This is the P-51 Mustang that crashed yesterday, pictured on the runway at Seething Airfield, external near Norwich a couple of years ago. It's pilot was Maurice Hammond, who's a regular at airshows.

Image source, Ian Bamer

The following pictures show the same aircraft in flight at the Old Buckenham, external air show in July this year.

Mr Hammond, who's been seriously injured when the World War Two aircraft crashed, flew on the second day of the show.

They were taken by BBC reporter, Ian Barmer, who says the plane is "a beautiful machine... maintained to a very high standard". 

Image source, Ian Barmer

Image source, Ian Barmer

Image source, Ian Barmer

Image source, Ian Barmer

A family spokesman says yesterday's aircraft crash, which killed a man in his 80s, and left a pilot from Eye with serious injuries, was a routine sortie.

Nik Coleman, who is acting as a spokesman for the family of the pilot Maurice Hammond, said the cause of the crash was unknown, adding: "It was a normal operational flight with two people on board.

"Anybody who lives in the Hardwick area will know that this type of flight goes on all the time. 

"Maurice had taken a passenger, as is perfectly normal, and was just flying a sortie in the local area."

Police have issued a further witness appeal as officers continue to investigate an incident where a nine-year-old girl was grabbed as she played in a Norwich park.

The incident happened shortly before 16:30 on Friday, 30 September, as the victim used play equipment in Pointers Field, off George Pope Road. 

She was grabbed by a man who dragged her into a wooded area. The girl managed to break free and was unharmed.

Image source, Google

A man in his 30s has been arrested in connection with the incident and remains in police custody.

Norfolk Police would like to hear from anyone who was in the park between 16:00 and 16:45 on Friday, even if they didn't see anything they believe to be relevant to police inquiries.

Witnesses should contact Norwich CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously 0800 555 111. 

Kim Riley
BBC Look East

The wreckage of the Mustang aircraft, which crashed at Hardwick airfield yesterday, is being closely examined by the Air Accidents Investigators Branch.

The restored World War Two fighter hit the ground with its landing gear down and burst into flames. 

Its elderly passenger died at the scene while the pilot, Maurice Hammond, was seriously injured.

A family friend, Nik Coleman, gave me the latest infomation on Mr Hammond's condition, saying that he'd "been assessed, but was still sedated to help him recover from his injuries... he's stable at the moment".

Mr Coleman says his friend is "an astonishing pilot... among the world's best pilots, certainly one of the most experienced pilots in the UK on this type". 

He told me ground crew said the aircraft was operating perfectly normally and there were "no indications prior to the flight that there was any issue with it".

The P-51D Mustang which crashed at Hardwick airfield yesterday afternoon, had been restored about 15 years ago by the pilot, Maurice Hammond, who lives at Eye in Suffolk.

Nik Coleman, who's acting as a spokesman for the Hammond family, said: "This is not a 70-year-old aircraft - the core of the aircraft is of course original, and was 70-odd-years old, but in reality this is an aircraft that is around a decade old.

"It's been re-built absolutely from the ground up... and the engine in which Maurice specialises in re-manufacturing... is] a very recent engine.

"This is an aircraft in top, top condition."

A spokesman for the family of Maurice Hammond, who's under sedation at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital following the crash of a Mustang aircraft yesterday, says they "don't know" what happened.

Nik Coleman said: "The aircraft (pictured here flying in 2003) was operating normally to the best of our knowledge - it's maintained by the team, and by Maurice himself, to the highest possible standards.

"Anybody who knows Maurice and any of his aircraft will appreciate the level of competence and skill that's attached to this particular aircraft.

"Another aircraft that was operating with it reports that it was operating perfectly normally, so we are really in the hands of the Air Accident Investigation Branch, external to give us any kinds of answers."

After a chilly start, with patchy mist, it's been a pleasant day so far. The blue skies and sunshine will continue this afternoon. 

Feeling warm, with temperatures reaching 16(C) (60F).

Caroline Kingdon
BBC Local Live

The Air Accident Investigation Branch, external is getting on with working out what caused a plane to crash in south Norfolk yesterday afternoon.

Emergency services were called to Hardwick airfield where the Mustang had come down on the approach to the air base at around 15:30. 

Its pilot, Maurice Hammond, was seriously injured. His passenger, a man in his 80s, died.

Ch Insp Jason Broome, of Norfolk police, says their role now is to provide a sterile environment for investigators to operate in.   

Det Supt Paul Durham, the senior detective in charge of the investigation into the attempted abduction of a serviceman at RAF Marham has confirmed the inquiry is not being linked to the disappearance of a serviceman from RAF Honington at this time.

Norfolk police say speculative reports in the national media over the weekend suggested the inquiries may be linked.

Officers have confirmed at this stage there is no evidence to link the inquiries. 

Our cameraman Jamie Niblock has just sent these pictures showing the scene at Hardwick airfield, external this morning. 

The World War Two Mustang aircraft came down at the northern end of the air field. 

A team from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch, external will take away the plane and examine it in detail, to establish the cause of the crash which claimed the life of a passenger. 

The pilot, Maurice Hammond, was seriously injured.

