CAA "reviewing air show safety regulations" as Shoreham mother calls for all displays to be held over the sea

Police say they believe as many as 20 people were killed when the Hawker Hunter jet failed to pull up after a performing a loop, instead crashing onto cars on the A27.

Video of the incident shows the plane doing a loop above the show then pulling up just before crashing onto the road. 

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The wreckage of the  Hunter Fox One jet - formerly owned by Jet Heritage at Bournemouth - is due to be removed from the A27 today, although it still has fuel on board, meaning the process is likely to be complicated.

Dozens of bunches of flowers, yellow bouquets, roses and sunflowers, were left at the railings of a nearby footbridge by residents and well-wishers.

One card read: ''We didn't know you but we came because we care, we wanted you to know that you and your families are in our thoughts. Shoreham grieves for you and with you. Rest in peace.''

Another said: ''Thinking of all those who have lost their lives at the Shoreham air show on 22 August 2015. Friends and family are in our thoughts. Rest in peace to you all.''

A message from St John Ambulance, Southwick Unit, read: ''Our thoughts are with loved ones left behind.''

The mother of one of those killed has called for acrobatic displays to be restricted to taking place over the sea to avoid a repeat of the tragedy.

Sue Grimstone, whose son Matthew, 23, was killed when a 1950s Hawker Hunter crashed in a fireball in West Sussex, joined MPs in calling for a tightening of rules governing flying events.

Worthing United footballer Mr Grimstone and teammate Jacob Schilt, also 23, who were on their way to play in a match for the club, and personal trainer Matt Jones, 24, have been confirmed as among the dead.

Mrs Grimstone, from Brighton, told the Daily Telegraph her son's death had been ''a waste'', adding: ''Air shows should be over the sea. It should never have been over that road.''

Gary Elphick, manager of rival team Worthing FC and brother of Cherries defender Tommy Elphick, said: "It's just devastating news.

"We're a football family on the south coast so we're all trying to pull together. These were two great young lads who have been taken from us far too soon."

A CAA spokesman said: ''The safety standards that must be met by all major civil air displays in the UK are among the very highest in the world.

''All air display arrangements, including the pilots and aircraft, must meet rigorous safety requirements. Individual display pilots are only granted approval following a thorough test of their abilities.

''All aviation safety requirements are regularly reviewed to ensure they provide the highest possible levels of protection. Events of this nature are very rare, but we will now thoroughly examine the circumstances to establish if further improvements can be made.

''We immediately commenced our review processes and remain committed to continuously enhancing the safety of all civil aviation and will provide further updates in the days to come.''

The A27 is expected be closed for several days for the investigation and for wreckage to be removed. The road itself was also badly damaged and will need to be repaired.

Pilot Andy "Hilz" Hill, an experienced aerobatic stunt flyer and British Airways captain who has performed at shows up and down the country -  including twice at Bournemouth Air Festival with the RV8tors -  was pulled alive from the wreckage and is fighting for his life in hospital.

The RV8tors display at Bournemouth in 2011.

Jonathon Whaley, a Bournemouth Air Festival regular at the controls of his Hawker Hunter Miss Demeanour, has spoken of his  sympathy for the relatives of the Shoreham Air Show disaster victims.

Mr Whaley, who has also flown the Hawker Hunter aircraft that crashed on Saturday many times, told the Daily Echo: "I would like to express my extreme sympathy to all the family and friends of the innocent victims of this."

And George Bacon, of the British Air Display Association, who commentates on the Bournemouth Air Festival, told the BBC said he worked with former RAF instructor Andy Hill at an event earlier this month and he was ''very thorough'' in the way he prepared for flights.

He said: ''He was an unbelievably experienced chap. Very, very thorough and professional in the way he prepares for his displays. All pilots are required to undertake training and mentoring before they undertake display flying.

 ''The preparation this particular pilot undertook was second to none. I was involved in another event with him just a week ago and he always would call in, as many of them do, to debrief their last display to try and work out whether there was any better way of doing it.

 ''I think what we have to do with this is take a step back for a moment, it's terribly tragic, and give time for the families to try and overcome this awful tragedy and then together we will work within the UK to see if we can find other ways of preventing this ever happening again. It was really quite extraordinary.'

 ''The regulations are already incredibly tight,'' he said. ''You've got to go back to 1952 in this country to when a spectator was last killed. The UK has been way ahead of many other countries in tightening its regulations.

 ''Clearly something went tragically wrong. It will be some while before we really truly understand that. Nonetheless we take very seriously what has occurred and I think every family involved in this will want us to do a very thorough job with this.''