A plane has been forced to turn round and make an emergency landing after its evacuation slide fell and plummeted to the ground.

Investigators at the Civil Aviation Authority have been investigating how such an essential piece of emergency equipment fell from a Thomas Cook aircraft near Tunbridge Wells today.

The item, described by a witness to be around 13ft x 3ft (4m x 1m), was seen dropping from the plane over Langton Green at around 11.15am.

Users on social media said it caused a loud bang, and looked as if it was billowing like a parachute - The Kent Messenger can exclusively reveal it was an emergency slide falling through the sky.

A Thomas Cook flight travelling from Gatwick to Hurghada in Egypt, was forced to turn approximately an hour into its five hour, fifteen minute journey, and land back at the London airport after a fault was identified.

A spokesperson said: “We can confirm that flight TCX1638, from Gatwick to Hurghada, returned to the airport after a short time into the flight after a fault was reported with an over wing slide.

“Whilst airborne, the slide unit has fallen from the aircraft and we are aware that local police have been informed. The aircraft landed safely at Gatwick Airport and we are now immediately undertaking a full investigation and working with the airline authorities.

“We’d like to apologise to our customers for the delay to their flight – they will depart this afternoon on a replacement aircraft.”

A police helicopter was seen searching the area trying to locate the object.

A spokesperson said: "Kent Police was called at 11.15 to reports of an object falling from an airplane above the Langton Green and Groombridge area.

"Officers are currently trying to locate the object which is believed to have landed in an area close to the Kent and Sussex border. Anyone with information should contact 101"

Sussex Police officers are also involved in the incident.

A spokesperson said: "We received a call to reports of the item falling at 11.15am. We are currently involved in a search. The helicopter is a shared resource for both police departments."

The Civil Aviation Authority is also continuing to investigate the matter.

The plane was flying over Belgium when it began to return to London.

A spokesperson said: "We have received a report of an incident involving a passenger aircraft in the vicinity of Gatwick earlier this morning.

"The aircraft landed safely at Gatwick and no injuries were reported to passengers or crew.

"We have discussed the issue with the airline concerned and will be providing assistance to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch who are now investigating."

The 237 passengers on board are being looked after by staff at Gatwick Airport and a replacement flight is being organised for this afternoon.

It comes just days after people heard a loud bang over Kent's skies - which turned out to be two RAF Typhoon jets intercepting a Latvian cargo plane, causing a sonic boom.