People perhaps thought they’d seen it all when idiots with laser pens were reported to be shining them into the cabins of low-flying aeroplanes in a bid to dazzle pilots.

But fresh levels of stupidity have emerged with the revelation that so-called “pranksters” are making hoax calls to Leeds Bradford Airport’s air traffic controllers using stolen radio equipment.

The danger of such actions barely needs to be spelled out, but evidently such highly-illegal and potentially disastrous activity is deemed to be an appropriate way of someone getting their thrills.

There is little doubt that the air traffic controllers at Leeds Bradford are a highly-professional bunch who will not be easily swayed by hoax calls.

But the stressful and complicated procedures involved in marshalling the air traffic that lands and takes off at a busy airport do not need to be made any more difficult by the actions of yobs.

If the worst happened and enough confusion was generated by these hoaxers to actually cause, God forbid, an actual accident involving a passenger aeroplane, would they then be happy?

Whether they regard themselves as pranksters or not, it is to be hoped that the police swiftly catch the culprits and the full force of the law is brought to bear on punishing them.