A PILOT was injured after his plane collided with a car and burst into flames.

A witness reported seeing a light aircraft clip the back of a car at North Weald Airfield, in Merlin Way, North Weald, just before 2.50pm today.

The two seater single engine AT3 aircraft and Volvo both caught fire and a volunteer fire crew at the airfield tackled the blaze until Essex County Fire & Rescue firefighters arrived.

The 40-year-old pilot suffered facial and back injuries and had a suspected leg injury.

He was treated by paramedics from East of England Ambulance Service at the scene.

A spokeswoman for the East of England Ambulance Service said the pilot was conscious and in a stable condition when taken by ambulance to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow.

The driver and passenger of the Volvo were not injured.

The volunteer fire crew were at the airfield to provide cover to a drag race event and were able to help immediately when the accident happened.

Firefighters from Epping, Ongar and Harlow then arrived shortly after and tackled the blaze, which had taken hold of half of the car and aircraft.

The fire was extinguished by 3.09pm.

A fire service spokeman who attended said: "An onlooker who saw the incident told us that the plane appeared to come into land but immediately took off again, banking over the top of a hanger before coming back to try a second landing and clipping the back of a brand new Volvo with two people inside who were driving out of the airfield."