A FORMER Hampshire police officer is believed to have been killed after a vintage aircraft crash in Shoreham on Saturday.

Former Hampshire police officer and chauffer, Maurice Abrahams, is believed to be among the victims after a 1950s Hawker Hunter aircraft came down during a display at the Shoreham Airshow on Saturday, and landed on the A27.

Police believe 11 people have died in the tradegy, although the death toll could rise further.

The 76-year-old, who also served in the Grenadier Guards and Parachute Regiment, had been on his way to pick up a bride-to-be to take her to her wedding when the jet crashed into the road.

His family said: "Maurice is a well-respected and loved father and husband. He enjoyed his work chauffeuring his beloved Daimler car and he enjoyed gardening.

"He was proud to have served in the Grenadier Guards and the Parachute Regiment. He served in Cyprus and Bahrain with the UN. In his thirties he served as a police officer with Hampshire Police."

The pilot of the plane, Andrew Hill, was among those injured and is now fighting for his life after being put into a medically-induced coma. 

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is currently investigating the cause of the accident, which has sparked calls for safety precautions at public air shows to be tightened.