Light aircraft hits farm bungalow in Lincolnshire

The pilot, who is from Leicestershire, was freed from the aircraft by firefighters

Two men have narrowly avoided being hit by a light aircraft as it struck a bungalow on a farm in Lincolnshire.

The fire service said a man who lives in the bungalow was in the garden and pushed another man out of the way, to prevent them both being hit.

The 73-year-old pilot became stuck in the plane, which was embedded in the building. The plane's landing gear broke off and landed on a bed.

The crash happened at about 14:00 GMT, outside Castle Bytham.

Pete Wiles, from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue, said: "The occupant of the bungalow and a fuel delivery driver were in the garden. They were just finishing off the delivery and noticed the aircraft coming over the hill.

The aircraft crashed near the village of Castle Bytham

"I understand the occupant pushed the tanker driver out of the way and in doing that he moved out of the way as well.

"In the process of being pushed, the tanker driver sustained a cut to the chin.

"If they hadn't moved...they would have been hit."

He continued: "It could have been far more serious than it actually was and there could have been three people killed or seriously injured.

"It's a fairly miraculous escape...there's an overhead power line nearby which it missed as well."

The pilot of the aircraft, from Thurnby in Leicestershire, was taken to hospital but his condition is not thought to be life threatening.

The 61-year-old occupant of the bungalow was not injured and the 52-year-old tanker driver was taken to hospital with minor cuts and bruises.

Police said an investigation was likely to be launched by the Civil Aviation Authority.

The aircraft was embedded in the side of the bungalow