A woman was taken to hospital after a plane with six people onboard was involved in an accident on the runway at Biggin Hill Airport last night.

Emergency services were called at 8.34pm after the private jet carrying two crew members and four passengers got into difficulty as it prepared for take-off.

London Fire Brigade sent six fire engines and around 30 fire officers from Biggin Hill, Orpington, Addington and Bromley to the airport.

Fire crews assisted airport fire fighters to contain a small fuel spill from the aircraft. The plane did not catch fire.

The twin-engined jet aircraft had left the runway while manoeuvring for departure causing its nose leg to collapse in soft ground at around 8.30pm.

Ambulance crews treated a woman in her 30s for an ankle injury and took her to the Princess Royal Hospital in Farnborough.

A London Ambulance Service spokesman said seven other people were checked over at the airport but did not need hospital treatment.

He said: “We sent an ambulance crew, a duty manager, the Hazardous Area Response Team and emergency planning officers to the scene.”

Airport managing director Will Curtis said: “The incident was attended immediately by our airfield fire service and also by units from London Fire Brigade in accordance with our emergency incident planning procedures, but these were quickly stood down.

“We are very grateful to all emergency services for their ongoing cooperation and support.”

London Fire Brigade officers left the scene at 10.22pm.

The Air Accident Investigation Branch is investigating the cause of the incident. The plane is expected to be moved shortly to a service hangar at the airport.