Up To 20 People Killed In Air Show Disaster

The number of people killed in the Shoreham air crash could rise to 20, police have said.

A crane has been lifting wreckage from the scene of the accident on the A27 amid fears several bodies will be found. 

Police said on Sunday that 11 people were "highly likely" to have died - but they are now communicating with relatives of missing people and admit the number may rise sharply. 

A picture taken moments before the crash shows about a dozen people watching Shoreham Airshow from a former pub on the verge of the A27 - yards from where the plane came down in West Sussex.

The fate of those watching is unclear.

The pub - formerly the Sussex Pad - was bought by Lancing College, a prestigious boarding school for boys. 

It is understood it is has been converted into boys' dormitories, though it is unlikely any pupils were there during the summer holidays.

The Civil Aviation Authority has said "significant" restrictions on UK air shows are now being brought in amid calls for changes following the crash.

Displays by vintage jets over land will be limited to flypasts, which means high energy acrobatics are banned.

Three victims have so far been named. Matthew Grimstone, 23, was on his way to play in a match for Worthing United with teammate Jacob Schilt and personal trainer Matt Jones, 24.

Some 14 people were injured, with four taken to hospital, after the jet crashed at about 1.20pm on Saturday.

The task of lifting debris comes amid stories from survivors who drove through the fireball.  

Vivien Ayling, 64, was on the road in West Sussex when the 1950s Hawker Hunter aircraft crashed.

She told The Sun: "I saw it coming towards me, head-on. All I thought was, 'I need to get away fast'."

She drove through smoke and flames before stopping her Citroen to look back at the scene, and then driving on to work at a supermarket.

The A27 will remain closed for some days as recovery teams sift through debris strewn over 400 metres where the jet ploughed into the ground. The road will need major repairs. 

Sussex assistant chief constable Steve Barry said: "The plan is for the plane to be moved and then for the recovery to continue.

"The plane needs to be made safe. There are issues around fuel in the aircraft still and there is an issue around making sure the ejector seat is still safe."

The accident happened after the jet failed to pull out of an aerial loop in front of 20,000 spectators.

He was pulled from the wreckage and it is not known whether he activated the ejector seat.

Although pilot error is one possible cause of the crash, investigators are also looking at the possibility mechanical failure was to blame.

An appeal has been put out for members of the public who may have photographed the disaster to come forward.