Police in England have identified a man who was filmed racially abusing an elderly woman on a Ryanair flight.

Video of the man calling a 77- year-old disabled woman an "ugly f****** c***" and an "ugly black b******" has been shared thousands of times on social media.

It was recorded before take-off on a flight from Barcelona to Standsted on Friday morning.

Ryanair reported the incident to police after the footage was published over the weekend.

In a statement this morning, Essex Police said "We have worked to identify both parties involved in this incident and passed this information to the Spanish authorities, who are leading on this investigation.

"Our officers will continue to provide assistance where necessary throughout the course of this case."

We have worked to identify both parties involved in the @Ryanair incident and passed this information to the Spanish authorities, who are leading on this investigation.

Our officers will continue to provide assistance where necessary throughout the course of this case. pic.twitter.com/mBb2q5T3cE

— Essex Police (@EssexPoliceUK) October 23, 2018

At the beginning of the footage, a woman can be heard telling the man that her 77-year-old is disabled.

He replies: "I don't care whether she's f****** disabled or not - if I tell her to get out she gets out."

He can also be heard shouting: "don't talk to me in a foreign language you stupid ugly cow."