An experienced pilot died when he crashed during a controversial stunt flight.

Brian Brown was killed instantly when the historic £1.5 million Hawker Hurricane aircraft he was at the controls of plunged into fields near Lancing College.

Mr Brown, 49, was taking part in a mock dogfight with other vintage planes from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight during Shoreham Airshow.

An inquest was told he had repeatedly told organisers and other pilots he did not want to perform rolls or other aerobatic manoeuvres at the event.

But at the end of the display the Hurricane appeared to roll and nosedived into a field in front of 20,000 horrified spectators in September 2007.

John Romain, who runs a company restoring and maintaining historic aircraft, led briefings for the mock attack by two Messerschmitt 108s on the airfield which Mr Brown was to take part in.

He said the pilots and those of the two Hurricanes and six Spitfires taking part were given written briefs for the display which would include a four minute victory celebration at the end.

Flight Lieutenant David Harvey, a serving RAF fighter pilot flying the second Hurricane, said the crews were unhappy about the amount of air space and separation of aircraft during their display.

The hearing at Worthing continues.