Photographers lay in wait outside Uxbridge Magistrates' Court this morning for a pilot charged for being drunk at Heathrow Airport.

Snappers from the BBC, Daily Mirror, Reuters and various other press agencies waited for United Airlines pilot Erwin Vermont Washington, 51, of Colorado, America.

Washington was arrested on November 9 after being reported to police by colleagues.

A flight to Chicago was 'imminent', with 124 passengers and 11 crew members on board when police arrived at the airport.

Washington was charged with performing an aviation function, namely pilot of an airliner, having exceeded the prescribed alcohol limit.

More to come.