A "HERO" pilot who died after he crash-landed an aeroplane in a residential street has been praised for saving lives.

Flying instructor, Dan Neville, 50, and his student pilot died after the light aircraft crashed in Victoria Gardens about half a mile from Biggin Hill airport.

The pilot, who had many years' experience, reported a problem with the single-engine Piper Tomahawk PA38 shortly after take-off on Saturday morning.

He requested to return to the airport but crashed not long afterwards.

Police who arrived around 9.40am found the two men dead.

As News Shopper went to press further details of the men had yet to be released by police.

David Mason, 34, a roofer who lives in nearby Oaklands Lane, was on his way to work when he heard the plane's engine cut out then watched it nose dive and disappear behind houses.

His 11-year-old daughter Charlotte placed flowers near the accident site with a card saying "thank you for saving us".

The father-of-two said: "There are not many people who would think about saving others if they thought they were going to die."

Victoria Gardens resident Debbie Sivyer, 44, heard a noise like "something had fallen through the roof".

She says when she rushed to the front of the house and saw the aircraft and debris over the road she knew the men were dead.

Mrs Sivyer said: "It was horrendous. I was completely shell shocked and I can't stop thinking about those poor men.

"It was like a TV programme and I can only imagine what people watching planes hit the World Trade Centre on 9/11 felt like.

"If he managed to avoid us, he was obviously a skilled pilot and we are extremely grateful. He's a hero."

Lorraine MacLennan, 40, also praised the pilot for avoiding the houses.

The mother-of-four said: "I feel sick to the pit of my stomach to think what they must have gone through, knowing they were going to die.

"Hopefully, for their families' sake, they didn't know what was happening and all their time was taken up with trying to control the plane."

Susan Winslade, 49, described Mr Neville as "marvellous" but raised concerns about residents in the airport's flight path and possible expansion plans with proposals to run more chartered passenger flights.

She said: "It's very dangerous and I am very worried."

Airport director Peter Lonergan has written to the families of the dead men expressing condolences and airport staff have offered counselling to six families living near the crash scene.

Mr Lonergan will attend a meeting with residents tonight to discuss the accident.

It is believed the airport handles around 50,000 light aircraft training flights each year and the last fatality was 30 years ago.

The two men were flying an aircraft belonging to the Surrey and Kent Flying Club, which has been based at Biggin Hill since 1959.