A Red Arrows jet crash-landed at RAF Brize Norton after a bird was sucked into its engine.

Pilot David Stobie and engineer Steve Gardner were lucky to escape with their lives when their single-engine Hawk lost power seconds after taking off.

The jet plunged onto the runway with the pilot having no time to lower the undercarriage.

But Flt Lt Stobie and Cpl Gardner both walked away from the crashed jet without injury.

The Hawk took off in a formation of three jets yesterday lunchtime, heading for an air show in Paris. It was part of the Red Arrows display team which performed at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday.

Wg Cdr Peter Hereford, of RAF Cranwell where the Red Arrows are based, said: "The swift action by the pilot at a critical stage of the flight prevented a more serious outcome. He was brilliant." "But then again you can't go throwing these things around in the sky, without knowing what you are doing."

The pilot had just pulled up the undercarriage when the bird struck the engine.

Wg Cdr Hereford said: "The aircraft experienced a major loss of engine thrust. The pilot was forced to land with no undercarriage. He skidded off the runway and on to the grass, coming to rest after 3,000ft. It really was copybook stuff."

The RAF said the other two jets involved in the formation take-off were never in danger and returned immediately to base.

The Hawk, call-sign Red 6, is understood to be nearly 20 years old. An investigation is now underway with the RAF hopeful that the damaged plane will fly again.

The jet left a half-mile-long trail of fuel on the runway and aircraft using Brize Norton had to be diverted to nearby RAF Lyneham.

Flt Lt Stobie has been with the Red Arrows world's most celebrated stunt team, famous for flying just inches from each other's wings, for more than two years.

Last night he flew out with the rest of the nine-jet Red Arrows team to the Paris show.

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