THE Amersham school of Captain Peter Burkill has spoken of its pride of how its former pupil averted disaster when his jet plane crash landed.

Captain Burkill, attended Dr Challoner's Grammar School, in Chesham Road, Amersham, and grew up in Chesham Bois.

He was in charge of a Boeing 777 which came metres from businesses and homes when it lost power and glided onto grass near Heathrow airport's southern runway on Thursday. His senior first officer John Coward, brought the plane in to land.

Deputy headteacher Chris Clare taught him physics. He described him as a "great guy".

He said: "Those staff who knew him remember him as an excellent student who always gave his best to any activity he was involved in.

"We are always proud when our students excel in any way, and in this case where it seems that his professionalism has averted a disaster, we are especially proud that he was a Challoner's boy."

He added that Mr Burkill, who now lives in Worcester with his wife Maria and three sons, studied at the school throughout his secondary education, taking A-levels in mathematics, geography and economics before leaving in 1982 to study business studies at Portsmouth.