A spectator who helped clear crowds from a beach seconds before a plane crash landed today spoke of his horror when he saw what was about to happen.

George Mero and his wife Kim could see the PA28 Cherokee was in difficulties as it headed towards Lancing beach.

Mr Mero, 40, of George V Avenue, Lancing, said: "Kim spotted it first and said the plane seemed to be quite low. I could see there was no way it was going to make it to the airport.

"It was a horrible feeling. I told Kim to phone 999 and ran across the road and across the green towards the beach shouting at people to get out of the way.

"I didn't have time to stop and think. All I could do was get over there as fast as I could and get people to move out of the way."

Mr Mero said another man reached the plane first. He said: "The other guy helped the people inside get out. They were all looking a bit shaken up but apart from that they seemed to be OK."

Mr Mero, who works at SmithKline Beecham in Worthing, said: "I still can't believe how lucky they were and how lucky we were the beach wasn't more crowded."

A crowd gathered yesterday to watch engineers remove the plane's wings and tailplane before it was taken to Shoreham Airport for checks.