NOSTALGIA: ‘It was a bit of a shock’ – £3m Phantom jet plane crashes near RAF Coningsby

Three appliances from Boston Fire Station, supplemented by crews from Horncastle, Woodhall Spa, and Billinghay, supported the RAF rescue services in the emergency response.

The aircraft – Phantom E for Echo of No 29 Squadron – crashed at the end of the runway at about 11.35pm, the two-man crew ejecting safely beforehand.

The £3m aircraft ploughed through the fence on the New York road to Boston and came to rest midway between that road and the parallel road to Thornton le Fen.

Living less than 200 yards from where the aircraft crashed was Janet Haines.

“I did hear something, and when I got up and saw what had happened it was a bit of a shock and I was so thankful when I heard the crew was all right,” she said. “It’s no good complaining. Everyone is all right and the planes could just as easily crash on your house as on mine.”

An RAF inquiry into the crash was expected to be held.