The plane that crashed at the Shoreham Airshow on Saturday (August 22), killing at least 11 people, was based at North Weald airfield.

Last night, Sussex Police announced the likely death toll of the accident had risen as they prepared to continue clearing the crash site.

In an online statement Epping Forest District Council confirmed the Hawker Hunter jet was based at the airfield, and it has been reported that the plane was owned by Epping businessman Graham Peacock.

The pilot, who has been named locally as experienced former RAF pilot Andy Hill, remained in a critical condition in hospital last night.

His plane went down on the A27 after appearing to fail to come out of a ‘loop-the-loop’ manoeuvre.

The council statement said leader Chris Whitbread “expressed his shock at the news and offered his condolences and prayers to all families and friends of those involved in this tragic incident.”

The crash on Saturday was the second fatal air display incident connected with the council-owned airfield in three weeks.

On August 1, North Weald-based pilot Kevin Whyman was killed when his plane went down at CarFest in Oulton Park, Cheshire.

The father-of-one, who crashed after performing a low-level close pass with another plane, was part of the North Weald Airfield Gnat Display Team.