A flight to rescue stranded vacationers was dramatically aborted yesterday – after the pilot smelled ash and reported an engine fault.

The worried captain was heard describing a “quite intense” smell of volcanic ash.

Moments later, he reported: “We’ve lost one of our engine bleeds, possible through a contaminated valve.”

The pilot abandoned the Thomas Cook flight, making a detour out over the North Sea before returning to Manchester Airport.

The Boeing 757 had just left Manchester for Corfu with only crew on board when the drama began shortly after 1am.

Experts fear ash may have clogged up the engine bleed valve. The valve sucks air into the cabin to maintain pressure.

Flight TCX952P was among the first to leave after the UK ban on air traffic was lifted.