Virgin Atlantic passengers quarantined at Gatwick after 'bad chesty cough' during flight from Barbados

All passengers and crew on a Virgin Atlantic flight were put into quarantine after landing at London Gatwick due to widespread sickness on board.

They were taken to a reception centre at the West Sussex airport for medical assessment.

The Airbus A330 aircraft was met by the emergency services following an eight-hour flight from Barbados, which landed at 5.25am on Wednesday.

Passenger Trevor Wilson wrote on Twitter: "This flight was exclusively cruise passengers from the MSC Preziosa. The illness seems to have originated on board ship not the plane. Five members of cabin crew became sick on flight."

The sickness was "mainly a bad chesty cough, possibly chest infection", he added.

A Virgin Atlantic spokeswoman said: "A number of customers on board a charter flight from Barbados to London Gatwick this morning reported feeling unwell on board.

"The safety and well-being of our customers and crew is always our absolute priority, and local ambulance services attended the aircraft upon landing to provide medical assistance.

"We are working closely with London Gatwick Airport and medical teams to offer assistance to customers, and will conduct a full investigation into the circumstances."