Christmas travellers are being warned not to carry party poppers on to planes.

Gatwick Airport has issued festive packing advice to travellers set to jet out for their Christmas holidays in a bid to ensure people are not caught out by security checks.

Travellers are being warned not to pack party poppers in either their hold luggage or their hand luggage and that Christmas crackers should only go in the hold.

Air passengers are also being reminded not to take wrapped presents on as hand luggage as security staff may ask to unwrap them before Christmas Day.

The airport is also advising passengers that seasonal treats such as cranberry sauce, pickles, mince meat, jam, marmalade and other jellies, tubs of clotted cream, custard and brandy sauce, all fall under liquid rules meaning anything over 100ml must go in the hold.

More than 1.7 million passengers are expected to travel through Gatwick between December 19 and January 5 with Geneva, Barcelona and Dublin the most popular destinations for a second year running.

The airport expects more than 15,000 passengers arriving and departing from Gatwick on Christmas Day itself and 64,000 passengers flying out on Sunday December 21 – the Sussex airport’s single busiest departure day over the festive period.

To keep travellers in the festive spirit, a gospel choir, a Santa brass band and a Frank Sinatra tribute will among the performers at the airport’s terminals raising money for Gatwick’s nominated charities include Gatwick Travel Care, Chestnut Tree House hospice and Cancer Research UK.