An explosion at Manston airport has left a man seriously injured this afternoon.

He is believed to have been dismantling a 747 at the Northern Grassland area of the site, and was using an industrial cutting tool when there was an explosion.

Emergency services were called to the airport at 2.30pm and the air ambulance landed next to where the plane is being broken up.

The man was airlifted to King's College Hospital in London with serious injuries.

No one else has been hurt.

The Health and Safety Executive has been informed and will be investigating the explosion.

A Kent Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "Emergency services attended an incident at Manston Airport, in Ramsgate.

"Fire crews assisted paramedics with one male casualty, after what is believed to have been an industrial accident."

In November last year, aircraft breaking was halted by the Environment Agency following a complaint by airport campaigners.

The agency confirmed the activity was being carried out without an environmental permit, and launched an investigation the tear-down operation.

Save Manston Airport campaigners believe the former airport is no longer licensed to carry out the dismantling of two 747 jumbo jets and a DC8, and claim the work should not be carried out without a fire station on site.

Group chairman Dr Beau Webber alerted the Environment Agency to the work being carried out. He fears hydraulic fluid from the planes could enter the Thanet aquifer and cause environmental harm.

Speaking to KentOnline last year Dr Webber said: “Manston is no longer an airport according to the new owners.

“The former operators had permission to break two aircraft a year, however a license to break aircraft is not transferable and a different company is now in possession of the airport.

“They have no aircraft licences because Manston Skyport surrendered them.”

The owners of the airport were asked to comment at the time but did not respond.