Drone halts Mansfield Town v Scunthorpe United match

Mansfield Town went on to win the game 3-0

A football match was halted after a drone was seen hovering over the stadium.

The device was spotted by a referee during Mansfield Town's League Two home game against Scunthorpe United at 19:12 BST on Tuesday.

Nottinghamshire Police said the match was stopped for several minutes as a safety precaution.

Officers located the operator on a nearby street and gave him a caution as well as confiscating the drone.

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PC John Albanese, Mansfield Town's dedicated football officer, said: "He [the operator] stated he didn't possess a licence or certificate to fly drones and officers seized the device.

"Despite supporters not being present within the stadium, the drone could easily fall from the sky and injure a player, official or staff member."

Civil Aviation Authority rules require operators to pass an online theory test

The force has warned people looking to capture footage at future sporting events to abide by Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) rules.

Mr Albanese said: "As a general rule you must keep a minimum horizontal distance of 50 metres between your drone and people and keep at least 150 metres away from residential, recreational, commercial and industrial areas.

"The rules set by the CAA apply in the UK and it doesn't matter if you are a professional or hobbyist, you must have passed their online theory test and obtained your Flyer ID."

Mansfield Town went on to win the game 3-0.

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