A millionaire businessman running late for lunch at a country manor caused hours of disruption for holidaymakers by flying through Heathrow airspace in his helicopter.

Supermarkets boss Christopher Kiley risked disaster as he took off alone on a 10 minute flight into controlled zones near Britain's busiest airport.

Air traffic control halted international flights because of Kiley, who was previously taken to court over an "emergency" landing in a village carpark.

Kiley, the owner of Welsh-based chain CK's Supermarkets, was flying only eight miles Wycombe Air Park to Cliveden House in Buckinghamshire.

Kiley, 62, forced a temporary halt of all northbound departures because of the security alert as his helicopter went as low as 300ft after flying two miles into controlled airspace near Heathrow Airport.

Magistrates heard Kiley, of Caswell, near Swansea, apologised for his actions but fined him fined £1,700 and ordered him to pay costs of £600.

He had previously been fined in 2011 for ignoring a ban to take off again after being forced to land his red helicopter on an unused car park in Rhondda, Wales, after a clutch light came on.

Flamboyent Kiler was also criticised for removing historic hedgerows near his Gower home amid speculation he wanted to build his own landing strip.

Swansea Council issued Kiley with a hedgerow replacement notice and is keeping an eye on the fields in question.

The Civil Aviation Authority brought charges against Kiley for flying his helicopter into the London Control Zone without air traffic control clearance on April 20.

His helicopter was spotted by staff at air traffic control service NATS who were alerted by radar to the presence of an unexpected aircraft and saw it descending to 300ft.

In a court case last week, prosecutor Alison Slater said: "Airspace infringements, no matter how short lived, can cause significant disruption and the knock-effects could means hours of delays to thousands of people.

"Every pilot should know and abide by the rules of the air and we expect all pilots to plan their journeys well in advance and follow the regulations."

Uxbridge magistrates court heard northbound flights were temporarily halted at 1pm. Kiley told the court in a statement that he had been given directions to Cliveden House, but did not have co-ordinates.

He said he had been listening to air traffic control but it was extremely busy and, as the landing area was in view, he decided to land his helicopter.

Miss Slater, prosecuting for the Civil Aviation Authority, said: "He admitted he should have waited for clearance and apologised for his misjudgement."

Kiley pleaded guilty via post at Uxbridge magistrates court to one count of entering Class D airspace in the vicinity of London Heathrow Airport without air traffic control clearance.

He was fined £1,700 and ordered to pay costs of £600, a victim surcharge of £120 and a court user charge of £150.

The court was told Kiley, who founded the CK's chain of supermarkets in South Wales, had two previous convictions for aviation offences.

A spokesman for the British Airline Pilots Association said: "It is important that all airspace users do all they can to abide by the rules which are there to protect flight safety and the travelling public. That's especially true in the airspace around Heathrow which is highly congested with commercial traffic."

The London Control Zone surrounds London Heathrow Airport and is one the world's busiest air spaces. No aircraft can enter the zone without clearance from air traffic control.