This was the moment a bungling pilot sent Christmas parcels scattering across the runway - after the plane’s engine blew them over.

The Russian Post aircraft had just unloaded the cargo at an airport in Kamchatka but the captain forgot to check area behind the plane was clear.

As the Yakovlev Yak-40 jet started up on the apron to turn for the runway, the thrust from the three engines sent the packages flying through the snow in front of shocked ground staff.

The pilot and crew involved were later warned and disciplined over the mishap on December 8 - while residents who already complained about delays to post were angry at the fotoage.

Russian Post spokesman Elena Ryzhkova said: ‘’Airport employees are required to receive mail from the plane and deliver it to the receiving-transfer zone.

‘’The plane started again without making sure that the ground service removed the cargo from the platform. Thus, the airline and the airport have committed gross violations of aviation regulations.

''The postal items did not suffer. All mail was collected and checked for integrity, and then delivered to the sorting centre.’’