A passenger plane was involved in a near miss with a drone as it made its way to Edinburgh Airport.

The incident took place at around 1.10pm on Friday when the unmanned aerial vehicle flew between 20 and 30 metres from a Loganair flight.

It is believed the drone may have been piloted from Bathgate or Armadale.

The plane was flying at an altitude of around 4000 feet at the time of the incident.

Nobody was injured and the Loganair flight landed successfully.

Chief inspector Barry Blair, local area commander for West Lothian, said: "The pilot was forced to take evasive action to avoid a collision whilst preparing to land the plane.

"Had these aircraft collided the consequences could have been far more serious.

"We are working alongside the aviation authorities to identify the pilot of the drone and determine the full circumstances surrounding this incident."

He added: "Drone users are reminded only to operate their crafts within the guidelines set out by the Civil Aviation Authority and should consult the legislation should they have any queries about appropriate drone use."

A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: "People should be in no doubt of the seriousness of this issue.

"We would ask that all users understand the legislation and guidelines surrounding drone usage and behave responsibly."

Drone pilots must operate within the law and the guidelines set out by the Civil Aviation Authority and National Air Traffic Services as part of their joint Drone Safe campaign.