Aircraft show
The plane was taking off from the runway at the private Brimpton Airfield in Berkshire before it rammed into a row of cars - Representational image REUTERS/Peter Nicholls

A woman sustained serious injuries after a light aircraft crashed into her car at a charity show at Brimpton airfield in Berkshire, near Reading. She was airlifted to hospital, while the pilots of the former RAF plane escaped miraculously with minor cuts and bruises.

The plane was about to take off at the private Brimpton Airfield before it rammed into a row of cars parked near the run and crashed into the car the female spectator – reportedly in her 60s – was seated in.

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The two pilots, who are also believed to be in their 60s, managed to walk away from the wreckage of the plane after the accident, which occurred on Sunday (5 June) at 3pm BST. Emergency services were called in to rescue the woman and she was taken to John Radcliff Hospital in Oxford by an air ambulance. She suffered "serious facial injuries," Sky News reported.

The Thames Valley Police said that the Air Accident Investigation Branch will launch a formal investigation into the incident. A retired fire officer and a member of the Brimpton Flying Club, Eugene Johnson said: "Everybody is really disappointed because we go to a lot of lengths to make it a pleasurable and fun event.

"People walk around the planes but they are always accompanies and we take safety really seriously. There is no display, it is just planes taking off and landing, so we are very disappointed, particularly as this is for a good cause."

Around 100 spectators were part of the small charity event. Many of them took to social media to describe the incident. Armin Grewe posted on Facebook: "[saw the] whole incident unfolding as I was standing in front of the pavilion when it happened, very scary as it passed just a couple of feet away from me."

Another witness Teresa Bowell Lennon wrote: "It's such a shame something like this has happened. We saw it from afar as we were looking at the planes. These poor people are trying to raise money for a great cause and it ended like this. I hope the injured person is ok."