A Tel Aviv-to-London flight was forced to make an emergency landing after a passenger suspected of being drunk attacked an air stewardess.

The easyjet plane landed in Paphos, Cyprus, on Monday evening after the man began shouting abuse at fellow passengers shortly after take off.

When crew members attempted to calm him, the man lashed out and grabbed the arm of a stewardess. He continued to shout and refused to remain in his seat, leading the pilot to take the decision to land.

Police boarded the plane at Paphos and removed the man, but his fellow passengers endured a two-hour delay as the pilot and crew completed paperwork with flight authorities and the police.

Easyjet apologised in an email to passengers and explained that the delay had been caused by “a customer requiring additional unplanned assistance which affected the schedule of the aircraft”.

Cypriot police said a 61-year-old Israeli had been arrested and questioned on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly.

The man was expected to appear in Paphos District Court this week.