A PILOT has been praised for safely making an emergency landing metres from a row of houses in Princes Risborough.

Firefighters responded to a 999 call on Sunday evening after a light aircraft made an emergency landing in a field near Summerleys Road in Princes Risborough.

The aircraft, described as a 65-year-old vintage plane, was carrying just the pilot and landed safely into the field.

Although it is not clear why the pilot made the emergency landing, a spokesperson from Bucks Fire and Rescue has confirmed he had not intended to land there.

“It was very much an emergency landing not a crash. The pilot landed in a spot he was not planning to land in when he took off.

“We cannot confirm where his planned landing spot was, or where he took off from.”

Firefighters who attended the incident switched off the aircrafts fuel and electricity sources before moving the plane across the field for it to be towed away this afternoon.

Nathan Teasdale, 20, saw the plane land just metres from his home on Summerley’s Road. He said: “It was a surprise looking out of my window and seeing the plane in the field.

“I'm thankful to the pilot as he did a great job of averting danger in what must have been a really tense and scary few moments for him and a scenario which could have ended much worse.

“Even though it was a small plane, it still would have caused a lot of damage and it’s quite unnerving to think what could have happened if the pilot hadn't kept control.”