Londoners dodged a massive potential disaster happening over their heads as a drone flew to within 20 metres of an overhead airplane.

The “football-sized” drone had its near-miss with the A320 Airbus above Biggin Hill in Bromley.

According to the report published by the UK Airprox Board, the collision had only been narrowly avoided and that disaster had only been averted as “chance had played a major part”.

The pilot in question only had time to shout “look” as the drone whizzed past, and that “there had not been time to take any avoiding action”.

Concluding the report, the members of the UK Airprox Board said that they were dismayed at how certain drone operators were “flagrantly disregarding regulation and common sense, presumably in the pursuit of ever more spectacular video footage.”

The plane was on its way to Heathrow Airport on August 4.

The pilot of the drone was not able to be located after the incident.