Pilot seriously injured in crash at Stow Maries aerodrome air show

A pilot has suffered serious injuries after a light aircraft crashed during an air show at the site of a First World War-era aerodrome.

Essex Police said one person was injured in the incident at Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome in Maldon shortly before 2.25pm on Sunday.

In a statement, venue officials said that an aircraft taking part in a display by the Turbulent team was damaged, injuring the pilot and bringing the air show to a halt.

The aerodrome added that it is co-operating with the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) alongside emergency service crews.

A Facebook update from the venue confirmed that the injured aviator was transported to a hospital in London. The site has since been closed to visitors.

The sold-out show was advertised as a "festival of aviation" to raise funds for the location's on-site First World War military aviation museum, according to its website.

In a Facebook post from August 7, organisers said the display would feature the Turbulent Team chasing balloons and dropping flour bombs from single-seat light aircraft.

The aerodrome contains the largest intact group of Royal Flying Corps (RFC) buildings from the First World War and played a "pivotal role" in British air defence during initial bombing raids, its website states.

On the Turbulent Team’s website, the French-designed plane, believed to have first flown in 1953, is described as "little more than a flying motorbike", weighing approximately 350lbs when empty.

Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, took to the air in a Druine Turbulent in 1959, becoming the first member of the royal family to pilot a single-seat aircraft.