At the last moment when (the pilot) saw he would crash into the crowd, he swerved to avoid them

Fireman Yannick Bobin

The accident happened on Monday after two fatal crashes at the Biggin Hill airshow in the UK over the weekend.

"Earlier we had seen smoke coming from his engine and the airport siren was rung," said fireman Yannick Bobin.

"The pilot wanted to land on the runway, but at the last moment when he saw he would crash into the crowd, he swerved to avoid them."

Explosion

The plane exploded on impact and was on fire when the firemen approached.

Organisers said 11 Spitfires and a Hurricane were taking part in the airshow near the northern city of Rouen - the first to bring together such an important collection of World War II planes in France since the war.

On Sunday the Biggin Hill air show was suspended after the lone pilot of the World War II Bell King Cobra fighter died in a fireball just 100 yards away from onlookers.

The day before, two men were killed when a De Havilland Vampire crashed during a display at the same show.

Air show spokesman Nick Smith said the two crashes were "extremely unfortunate", but defended the safety record of vintage air shows, saying the last fatality at such a show was in 1980.