The RAF officer is to assess the field just outside Ashwell today which will be followed by a visit from servicemen on the Board of Inquiry.

A judgement call will then be made on whether to move the Harrier but it is not expected to happen today.

The experienced Royal Navy pilot ejected from the plane yesterday afternoon just before 2pm after putting out a mayday call.

He was taken to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham with non-life threatening injuries.

He had an x-ray yesterday and was due to have an MRI scan today (TUESDAY). An RAF spokesman said he is in good spirits.

The experienced pilot ejected from the GR7 Harrier before it crashed into a field outside Ashwell.

Commanders at the base grounded the Harrier jets yesterday afternoon while mechanics checked over the fleet and there is no news yet if this restriction has been lifted.

The pilot was on a training exercise to prepare for an operation in Afghanistan.

RAF Cottesmore's Station Commander Capt Ken McCann told a press conference: "There was a major incident in this aircraft which meant it came down and unfortunately the pilot had to eject.

"He had completed his sortie and was preparing to land at RAF Cottesmore.

"This is something that clearly we never like to happen but the fact is that the training we're given appears to have worked."

Commander Ade Orchard, who witnessed the crash from the ground, received a call declaring Mayday when the pilot was 1,200ft above the ground.

He said: "There was a large flash from the aircraft and the next thing there was a fireball on the ground.

"He was effectively strapped to the end of a rocket."

He said until he received the call the plane appeared to be flying normally but it became clear after the Mayday that it was losing power.

An incident team from RAF Cottesmore was on scene within seven minutes and cordoned off a large area because of the amount of fuel. There were no weapons onboard the plane.

Ten fire crews were sent to the site.

Wayne Duke, East Midlands Ambulance Service operational support manager, said: "We treated the pilot at the scene for suspected spinal injuries and the pilot was subsequently airlifted to the Queen's Medical Centre.

"A farm worker was also treated at the scene for shortness of breath, but did not want to go to hospital for further treatment."

The RAF base had recently carried out a training exercise with the emergency services to cope with this kind of incident, Sqn Ldr Tracey Broome said.

Are you near the scene? Have you any pictures? E-mail them in to smeditor@stamfordmercury.co.uk