Managers covered the security gates on Wednesday morning

Transport and General Workers' Union members voted to accept an hourly rate of £9.50 per hour - an extra £40 a week - at a meeting held on Wednesday.

The deal, which will start next month, also includes three weeks paid annual sick leave and paid hospital visits.

The second strike had been planned for Friday morning.

TGWU leader Nick Corbel said the deal the workers accepted went a lot further than the original one.

'Vested interest'

Early flights were cancelled or delayed on Wednesday morning as security staff working for G4S held industrial action over pay and conditions.

They had rejected a pay offer of 3.4% and three weeks paid sick leave at a meeting held on Tuesday night.

Four managers covered the security gates on Wednesday morning while staff manned the picket lines at the airport roundabout.

Airport director Julian Green said the disruption was not the airport's fault.

"The airport, like all of the travellers affected today, is a bystander in this and we refute the fact that it's an issue between G4S and the airport," he said.

"The dispute is between G4S and its staff but clearly we have a vested interest in this."

But Mr Corbel from the TGWU said it would not have happened if the role of security staff had not been outsourced.

"I find the situation bizarre," said Mr Corbel.

"That is the problem with outsourcing and contracting in services - that you do get these problems - and the airport should be looking at bringing those workers into the public sector."