A US Air Force fighter jet pilot survived with minor injuries yesterday after ejecting from an F-15 which crashed just 100 yards from houses in a Lincolnshire field.

The military aircraft went up in flames after coming down at about 3.30pm as it was flying over Weston Hills, near Spalding - with locals describing a 'horrible acrid smell' after the crash.

RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk confirmed last night that the incident involved one of its $30million F-15 fighter jets and that the pilot - from the 48th Fighter Wing - had ejected from the aircraft.

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Blaze: The military aircraft went up in flames after coming down around 3.30pm as it was flying near Spalding

Escaped: The US Air Force fighter jet pilot has survived with just minor injuries after ejecting from the F-15

Flames: The crash took place in an isolated rural area and no premises have been affected, police said

Aerial view: The crash site was about 100 yards away from properties according to residents of Weston Hills

A police spokesman said the pilot suffered minor injuries and left the scene in a helicopter.

Members of the public contacted emergency services yesterday afternoon to report they had seen a jet come down in a field. Thick, black smoke was seen rising from the site.

Local resident Andrew Woodger saw the crash while travelling in a car driven by his wife near his home, following his release from Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge after kidney treatment.

The 62-year-old told MailOnline last night: ‘We saw this aircraft lazily spirally down. I said “he's not going to get out of that”. And then it crashed 100 yards from our home.

‘It was falling like a leaf, just floating really. There was no fire as it was falling - it was only when it crashed that the flames were there. There was a horrible acrid smell - we kept the windows shut.’

His wife Carol, also 62, told MailOnline: ‘It's been a rather eventful day. You could see the aircraft coming down. I was shaking for a long time afterwards. I'd say it was only about 100 yards from us.

Fire brigade: Police have asked the public to avoid the area in Lincolnshire while investigations are ongoing

Fire: Members of the public contacted emergency services to report they had seen a jet come down in a field

Putting out the blaze: Police said the pilot suffered minor injuries and left the scene in a helicopter

Response: Residents near the crash site said they heard the plane's engine 'cut out' before crashing

‘We get the odd jet shooting over us, because RAF Holbeach is not far from us. We've been very lucky, there's a school nearby. I'm just so glad the crew are safe - watching it was such a bad dream.’

I'm just so glad the crew are safe - watching it was such a bad dream Carol Woodger, witness

The crash took place in an isolated rural area and no premises have been affected, police said.

But there were reports that nearby Weston Hills Church of England Primary School had been evacuated after the incident.

A spokesman for the school said they could not comment but that everyone was fine. Search and rescue helicopters were also called from RAF Leconfield and RAF Valley, but were not needed.

Shaun Gough, whose twin five-year-old daughters are pupils at the school, told the BBC that part of the wing had landed in the field nearby.

A US Air Force fighter jet, believed to be an F15, has crashed in Spalding, Lincolnshire during an exercise

A spokesman for Lincolnshire confirmed that one military aircraft was on fire in a field

SmokeL Local resident Andrew Woodger took this picture of the wreckage following the crash this afternoon

Members of the public contacted emergency services around 3.30pm this afternoon to report that they had seen a jet come down

He said: 'When my wife went to the school to pick up my daughter she said the black smoke was blowing across the car park and into the school.

It was falling like a leaf, just floating really Andrew Woodger, witness

'The wing is in a field about 400 yards from the school. [I'm] just glad nobody has been hurt. I've seen a Sea King helicopter land and pick somebody up. I'm guessing it's the pilot.'

A cordon remains in place and officers are guarding the scene. Police have asked the public to avoid the area while investigations are ongoing.

A spokesman said people had been driving to the scene which could hamper investigations. The USAF spokesman from the base said the area was a popular spot for its aircraft to fly on training exercises.

A helicopter, believed to be a Sea King, was seen flying away from the scene

The jet from RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk (shown on the map) came down in a field near Spalding, Lincolnshire (shown on the map)

A radar map of flightpaths close to the crash site in Spalding, Lincolnshire, shows a number of aircraft circled the scene in the aftermath of the crash. Another F15 from RAF Lakenheath air base can be seen leaving the area with the call sign Jungle, top right

RAF Lakenheath confirmed one of its jets went down in Lincolnshire and said it was 'relieved' that the pilot was able to eject

F-15 fighter jet: This is a file photograph of the plane that crashed into a field in Western Hills, Lincolnshire

He could not confirm how many aircrafts had been flying there yesterday, or why, but said: 'The pilot ejected and is safe.'

$30MILLION AIRCRAFT CAPABLE OF 1,875MPH: US AIR FORCE F-15 JETS F-15s are manoeuvrable tactical fighters, designed so one person can perform air-to-air combat. They can reach speeds up to 1,875 mph, according to the Air Force website. The website said each unit costs nearly $30million (£19million) and the Air Force has nearly 250 F-15s. The first F-15A flight - the first model - was made in July 1972. They were designed by McDonnell Douglas and first used in the Vietnam War. They are now among the most successful modern fighters. The F15-C - one of the most used in the Air Force - is 63ft long and has a 48ft wing span. Advertisement

In January, four U.S. Air Force crew members based at Lakenheath died when their helicopter hit a flock of geese and crashed during a training mission.

The police spokesman said: 'The plane has come down in an isolated rural area and no premises have been affected.

'A cordon has been put in place and the public are advised to avoid the area as the plane is alight and the fumes may be hazardous.

'The pilot appears to have escaped with very minor injury and has left the scene by helicopter.'

Residents nearby the crash site said on Twitter that they heard the plane's engine 'cut out' before crashing to the ground.

User @bigtommmm said: 'I heard a planes engine cut out over Spalding then 10 minutes later it's crashed in west one hills woah.'

Adrian Done tweeted: 'working in Spalding and an army plane has just crashed in the next field'

And Lucy Chesworth said: 'Literally just seen an RAF plane go down and crash and pilots parachuting out, ran to help, man that was terrifying, shaking like a leaf.'