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TERRIFIED children escaped death by inches when a light aircraft crashed into a Ferris wheel as they took a ride.

Rescuers had to battle for more than 90 minutes to free a nine-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl who were stranded at the top of the wheel.

And, as they escaped without serious injuries, organisers thanked the bad weather for preventing a worse tragedy.

Organiser Fizal Meah said: “Because the rain was stopping and starting, the Ferris wheel was almost empty. But five minutes earlier it had been absolutely packed with kids.”

The 52-year-old pilot, Paul Cox, and his 32-year-old passenger were trapped 30ft above ground in the cockpit of their mangled Cheetah S200 for three hours before firefighters managed to free them.

Mr Cox, who admitted he did not see the Ferris wheel before flying into it, said: “The next thing I knew, I was stopped inside the Ferris wheel. I had no idea for a few minutes and I was just hoping no one got hurt.”

Luckily only five children boarded for the final ride of the day, but mystery still surrounds why the plane, which had taken off only minutes earlier, hit the wheel which was preparing to shut down after the first morning of a three-day festival at Old Bar, a coastal village 220 miles from Sydney, Australia.

Ben Shepherd, spokesman for New South Wales Rural fire Service, said: “Thankfully, everyone was taken down and were able to walk away from it.”

And paramedic Brett Campbell said: “The kids were fantastic. They were calm, well-behaved and very brave. And so were the two gentlemen. They were the best patients we could ever hope for.”