A PILOT is in a serious condition after the light aircraft he was flying carrying five people crashed at a golf course.

The five passengers, including a boy and three football club bosses, were lucky to escape the horror crash near London.

Swindon Town chief executive Mark Devlin, his 10-year-old son Stanley, director Bill Power and marketing manager Mike Sullivan escaped with broken bones when their light aircraft crashed at Denham Golf Club at 7pm on Saturday.

The pilot of the Cessna 310, Frank Kratky, 60, is in a serious condition in hospital.

Mr Devlin is suffering from a broken shoulder blade and fractured ribs, while Mr Sullivan sustained a badly broken arm.

Mr Devlin's son fractured both legs.

Mr Devlin said: I'm sore all over. I feel like I've been put through the mangle. But I'm a lucky boy."

He said he had been concerned for his son. "That was the worst bit for me. I couldn't see Stanley. I had my back to him but we were talking all the time.

"When you are lying in a wrecked plane, a friend like Mike Sullivan is next to you and he's unconscious, words can't explain it all."

Air accident investigators were today still sifting through the wreckage of the plane.

The Cessna had taken off from Denham, where the owner keeps the plane.

It was carrying the men back from Swindon's first league game of the season which ended in victory at Hartlepool when it crashed on landing.

The plane went down in a wooded area near the 13th hole of the golf course in Buckinghamshire.

Thames Valley police and emergency services cut the men free from the wreck.

The injured passengers were taken to Wexham Park Hospital in Slough.

Mr Holt said: "It sounds as if they had a very lucky escape.

"Normally when a light aircraft crashes the passengers are severely injured or killed, so this was fortunate.

"It's a pity that such a good day ended with such an horrific crash.

"Obviously the club deeply regrets the incident."

Thames Valley police cordoned off the crash site to allow investigators in.

David Stewart, spokesman for the Air Accident Investigation Unit of the Department for Transport, said he did not know what caused the crash.

He said: "We can confirm that our investigators will be looking into the causes of this crash.

"We cannot put a timescale on the investigation. It may take months.

"We will only publish our conclusions when we are certain what happened at Denham airfield."

Nigel Bennett, spokesman for Swindon Town Supporters Club, said: "I, like all Town fans, will be shocked to hear this news.

"On behalf of our members and all Town supporters I would like to wish a speedy recovery to all involved in the accident."