The transport secretary has confirmed that a computer failure at the West Drayton air traffic control centre was the reason for widespread delays throughout the UK's airport network on Thursday.

Passengers faced delays of around two hours following the systems problem.

Speaking to the BBC on Thursday, Darling denied that government under-investment in air traffic control was to blame for the problem.

Former Conservative chancellor Ken Clarke was among those hit by delays at Heathrow.

He said he would "resign myself to fate that I will have to spend half a day here before I get off the ground".