TWO men have been arrested at Manchester airport on suspicion of committing terror offences.

Police swooped on the pair in the Terminal One check-in hall yesterday afternoon.

A third man was detained in Accrington, Lancashire, later in the evening as part of the same operation.

The three men are all from Blackburn, of Asian origin, and aged 21, 22 and 23.

Police sources told the MEN the alleged offences were at the 'lower end' of the terror spectrum.

It is understood the two men stopped at the airport were planning to jet off to an unidentified location in Europe. Their arrest was described as 'low-key' by one source.

Bill Crawshaw, terminal duty manager at Manchester airport, said: "This has had no effect on the airport.

"It is a total police operation and we didn't even know that it had happened until afterwards."

The arrests followed a joint operation by Lancashire police and Greater Manchester Police Counter Terrorism Unit.

Police have also been searching the men's homes in Blackburn.

Chief Supt Andy Rhodes, divisional commander for eastern division at Lancashire Police, said: "Lancashire constabulary will investigate any information that is passed to us and ensure it is accurate before responding in a proportionate and measured way.

"These arrests and subsequent searches of the nearby premises will be conducted with sensitivity and carried out as quickly as possible to ensure minimum impact on the three areas concerned.

"However these types of inquiries can be complex and may take time to resolve.

"I would ask local residents to be patient with us and to be assured that we will keep them updated in relation to the investigation, as and when we can."

Two of the addresses being searched in Blackburn's Cromwell Street today. Detectives and forensics officers are also at an address in Percival Street.