A man is fighting for his life after crashing his paraglider into farmland.

The man lost control of his motorised glider at 8.50pm on Sunday and crashed into farmland on Barnhorn Road in Bexhill.

The Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB) has sent a team of specialists to the scene to find out why he crashed.

Sussex Police received reports of the crash and sent officers and a force helicopter to the scene.

Ambulances also attended but the man was airlifted to hospital by the police helicopter.

Last night he was still battling for survival Eastbourne District General Hospital (EDGH).

A police spokeswoman said: "Police and ambulances were called to farmland near Barnhorn Manor in Barnhorn Road, Bexhill, following reports of a motorised paraglider having crashed.

"A man, believed to be in his 40s, was airlifted by police helicopter to EDGH with serious injuries.

"The air investigation board has been informed and will investigate the causes."

An AAIB spokesman said investigators will look at the wreckage, the pilot's logbook and history, weather reports and examine any witness statements.

He said: "We are investigating and will produce a report in due course.

"The investigation team will be looking at the wreckage and anything else which helps us understand the accident.

"At the moment we don't know why it happened and we need to find out."

Police have not yet released the name of the man. He is understood to be from Tonbridge in Kent.

Motorised paraglider pilots are suspended beneath a large canopy and harnessed to an engine and propeller fitted backpack.

They are able to launch from any reasonable sized open space and maintain constant flight for up to an hour at a time.

The sport is represented by the British Hanggliding and Paragliding Association but pilots are not usually associated with a paragliding club.

They often fly alone and are seen as renegades within the paragliding fraternity.

It is a notoriously risky sport because engine failure can endanger the pilots life.

In November 2004 a paraglider from Peacehaven was severely injured while taking part in a tournament in India.

Paul Holzherr was 41 when he was left wheelchair bound after damaging his spine following a crash-landing near Billing, in Himachal Pradesh.

Do you know the paraglider? Did you see the accident happen? Leave your comments below.