Thousands delayed at Luton Airport after lightning crashes passport checking equipment

Thousands of people have been delayed at Luton Airport after it was struck by lightning - causing the computer system for checking passports to crash.

Dozens of border control guards were unable to get into their computers to make sure criminals or known extremists were not attempting to enter the country, according to reports.

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Witnesses said at least 1,500 people who landed back in the UK were stuck in a queue after passport control was closed while officials scrambled to sort the problem.

“There is now one guy with a laptop trying to get 1000s of people through passport control. So far, 1 family through,” a passenger tweeted.

Crowds are reportedly getting “angry” as they wait.

But staff are said to be now letting children and parents through.

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A Luton Airport spokesman said: “The issue is caused by thunderstorms in the local area.

“We are working hard with UK Border Force to resolve the issue as soon as possible.”

The border chaos came as flash floods and lightning strikes caused chaos across the UK as a month’s worth of rain fell in just an hour.