IN PICTURES: When plane crashed into Rayleigh car showroom

The Sainsbury’s Local store on Rayleigh’s Eastwood Road was once home to Mac’s car showroom. which was decimated when a National Airways plane plummeted from the skies in the early hours of September 12, 1987.

The drama unfolded at 3.30am as the Beechcroft 200 Super King Air, which had taken off from Southend Airport just three minutes earlier, lost an engine and caught fire.

Hugh Forrester Brown, a 33-year-old New Zealander, piloted the plane which was carrying a cargo of newspapers.

Aftermath - emergency services were quickly on the scene as the plane burst into flames in the early hours of the morning

Mr Brown, the only man on board, sadly died.

The aircraft, which was heading for the Italian city of Bergamo, ruptured a gas main, causing a fierce fire and all but destroying the car showroom.

Bird's eye view - this photograph from the skies shows the extent of the damage caused by the air tragedy

Close to 200 residents from 60 homes had to be evacuated and were taken to a nearby school while emergency crews spent hours battling the fire.

Clearing the scene - cars are pushed away from the wrecked garage

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More than 30 years on - a Sainsbury's Local supermarket now stands at the crash site on Eastwood Road

Victor Riseborough’s house was clipped by the plane.

He told the Echo: “It is a miracle we are alive.

Enjoying a well-deserved breather - firefighters take a break after a fraught night

‘’I was in bed when I heard a bang. I didn’t know what it was at first. All I concentrated on was getting my family out.’’

Walter Maynard, general manager of Mac’s, said the crash destroyed the showroom and up to 20 new and used cars. The eventual cost of the accident hit around £1million.

Destroyed - Mac's car showroom seen from next door’s back garden

Many locals hailed Mr Brown as a hero as his actions saved numerous lives.

They were certain he had selflessly steered the plane into the only unoccupied building in a tight-packed residential area after his attempts to land on Eastwood Road failed.

Surveying the site - an air accident investigator was soon on the scene

Friends of the Canewdon-based Mr Brown rallied round to support his wife and young son, setting up a fund for his family.

A memorial plaque, which was unveiled in January 1989, remains at the crash site to remember Mr Brown’s heroism.

Tragic - the crash came just three minutes after taking off from Southend Airport