THE widow of a wedding chauffeur killed in the Shoreham air crash has spoken of her relief that pilot Andy Hill will be tried over the death of her husband.

The feeling was shared by the parents of 23-year-old Jacob Schilt who was killed along with his friend Matt Grimstone as the pair drove to play a football match.

On Wednesday night prosecutors announced Hill would be tried for 11 counts of manslaughter by gross negligence.

Yesterday Hill was formally charged after legal documents were sent to his home.

Meanwhile the coroner has delayed by a year the beginning of the inquest into the deaths to allow time for the trail, which is expected to take place at the Old Bailey.

Edwina Abrahams, widow of 76-year-old Maurice – who was on his way to pick up a bride for her wedding when he was killed in the jet explosion on August 22 2015 – said she was “very relieved” when prosecutors informed her of their decision.

The 62-year-old who lives in Brighton said: “We are very pleased it has got to this point and know that things are going forward.

“It’s taken such a long time to get here. Now we think that this time next year it will all be behind us. It has taken too long.

“The wait for the meeting was not too bad because we were all together and we have seen everybody so often.

“We were supported by our police liaison officer too. The police have been brilliant.”

Caroline Schilt told The Argus that she and her husband Bob were “relieved” there would be a trial.

Hove MP Peter Kyle said: “This is the right decision. My instinctive first reaction is that for the families this must be just an enormous moment for them to hear this and an unbelievable relief.

“I want this to move forward with the pace it has been missing to date so that families can get the justice that they all need and deserve.”

Mr Kyle said no family should have to endure a “torturous” wait of 31 months for authorities to “pass information from one to another” and that he and Tim Loughton, the Conservative MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, would be “pressing hard” for changes in regulation and legislation.

But James Healy-Pratt, head of aviation at Stewarts Law who is representing some of the victims’ families, said there had been mixed reactions to the news.

He said after the announcement: “At least the families now know what the position is with the criminal proceedings. But it means the inquest will likely be delayed by another year at least which is difficult for them.

“So it could be 2019, four years after the event, before they can get closure.

“Eleven innocent victims lost their lives. Prosecutions will not bring any lives back, but it may raise awareness.”

His prediction was proved right yesterday when West Sussex Coroner Penelope Schofield announced a pre-inquest review scheduled for Monday would be postponed until next February.

Hill, of Sandon Road, Sandon, Hertfordshire, is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on April 19. He has also been charged with endangering an aircraft.