An off-duty policeman described the horrific scene at the Shoreham Airshow disaster as something out of a Hollywood film.
Andrew Boydell revealed the "utter destruction" when a vintage jet crash-landed in a devastating fireball on the A27 near the airport.
He told an inquest that it was "one of the most shocking scenes I have had to deal with in my service".
PC Boydell told the hearing how he advised other officers not to look as they passed the site of the crash, which killed 11 men and left another 13 people with serious injuries.
He said: “I could see a large amount of black smoke rising into the air. I could see an ambulance with people standing around looking shocked, bleeding, with clothes missing.”
“I could see a badly damaged car, cars smoking, utter destruction like something out of a Hollywood film.”
At the time of the disaster, in August 2015, PC Boydell had moved to the Met after serving with Sussex Police.
He spent the day at the airshow with his father and a friend and was leaving when the tragedy happened.
PC Boydell said he saw the Hunter jet flying low directly in front of them as his father drove them out of the airshow.
“I could see the plane in front of me coming out of a roll heading towards the ground and it appeared to be too low”, he said.
“I saw large fireball from behind the tree line about 200m away.”
PC Boydell said he was shocked and identified himself as a police officer at the scene before offering to help.
He tried to managed the crowds of people filing past, concerned at the horrors they might see.
As well as the devastation and walking wounded, there were shoes, parasols and bloodied firefighters.
The officer said he heard the pilot had been pulled alive from the wreckage.
After he had done all he thought he could while still wearing his civilian clothes, PC Boydell said he decided to step back.
“I advised colleagues not to look left as it was one of the most shocking scenes I have had to deal with in my service.
“I was moved with the quietness we were met with from the public standing near the runway.
“I told some officers at the scene people had seen some awful things.”
Pilot Andrew Hill was acquitted of the manslaughter of 11 men who died on the A27.
PC Boydell's statement, made just days after the devastating August 2015 crash, was read out at an inquest into the disaster.
Asked if he wanted any counselling, PC Boydell said: “I just said I need to get a stiff drink and I’ll be OK.
“I made a statement two days after.”
The inquest, at Horsham County Hall North, also heard evidence from Julian Firth of the Air Accident Investigation Branch.
He told the inquest the Hunter jet was going too slow into the fatal loop and did not have enough thrust to complete it.
The inquest continues.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here