Europe's biggest budget airline has announced a new base at Southend Airport in Essex - taking on its arch-rival, easyJet, and sounding a warning to Stansted, its main base.

Ryanair will base three aircraft at Southend from summer 2019, with nearly 60 weekly flights to 13 destinations in eight countries.

Most of the routes are to holiday destinations, serving Alicante, Barcelona, Reus, Bilbao, Brest, Corfu, Faro, Malaga, Palma and Venice. But there are four city services, to Dublin, Milan Bergamo, Kosice in Slovakia and Cluj in Romania.

David O'Brien, chief commercial officer of Ryanair, said: "We are pleased to add London Southend Airport to our UK base network.

"Ryanair guests travelling to and from London and the Essex area can now enjoy low fares on a choice of 13 routes through London Southend's exceptionally passenger friendly terminal."

Since a £100m project to turn Southend into a 21st-century airport, easyJet has established a base. Competition between the two airlines to Mediterranean destinations could trigger a fares war.

The move also signals a warning to Stansted Airport that Ryanair is prepared to grow elsewhere.

Southend Airport, owned by the Stobart Group, has long said it intends to capitalise on the congestion at other London airports, while waiting for a third runway at Heathrow.

Warwick Brady, chief executive of Stobart Group, said: "Passengers are increasingly turning to London Southend Airport amid the capacity crisis found elsewhere in the capital, where holidaymakers and business travellers face frustration from overcrowded airports, impacting on customer service."