Passengers are facing delays at Stansted Airport after a small fire in a departure lounge.

No one was reported injured in the incident, but there was a "significant amount of smoke" and the immediate area was evacuated, the airport said.

The fire broke out in the Escape Lounge, which is part of the main departures area, at 3.30am on Wednesday and was "quickly extinguished by the Airport Fire Service".

Passengers were prevented from entering the security search area as a "precaution".

In a later update at 6.30am, the airport, based in Essex, said the departure lounge was "now open and passengers are being processed through security" as the "terminal was safe for them to re-enter".

The airport said waiting times for passengers "may be longer than usual in the circumstances".

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