A seriously injured pilot was airlifted to hospital after his microlight crash landed.

A witness to the incident has told how he put the stricken man into the recovery position after rushing over to help.

The incident happened around 2.30pm in Harringe Lane, Sellindge, near Ashford.

Daniel Hards is the chairman of the Ashford Radio Aeromodellers, which is based next door to the Kent Microlight Club.

He said: “We have never seen them crash there before, they are usually pretty good – we normally see them fly around our site.

“Obviously something must have gone wrong and they overflew us – which they don’t normally do – and crashed.

“The engine looked like it was running fine and it didn’t look like it had any issues.

“Next thing we know the plane is all broken up and the pilot is injured.

“There were at least six or seven police cars there and the same with ambulances. A few fire brigades up there as well.”

Another club member, who asked not to be named, has told how he rushed to help the pilot who was in a "pretty bad way".

He said: “I saw the microlight coming round for landing, and someone said to me ‘oh my god he’s crashed’.

“I think he just misjudged his landing by the looks of it and tipped over.

“I had to put the pilot in the recovery position and he was trapped underneath the plane – he was in a pretty bad way.

“The farmer in the field next door called emergency services whilst I gave first aid with another chap.

“Some 14 emergency service vehicles showed up, and the air ambulance took the guy to hospital."

Kent Fire and Rescue Service says it was called to assist South East Coast Ambulance Service just before 3pm.

The crew was stood down 15 minutes later.

A picture sent to KentOnline shows a fire engine at the scene, which appears to be farmland.

Speaking around 6pm, a spokesman for the Air Accidents Investigation branch said: "We are aware of an accident involving a light aircraft which occurred today.

"An investigation has begun and a team of inspectors are on their way to the accident site."

A spokesman for the air ambulance added: "Our crew arrived on scene at 3.23pm where they worked with the emergency services to help treat a patient who was taken to a major trauma centre by air.”

The microlight club has been contacted for comment.

No further details on the pilot's condition are available at this time.