British Astronaut Tim Peake has landed safely after the Soyuz capsule completed its “deorbit burn”, and parachuted the crew into Kazakhstan.

The capsule touched down at 10.15 BST, as forecast.

Speaking at the landing site in Kazakhstan, Major Peake said the trip to the International Space Station and the journey back to Earth was “incredible, the best ride I’ve been on ever, from start to finish.

Tim Peake shortly after landing near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan, on June 18, 2016 (AFP/Getty Images) (AFP)

“The smells on Earth are so strong. It’s wonderful to be back on planet Earth. I’ll look forward to seeing the family now," he added..

“It’s a life changing experience, to be up there for six months," he said. “I’d love some cool rain right now, it was very hot in the capsule and very hot in the suit.

As for what he will be doing now he is back on Earth, he said: “I think I’ll be having some pizza later and a cold beer”.

Major Peake became the second astronaut to go into space bearing the British flag, after Helen Sharman in 1991. During his time in space he has taken part in hundreds of experiments, performed a spacewalk and ran the London Marathon on a treadmill.

Astronauts Tim Peake of Britain, Yuri Malenchenko of Russia and Tim Kopra of the US after landing in Kazakhstan (AFP/Getty Images)

First reports said the craft had landed on its side, having been caught by the wind. This is not unusual, according to mission controllers.

Travelling with Major Peake were crewmates American Nasa astronaut Colonel Tim Kopra and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko

A rescue and recovery team raced to the landing site almost 300 miles south west of the major city of Karaganda.

During a news conference before leaving the International Space Station, Major Peake spoke about his return to Earth: “It is going to be quite tricky for me to adapt. It's probably going to take me two or three days before I feel well.“

In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space Show all 12 1 /12 In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space Major Tim Peake blasting off into orbit on board the Soyuz space capsule on his way to becoming the first British astronaut to join the crew of the International Space Station (ISS) PA In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space Major Tim Peake (left) blasting off into orbit on board the Soyuz space capsule on his way to becoming the first British astronaut to join the crew of the International Space Station (ISS) PA In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space Photographers take pictures as Russia's Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft carrying the International Space Station (ISS) Expedition 46/47 crew of Britain's astronaut Tim Peake, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and US astronaut Tim Kopra blasts off from the launch pad at Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome AFP In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space Expedition 46-47 crewmembers ESA astronaut Tim Peake, NASA astronaut Tim Kopra and commander Yuri Malenchenko launch into space from Baikonur cosmodrome in Baikonur, Kazakhstan Getty Images In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space The Russian rocket launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan in front of the world's media following weeks of preparation PA In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space The Russian rocket minutes before launch In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space Tim Peake, member of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), waves to his children from a bus prior the launch of Soyuz TMA-19M space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space US astronaut Tim Kopra waves as he boards the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome, prior to blasting off to the International Space Station (ISS) Getty Images In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space Britain's astronaut Tim Peake (bottom), Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko (top) and US astronaut Tim Kopra board the Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft at the Russian-leased Baikonur cosmodrome, prior to blasting off to the International Space Station (ISS) Getty Images In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space British astronaut Tim Peake, member of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), during inspecting his space suit prior the launch of Soyuz-FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan AP In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space British astronaut Tim Peake, left, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko, center, and U.S. astronaut Tim Kopra, members of the main crew of the expedition to the International Space Station (ISS), walk to report to members of the State Committee prior to the launch of Soyuz TMA-19M space ship at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan AP In pictures: Tim Peake goes into space From left, British astronaut Tim Peake, Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko and U.S. astronaut Tim Kopra, members of the main crew to the International Space Station (ISS), wave to their relatives near a bus prior the launch of Soyuz-FG rocket at the Russian leased Baikonur cosmodrome, Kazakhstan AP

“It will take me several months before my body fully recovers in terms of bone density. And it will be interesting to see any lasting changes to eyesight etcetera.

“But generally speaking in two or three days I should be fairly comfortable back on Earth.”

The journey home for Major Peake began after the undocking of the Soyuz and a four-minute 37-second rocket motor blast - the “deorbit burn” - that set the capsule on track for re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere.

During the descent, Major Peake, wearing a Sokul spacesuit, was strapped into the right-hand seat.

Only the middle section of the spacecraft, the descent module, completed the trip back to Earth.

Amazing Timelapse: Tim Peake captures aurora from space

Soon after the deorbit burn, explosive bolts split the Soyuz into its component parts.

The spherical orbital module in which the crew members sat during their launch and the service module housing control systems and machinery were allowed to fall into the atmosphere and burn up.

As the descent module plunged towards the Earth, friction on its forward-facing heat shield slowed its speed from 17,398mph (28,000kph) to 514mph (827kph) and raised the temperature to 1,600C.As planned, the return to Earth was controlled automatically by the craft's on-board computer. In an emergency, the crew, led by commander Malenchenko, could have altererd their trajectory manually using a hand controller.

The deorbit burn, designed to brake the spacecraft and allow it to drop out of orbit, took place at 9.22am UK time and was one of the most critical points in the re-entry and descent programme.

If the burn is too short, the astronauts could skip across the atmosphere like a stone skimming a lake and fly out into space. If too long, they could come in at too steep an angle too fast, and risk being incinerated.