A former Red Arrows pilot who crashed into the sea off Eastbourne during a display could have become disoriented seconds beforehand.

Thousands watched in horror as Ted Girdler's two-seat Czech-built L29 Delfin military plane went down during August's Airbourne festival.

Mr Girdler, 63, from Kent, was carrying out the second half of an aerobatic exercise known as the Cuban Eight, according to a report from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

During the exercise, on the afternoon of August 18, the plane went into a sharp nose-down descent. Mr Girdler tried to pull up but the plane crashed into the water, killing him.

Today's report says: "It must be considered a possibility that the pilot suffered a temporary loss of reference, disorientation or disability, or that there was a problem with the aircraft or a loose item within the cockpit."

The AAIB said Mr Girdler had flown Hawker Siddeley Gnat aircraft with the RAF's Red Arrows display team and had carried out a number of training and practice flights over the sea in conditions similar to those at Eastbourne.

The report added that Mr Girdler was known to prepare meticulously before commencing any manoeuvre.