A pilot survived after a light aircraft crashed on to a beach in Hampshire on Saturday.

The pilot had exited the aircraft before firefighters arrived and was subsequently assessed by the ambulance service, Hampshire and Isle of Wight fire and rescue service said.

The plane went into the sea at Lee-on-the-Solent, Gosport, Hampshire, at about 4.15pm.

Firefighters worked to winch the aircraft from the sea, and Hampshire police were keeping it secure until it could be recovered, the fire service added in a statement.

HM Coastguard said the pilot was the only person on board and had been “able to self-recover to the beach and was checked over by the ambulance service”.

Ellie Chapman, who witnessed the crash, told the Southern Daily Echo: “I was by the beach looking at the free books when I heard a loud crashing sound from the rocks.

“When I turned around, the plane was already in the water, with the tail briefly lifted before it dropped down, suggesting it had gone in nose first. There was no noise from the aircraft beforehand, so the crash came without warning.

“I saw the pilot crawl out into the water, and people helped him on to the rocks. Everyone looked stunned, some rushed over to help while others stood in shock, myself included.”

The coastguard said Hamble Lifeboat, a coastguard helicopter and an air ambulance also attended the scene of the crash.