Farage glad to be home after crash

UK Independence Party former leader Nigel Farage
12 April 2012

Nigel Farage, the former UK Independence Party leader, has spoken of his delight at being back home after surviving a horrific light aircraft crash.

The outspoken MEP suffered broken ribs, bruised lungs and facial injuries in the accident on polling day.

The plane he was travelling in was towing a Ukip banner as part of his General Election campaign, but nose-dived to the ground at an airfield in Northamptonshire.

Mr Farage used his first day since his release from the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford to catch up with concerned friends and relatives - and pay a visit to his local pub.

Speaking from his cottage in Westerham, Kent, he said: "I've been meeting local people, but I'm pretty tired after going down to the village. It's going to be a case of taking it little by little.

"It's good to be home, and it's good to see my children - and it's good thing I'm still around."

Mr Farage described himself as the "luckiest man alive" after managing to walk from the wreckage of the plane, having feared he would burn to death after the crash.

The 46-year-old, and pilot Justin Adams, had known for five minutes before impact that they were in an emergency situation, and that a safe landing was not possible.

He was rescued from the plane, which had fuel pouring out into the cockpit, after it crashed in a field at Hinton-in-the-Hedges and taken to hospital in Banbury, before being transferred to Oxford.

Mr Farage was unable to attend the count at Aylesbury Civic Centre where Commons Speaker John Bercow, whom he had been standing against, was re-elected to his Buckingham seat.

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