A stunt pilot was forced into an emergency cliff-top landing after his biplane's engine cut out at 3,500ft.

John Penfold, 54, was practising aerobatic manoeuvres off Beachy Head, near Eastbourne, when his two-seater plane suffered engine failure.

He sent a Mayday message to Shoreham airport before landing his Christian England plane in a field just yards from the edge of the 500ft cliffs.

He managed to glide the stunt plane on to downland at Beachy Head, north of the Belle Tout lighthouse, just after 2.30pm yesterday.

Rescue crews raced to the scene to find Mr Penfold, from High Hurstwood, near Crowborough, shaken but unhurt.

The plane escaped unscathed by the drama.

More than 30 firefighters were sent to the scene of the emergency, including a unit equipped with foam used to extinguish aircraft fires.

Mr Penfold said: "I often do aerobatics off shore because the noise doesn't affect people there. But on this occasion the plane suffered engine failure.

"I checked for any problems but couldn't find any so didn't know what had happened.

"I declared Mayday and looked for somewhere suitable to land. Luckily I managed to bring it in land where no one was at risk. I feel quite lucky."

Leading Firefighter Fleur Caldwell, of Eastbourne fire station, said: "The pilot had been carrying out some stunts when he experienced some kind of mechanical breakdown.

"He was forced to put the plane down in a field on very uneven ground but he landed safely. He did a great job. We checked the plane but there was no fire."

Mr Penfold was last night hoping to fly his plane back to Shoreham once a mechanic had checked it over.