Biggin Hill, all airfields in Northern Ireland, Scottish Western Isles, Oban, Campbeltown, Caernarfon and Aberdeen. Some are set to remain closed until 1300 BST at the earliest. They include those in Northern Ireland, Aberdeen and Farnborough.

Others forecast to be in the no-fly zone between 0700 BST and 1300 BST are Ronaldsway, Edinburgh, Inverness, northern Scotland, Cardiff, Swansea and Bristol. Flights in and out of Dublin, in the Irish Republic, are also grounded until at least noon.

There are signs that the ash cloud is passing over the UK, as Dutch TV reported airports in Amsterdam and Rotterdam are to close for at least eight hours from 0500 BST (0600 local time). The Department of Transport has warned restrictions are likely across different parts of the UK until at least Tuesday. Ash from the Eyjafjallajokull volcano has led to thousands of flights being delayed or cancelled since April.