Ryanair will stop flying from Southend Airport later this year

• Watch Charlie Frost's report

Ryanair have confirmed they will close their commercial base at Southend Airport.

The budget airline will stop flying from the Essex terminal in November.

Just under a year ago, Easyjet also stopped flying from the airport meaning there will no longer be any passenger flights out of the airport. It is not yet clear whether flights booked for the winter season will be cancelled or fly out from a different airport.

The owners of London Southend Airport, Esken, says it is reviewing its forecasts but insists the airport still has a future.

In a statement, Esken said:

"Ryanair signed a five-year agreement to base three aircraft at London Southend Airport in 2018 and commenced operations 1st April 2019. 

"The airline has had two aircraft in operation since 2020, following a reduction driven by the pandemic. However, Ryanair's performance at London Southend Airport has been further affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and has now resulted in this decision."

"Esken is currently in the process of reviewing the impact of such decision on its forecasts. However, the financial impact of Ryanair's base closure will be mitigated by a reduction in costs directly associated with serving Ryanair's base and the low level of passengers expected during the winter season."

The Leader of Southend Borough Council, Ian Gilbert said the news is a devastating blow for the community.