Police say a pilot and a passenger's life was put in danger after a drone was flown in restricted airspace.

Police received a report on Sunday that a pilot landing at Elstree Aerodrome encountered a drone flying around 1,000 feet over the Bushey Heath area.

Fortunately, the pilot was able to land safely - but the incident has prompted an officer to issue a warning about using drones near airports and airstrips.

PC Gerard Handscombe said: "This incident put not only the pilot and his passenger in danger, but also the residents below.

"This was a serious offence and with drone flying becoming a popular hobby, I’d like to remind owners that failing to fly your drone safely could result in a criminal prosecution and/or your drone license being revoked by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

"The CAA are working closely with us in an effort to encourage owners to act both legally and responsibly and anyone found to be flying their drone in a manner deemed unsafe or reckless will be dealt with robustly."

The following rules under the Drone Code should be adhered to:

• Always keep your drone or model aircraft in direct sight.

• Never fly more than 400ft (120m) above the ground and stay well away from aircraft, airports and airfields.

• Never fly closer than 150m to a crowd of 1,000 people or more. Never fly directly over a crowd.

• Never fly closer than 150m to built-up areas. Never fly directly over a built-up area.

• Never fly in an airport’s flight restriction zone. For further information go to: http://orlo.uk/9NIpj

• It is illegal to fly a drone or model aircraft between 250g-20kg that does not show a valid operator ID.

Anyone with a drone that weighs between 250g and 20kg and wants to fly it within a 5km radius of Elstree Aerodrome should seek permission from the aerodrome first.