An Airbus Beluga plane was forced to make a diversion on a flight to the UK after getting into technical difficulties.
The giant cargo aircraft, which is named after the mammal it so closely resembles, was flying from Hamburg to Broughton in Wales.
But as the Beluga ST 3 plane prepared to make its landing at Hawarden Airport it developed a “technical problem” and was forced to divert to Liverpool.
LK Bennett Cribbs Causeway could be saved after Chinese company battles to take over chain
The plane landed safely at the airport.
Airbus spokesman said: “Beluga 3, en route from Hamburg to Hawarden, developed a technical problem.
"The aircraft circled the aerodrome briefly before the pilot took the decision to divert to Liverpool John Lennon Airport as a precaution, where it landed safely.”
The plane is likely to be inspected for safety before being flown back to Toulouse, in France.
The news of the problem comes just days after Airbus, which manufactures the wings for planes in Filton, landed a massive deal with China.
The NHS will no longer give prescriptions for a host of common illnesses
The deal is for 300 Airbus jets - 290 A320neo planes and 10 A350 XWB aircraft - and is estimated to be worth around $35billion.
The agreement was secured as Chinese president Xi Jinping visited the French capital.
Airbus' latest Beluga plane - the Beluga XL - made its debut flight over Bristol last month.
