A SECRET smoker may have caused a fire which spread panic through a packed plane and caused an emergency landing in the North-East yesterday.

Investigators believe a cigarette was the likely cause of smoke coming from a waste bin which caused fear among the 134 passengers on the Boeing 737.

The flight was en route from Glasgow to Amsterdam when the alarm was raised in a kitchen at the back of the aircraft.

A member of the cabin crew discharged a fire extinguisher after seeing what she described as smoke. She alerted the pilot who landed the plane at Newcastle Airport shortly after 8am.

Passengers were said to be alarmed by the incident.

Nine fire engines and eight ambulances were on standby on the runway as passengers were evacuated.

The cause of the fire was being investigated and airline bosses said a lit cigarette was one possible cause.

Smoking is prohibited on the aircraft.

Easyjet spokesman Toby Nicol said: "We diverted into Newcastle because there were reports that there was smoke from a bin the rear kitchen. We are investigating that it could have been hot fat or a cigarette, but it could also have simply been dry ice from a plastic container placed in the bin.

"The aircraft made a precautionary landing and the fire crew boarded. Anyone could get into the kitchen while the three members of the cabin crew were occupied elsewhere. We will conduct a thorough investigation."

Firefighters from around the region backed up the airport's own crew. A brigade spokeswoman said: "The early indications are that the 737 aircraft had a fire in a bin in the galley. The fire was extinguished before emergency services boarded."

A passenger aircraft was sent to Newcastle from Luton Airport to take the passengers to Amsterdam. The replacement flight took off at 11.30am for Schipol Airport.