A PLANE which had taken off from Southampton International Airport carrying Manchester City Football Club directors was forced to make an emergency landing following engine problems.

The Eastern Airways' Jetstream 32 departed from Southampton for Manchester at 7.20pm on Saturday following Manchester City's 4-2 defeat at Portsmouth.

But after an engine failure the plane made an emergency diversion and landed safely at Farnborough.

An Eastern Airways spokesman said 17 passengers - made up of Manchester City directors and friends - were on board the private flight. Team players had taken a different Eastern Airways flight back to Manchester.

The spokesman said an investigation had been launched into exactly what had happened.