A female passenger found herself trapped in the lavatory on board a British Airways plane as it hurtled down the runway and took off.

As the plane gathered speed the embarrassed young woman sheepishly stepped out of the toilet, only to be ordered back inside by a screaming air stewardess.

Moments later the packed Gatwick-bound flight took off - with the passenger still locked in the toilet without a seatbelt to anchor her to the lavatory.

The dark-haired woman was only allowed to return to her seat after the flight was safely in the air and the seatbelt warning lights had been switched off.

The blunder happened as the delayed BA flight took off from Amsterdam's Schipol Airport.

Shocked passengers told how the flight crew appeared in a rush to get back to the West Sussex Airport after the 9.35pm plane was delayed by more than 30 minutes.

'The plane had actually pulled away from the stand with some passengers still standing up and struggling to find space in the overhead lockers for their bags,' said one 31-year-old passenger.

'As the plane started to accelerate along the runway I heard a commotion at the back of the aircraft.

'An air stewardess, who was strapped in her seat, was shouting from the back of the plane.

'A young woman, aged in her early 20s, was trying to come out of the toilet. The crew screamed at her to get back inside as it was extremely dangerous.

'They only allowed the young woman out and to return to her seat once the aircraft had reached cruising height.

'I heard other passengers saying that there was not a spare seat on the flight, so I don't know how the flight crew didn't realise that the girl was missing as she had an aisle seat.

'The crew were sat right next to the plane toilet, but obviously in their rush to depart didn't check it.'

The passenger apologised to the attendants as she made her way back to her seat.

One steward was over-heard telling her: 'That was extremely dangerous'. The young woman did not seem to have been affected by the ordeal.

The witness on the plane, who declined to be named, said: 'When the flight was approaching Gatwick the pilot came on the radio and told passengers that they should return to their seats and the toilets could no longer be used.

'It seemed that this was done deliberately after what had happened earlier and there were a few giggles among passengers who had seen it all.

'The crew seemed to blame the young woman for what happened but surely it is their job to check everybody is in their seats before the plane starts moving.'

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