A flight taking 40 passengers and three crew members from Shetland to Glasgow had to be abandoned after the plane flew into a flock of birds at 1,500ft.

The Loganair flight LM438 was forced to return to Sumburgh Airport in Shetland after the incident on Friday.

Passengers unable to continue their journey were offered hotel accommodation as the airport was closed overnight.

After hitting the birds pilots and onboard crew received an alert relating to the left-hand engine and the Saab aircraft, which landed safely, has been removed from service for thorough engineering examination.

Passengers were able to disembark as normal and emergency services were not required.

The journey to Glasgow was resumed at 9am on Saturday on an alternative aircraft.

A spokesman for Loganair said: "Safety is always our first priority, and as always, our pilots responded immediately and appropriately to the warning that they received on the flightdeck following the bird strike - an eventuality for which every pilot is extensively trained.

"The aircraft made a normal landing back at Sumburgh and our customers were able to disembark as they normally would.

"We arranged hotel accommodation overnight and a replacement flight at the earliest possible opportunity, and we'd like to offer our sincere apologies for this disruption to our customers' journeys."