by Graham Tutthill

A microlight pilot who was attempting a six-week charity flight from England to Australia has died in the Channel.

Father-of-two Martin Bromage, 49, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire,
flew out over the Kent coast on Monday on the first leg of his flight, but encountered low cloud and mist as he approached France.

He had been due to land at the airport at Le Touquet, but French air traffic controllers advised him to try to land at Abbeville, a few miles further inland.

It is understood that Mr Bromage decided to head back towards Dover.

Dover Coastguard said he made a series of radio calls, but crashed into the sea.

A French helicopter and two French customs cutters searched the coast.

His body was recovered from the water that night by the crew of a Portuguese tug, 20 miles off Le Touquet. There was no sign of the microlight.