Manchester United were at the centre of a spy thriller this morning after claims recent training sessions had been filmed by an aircraft carrying high-tech surveillance equipment.

Aoccrding to the Daily Mirror, the spy plane has made three trips over United's heavily-guarded Carrington training complex, from where it would be possible to gain a vital glimpse of the Premiership leaders' training and tactics.

Any information filmed could be a crucial help to any of United boss Sir Alex Ferguson's rivals, both in the Premiership and Champions League.

It is alleged the plane - a specially-adapted Cessna 172 Skyhawk - made its final flight over Carrington on January 17.

The Mirror alleges that, after landing, one of the crew then drove south to a service station on the outskirts of London, where a package was delivered to a mystery man in a blacked out car.

If the allegations are true, football's goverbing bodies could take action against any club found to have been spying on their rivals.

http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/football/article.html?in_article_id=34591&in_page_id=43