Rescuers have found what's thought to be the wreckage of a plane that went missing after taking off from Biggin Hill.

Funeral parlour owner, Alex De Gruchy, who is thought to be in his twenties, took off from the airport yesterday.

Debris, believed to be wreckage, was first spotted off the French coast at Cherbourg at 10am this morning.

The Préfecture Maritime de la Manche et de la Mer du Nord say the debris confirms the violent impact of a small tourist plane on the surface of the sea.

Mr De Gruchy's plane, a Cirrus SR 22, failed to arrive in Jersey yesterday evening, after taking off from Biggin Hill in the afternoon.

The funeral parlour owner, whose business is based on Jersey, was travelling alone in the the four-seater, fixed wing single plane, which had only been flown for a total of 70 hours before yesterday's flight.

Biggin Hill Airport's director Peter Lonergan said it was unusual conditions for a crash.

He said: "These are quite strange circumstances because the weather conditions were reasonable and mild."

But the Maritime Coastguard Agency believe there was heavy rain and reduced visibility in the area where the plane lost contact with air traffic controllers.

The plane was due to arrive in Jersey at 5.42pm, after taking off from Biggin Hill at 4.32pm.

It was reported missing 14 miles from the French coast.

Lifeboats went out to search for any signs of wreckage.

A Belgian helicopter joined the search because the UK rescue services were unavailable.

The plane has only been flown for a total of 70 hours before yesterday's flight.

• More on this as we get it.