The plane was preparing for the Battle of Britain air display

The incident happened at about 1315 BST and emergency services were immediately at the scene.

Both the pilot, Flight Lieutenant Jez Griggs, and his engineer, Corporal Harry Harrison, were unhurt, but slightly shaken, in the incident.

The Red Arrows, based at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, were arriving in the Channel Islands to take part in Thursday's Battle of Britain air display.

An MoD spokesman said: "One of the aircraft left the runway at Jersey Airport as it came into land.

'Minor incident'

"Neither of the crew was injured. This was a minor incident. We will be investigating to see what the problem was.

"The aircraft was coming into Jersey in order to undertake displays in the area this week."

It appears the BAe Hawk aircraft came off the end or the side of the runway, went down a bank, and across a small access road.

It narrowly missed a JCB digger, before being stopped by another bank of earth.

Flights interrupted

A crane was used to put the aircraft back on the runway.

Wing Commander Bill Ramsey said the crash would not affect Thursday's air display over Jersey and Guernsey.

He said he thought the accident was caused by a minor engineering fault.

The aircraft was landing from east to west along the runway, before stopping above the Five Mile Road.

Flights to and from Jersey were interrupted for a short time.