This was the dramatic scene that greeted pupils at an east London school five years ago this week when an air ambulance landed in their playground.

Pupils and teachers got the shock of their lives when a helicopter landed in their playground.

The air ambulance was forced to land at Jenny Hammond Primary School in Elsham Road, Leytonstone, because there was no other suitable spot in the area.

The incident happened shortly before noon on Tuesday, February 21.

An injured man was airlifted to hospital after being injured at an address in Cann Hall Road.

Deborah Gibbon, head teacher at the school, said: “The incident that led to the air ambulance having to land in our playground was unfortunate but it certainly made the children’s lunch time more exciting.

“The pilot was very accommodating and while he was waiting for the paramedics he let them take photos with him.

“We didn’t get a warning it was going to land – it just landed and the police arrived in a car. Lucky there were no children in the playground at the time.”

A spokesman for London Ambulance Service said the injured man was treated at the scene before being transferred to hospital as a priority.