A pilot had to make a forced landing in a stubble field when his light aircraft suffered engine failure.

The pilot, flying an ME-108, was due to land at Headcorn Aerodrome

last Friday morning to collect a passenger when he reported engine problems to the control tower.

Aerodrome owner Jamie Freeman said: “He made a wheels-up belly landing in a neighbouring field of stubble which was the correct thing to do.

“He wasn’t hurt and there was little damage to the plane, just the engine and propeller. The pilot reported that he was alright. The plane could be back in the air in a month.”

The aerodrome’s fire truck went to the scene and another plane from the airfield flew over the site to check all was well.

Police and two fire crews from Maidstone and another from Ashford also attended.

The incident has been reported to Department of Transport’s Air Accident Investigation Branch.

It is not know where the pilot was from, but Mr Freeman said: “He was coming to pick up someone and then go to Eastbourne Airshow.”

The wings were later removed from the plane and it was taken away from the field on a low loader later that day.