A pilot is lucky to be alive after his plane crashed into a hill as he lost his way in thick fog.

Anthony French, 67, clambered out of his wrecked light aircraft with minor cuts, sprains and bruises after the dramatic crash landing in a hill-top field.

His plane just missed a disastrous collision with historic Sussex landmarks the Jack and Jill windmills before running into the ground half a mile away.

Nearby walkers feared the worst when they heard an huge smash after hearing the plane fly low overhead.

The plane came crashing down into farmland near Clayton, near Hassocks, at lunchtime yesterday.

Mr French was flying from North Weald airfield in Essex, near his home in Great Baddow, to the Isle of Wight when he became disorientated in the fog over the Sussex Downs.

Inspector Martin Pattenden, of Sussex Police, said: "The fog was very thick so visibility was pretty awful.

"The pilot underestimated the height of the land and crashed on to the hill. He's a really lucky guy. If he came in any lower, he would have crashed into the hill but instead he just slowed to a stop on top of it."

Mr French was found by rescuers walking down a lane towards the A273.

Walker Christian Gallacher alerted emergency services after he saw Mr French's aircraft appear to fly low over the Downs and then heard a loud smash.

Mr Gallacher, 33, of Pavilion Close, Hassocks, had been walking near Jack windmill with his four-year-old daughter Lauren and his dog, Ben.

He said: "The plane was very low for over the Downs.

"I was looking for it again but couldn't see it in the fog and then I heard this sound of things breaking. I didn't think much of the plane would be left, let alone the pilot."

The fog hampered rescuers' efforts to find the plane and it took them about 30 minutes to locate it.

Mr Gallacher said: "It was a relief in a way when they did find it. I knew what I had heard but some people were looking at me like I had imagined it."

Mr Pattenden said: "We had a large number of police, ambulance and fire resources looking for the pilot. In the end, he was very close to us but because the fog was so thick we couldn't see him."

Mr French was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton with minor injuries. X-rays were taken last night and he is believed to have escaped with only minor injuries.

Mr French is a member of The Squadron flying club at North Weald and is a member of a smaller group which owns the PZL Koliber plane he was flying.

General manager Alan Crouchman said the club was still trying to get in touch with Mr French but was relieved he was not seriously injured.

Mr Crouchman said: "All the reports we have been getting are very encouraging. He had a miraculous escape. He is very lucky."

Farmer Gary Lee, who owns the land Mr French landed in, said: "The first I knew was when my brother called to say he had heard on the radio about a plane crash so I though I'd better have a look to see if I could help. All the fire engines and ambulances were already here. It was quite shocking."