PASSENGERS on a flight from Southampton to Italy were forced to endure an emergency landing yesterday when the aircraft's hydraulic systems failed.

Frightened passengers adopted crash "brace" positions as the turbo-propped aircraft was forced to land at Lyon airport in France - just two and half hours into their journey.

The drama began when Flybe's flight 1823 from Southampton to Bergamo airport just outside Milan lost hydraulic power - crippling some of the aircraft's control systems.

The Q400 aircraft with 49 passengers on board took off at about midday yesterday - half an hour later than it was scheduled.

Passengers described how, as the aircraft was crossing over France, the captain announced that the plane had developed hydraulic trouble and would have to make a forced landing.

Passenger Beth Stride, 22, from Horlock Road in Brockenhurst, said: "We were told we were due to make an emergency landing. The pilot said there was a problem with the hydraulics."

Mary Blandford from Salisbury added: "Everybody was very calm, surprisingly. We just listened to the emergency procedure. We took the brace position and it landed very well with not too much of a bump."

Another passenger, who did not want to be named, said: "We landed at about 180mph when the standard speed is 105mph. We were surrounded by fire engines as we touched-down. It was quite scary."

A spokesman for Flybe said: "Flight 1823 departed from Southampton at 12.03 en-route to Milan. The captain was alerted to a drop in the hydraulic pressure and took the decision to divert to Lyon.

"The passengers were advised of the hydraulic problem and were asked to brace for a fast and long landing. At no time was an emergency declared.

"The use of the brace position was just a precaution."