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A Thomson flight had to be diverted to Gatwick airport after a 'drunk' woman on board became abusive to cabin crew, unfastening her prosthetic leg and swinging it at them.

The woman, said to be in her sixties, allegedly demanded 'cigarettes and a parachute' so she could jump from the plane, which was flying from Enfidha, Tunisia, to Edinburgh on Wednesday night.

According to witnesses, the passenger 'kicked off' when cabin crew asked her to quieten down - she then allegedly slapped a young girl who was on board the flight.

Mid-air incident: Police boarding the Thomson flight after it was diverted to Gatwick airport

Grounded: The plane was delayed by another hour as police collected statements from witnesses on board

The woman also unfastened her prosthetic leg and started to swing it at shocked stewardesses. 

Airline staff managed to restrain the woman and put her in handcuffs, according to a passenger, and police were called when the plane landed at Gatwick airport in London.

The plane - flight number 297 - was grounded for an hour on the tarmac while officers took statements.

Holidaymaker John Smith, 48, from Falkirk, said: 'We were coming back from Tunisia when this lady kicked off. She was off her face on drink.

'She was shouting "I want cigarettes" and that she wanted a parachute to jump off the plane.

'She slapped a young girl and then assaulted the cabin crew with her prosthetic leg.

'They took it off her, but she started kicking them with her good leg.

The incident happened on Wednesday night on board Thomson's Enfidha, Tunisia, to Edinburgh flight (file photo)

'It sounds funny, but it was not a laughing matter at the time. It was serious. She was totally drunk. It was pretty shocking.'

Passengers said the woman had been involved in an argument at the resort in Tunisia and the bust-up had escalated on the bus to the airport.

At Gatwick airport, waiting police officers escorted the woman off the plane and took statements from passengers.

Father-of-two Mr Smith said: 'She embarrassed everybody on the flight. A lot of people were upset about it, especially those with children.

'We had to sit on the runway for about an hour while the police took statements from passengers.

'The cabin crew were absolutely amazing and very professional in the way they dealt with it.'

He said the flight had originally been due to arrive in Edinburgh at 11.30pm on Wednesday but they eventually arrived back at around 2.30am on Thursday.

MailOnline has contacted Thomson for comment.