The BBC have apologised for filming a gun battle with actors dressed as Arabs near Heathrow Airport.

Police described those behind the idea to film where they did, as "idiots".

The incident caused a delay to a number of flights waiting to take off from the airport, says The Sun.

A dozen armed officers backed by a helicopter responded to reports of machine-gunfire beneath the flight path.

They surrounded a farm near Horton, Berkshire, and saw a number of "Arabs" with machine guns fighting a "running battle".

But as back-up arrived, they spotted several BBC film units - and realised it was a mock battle.

A senior Thames Valley Police source said: "It beggars belief that the BBC can organise a gun battle beneath a flight path without alerting us. It's fair to say our officers were not impressed with these idiots."

A BBC spokesman said: "A battle reconstruction with blank ammunition was being filmed at the farm.

"We were told police permission is not normally needed but with security concerns as they are, we should have asked."