The road which runs past the airfield, between Alburgh and Hempnall, has been closed off, and police are on site to make sure no-one goes through the barriers. 

Caroline Kingdon
BBC Local Live

Maurice Hammond is an expert on vintage planes.

The pilot, who's in his 50s and from Eye in Suffolk, lovingly restored the P51 Mustang, nicknamed Janie, which came down near Hardwick airfield yesterday. 

He was seriously injured and his passenger died at the scene.

The self-made engineering millionaire spent four and a half years restoring the airframe and fitting the electrics at his home.  

With a top speed of 505 mph (810 km/h) in a dive, the Mustang burns three gallons (13.6 litres) of fuel a minute. 

But at a normal cruising speed of 250 mph (400 km/h), that fuel consumption drops to one gallon (4.5 litres) per minute.

In an interview with BBC Look East in 2003, Mr Hammond says it was the "aeroplane that turned the Second World War. 

"I love it, it's the power... it's just a sheer delight to fly," he said.   

Caroline Kingdon
BBC Local Live

Planes are Maurice Hammond's passion.

This footage shows him flying his USAF Mustang fighter at Hardwick airfield in June 2003. He bought it in 1997, and put it back together at home.

He kept the World War Two aircraft at Hardwick airfield near Long Stratton, where it crashed on Sunday afternoon.

Mr Hammond was seriously injured and remains in hospital. His passenger, a man in his 80s, died in the crash.  

Eastern Daily Press

The back page of today's Eastern Daily Press, external:

Image source, Archant

Eastern Daily Press

One dead and another seriously injured in crash - the front page of today's Eastern Daily Press, external.

Image source, Archant

Caroline Kingdon
BBC Local Live

Situated in Norfolk between Long Stratton and Bungay, Hardwick airfield was one of the early heavy bomber airfields, external which were constructed for the RAF in 1941-42 during World War Two.

It was assigned to the United States Air Force, and designated as Station 104. From early November 1943 through to June 1945, the Hardwick base served as headquarters for the 20th Combat Bombardment Wing of the 2nd Bomb Division.  

Image source, Getty Images

Originally, 30 hardstands were planned for the airfield - sufficient for the RAF's needs. These were increased to 50 for the USAF.

After victory in Europe, the field was turned over to the RAF on 25 June 1945. It eventually closed in 1962. 

The airfield has several Open Days throughout the year. Their website shows the next scheduled one is 16 October. 

The picture shows Mustang P-51s flying over Washington DC as part of a display commemorating the 50th anniversary of VE Day on 8 May 2015.

The body of a woman has been discovered in a woodland area in Hempstead near Cromer.

Emergency services, who'd been searching for a missing local woman, found the body yesterday afternoon.

It's believed to the body of a woman in her 20s. The death is not being treated as suspicious. 

Nik Coleman, who is acting as a media spokesman for the Hammond family, said he will be answering questions at the aeroplane crash site at Hardwick airfield in Norfolk at 11:00.

On his Facebook page, external he said of the pilot: "Maurice has had a satisfactory night at NNUH [Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital], and his condition is stable and under constant assessment.

"All of your best wishes have been passed on.

"The family are overwhelmed by your support and we ask you to keep all involved in your thoughts."

Caroline Kingdon
BBC Local Live

Maurice Hammond, the pilot who was injured when his Mustang aircraft crashed at a south Norfolk airfield yesterday, was a member of the Hardwick Warbirds.

Willie Cruickshank, who flies for the Wildcat Aerobatics team in Old Buckenham near Norwich, said he had displayed at a number of air shows alongside the Warbirds team.

Mr Cruickshank, who recently featured in the BBC programme Skies Above Britain, says Mr Hammond is "a very experienced pilot - a fantastic pilot" and the P-51 Mustang "in Maurice's hands is a wonderful aircraft".

He says he's never flown the USAF World War Two fighter plane, but "would give his right arm" to do so.

An air accident investigation team from Farnborough will remove the plane, and - says Mr Cruickshank - they'll examine every bit of it, to determine the cause of the accident. 

He says the full report, which will be very detailed, should come out within six months to a year. 

A Suffolk pilot, who was seriously injured in a vintage plane crash yesterday, is widely respected, according to a local aviation expert.

Maurice Hammond is being treated at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, following the crash, in which a man in his 80s died.

Image source, Zak Nelson

Roger Smith, from the Lowestoft Aviation Society, external, described Mr Hammond as "a very likeable chap", saying that "a lot of pilots who fly warbirds, external think he's a really good display pilot with the Mustang".

Mr Smith added that the aircraft which crashed yesterday has been seen in the past at the Lowestoft Seafront Air Festival, external, and had been seen over Bentwaters and Oulton Broad just before it crashed."

Caroline Kingdon
BBC Local Live

A close friend of the pilot who was injured in the Hardwick aircrash says Maurice Hammond is "stable and being cared for at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital".

Nik Coleman, who's known Mr Hammond for 15 years, has posted on his Facebook page, external that Mr Hammond is "sedated to aid his recovery" and all his family have been able to see him.

Image source, Submitted

The family has asked for their privacy to be respected, but "are very grateful at the outpouring of support".

Mr Coleman says the family's thoughts and condolences are with the the family of the passenger, who died in the crash.