THE search for a Second World War Spitfire has been put on hold after human remains were found at the crash site.

Archaeologists were hoping to pull out the engine and the main part of the fuselage yesterday ahead of a special flypast.

However the dig has been halted and the site near Holme, Cambridgeshire, has been taken over by police and the coroner after a fragment of human skeletal remains was found.

The excavation, which started on Monday, is hoping to unearth the Spitfire belonging to Brighton pilot Harold Penketh.

The 20-year-old crashed nose first while on a training exercise in November 1940.

His body was removed and taken back to Brighton for burial at Woodvale Cemetery but his Spitfire was covered up and left.

It is thought the remains are of pilot officer Penketh, given the high speed nature of the crash.

Earlier yesterday a lone Spitfire performed a flypast over the site while those on the ground said a few words to remember the young pilot who was part of 266 Squadron.

Before the grim find, archaeologists had been making good progress had found part of the propeller as well as pilot officer Penketh's helmet.

Jo Dickson, from the Wildlife Trust who manage the site, said: "We are now down two and a half metres and well into the clay. We found part of the propeller and so now think we are close to the main part of the engine.

"We also found his helmet which is in such good condition."

She added: "The flypast was fantastic, we had all the team there and there were lots of people from the local village who came to watch as well. We said a few words, it was really nice.

"But unfortunately we have now had to stop the dig and we can't say when it will start again."

Those behind the project are still trying to trace descendants of Mr Penketh, who was born in Hove and worked at The Ocean Accident and Guarantee Corporation in Brighton.

He joined the RAF and was based at RAF Wittering near Peterborough when he crashed.

Eyewitnesses have told how the plane dived unexpectedly before plummeting into the Fens nose first.

The aircraft broke up into hundreds of pieces although archaeologists are expecting to find a large chunk of the fuselage intact.

Are you a descendants of Mr Penketh? Call 01273 544514 or email ben.james@theargus.co.uk.