THIS is the shattered canopy of an RAF jet fighter after it collided with a bird 500ft above a North-East market town - splattering blood and remains over the rear of the cockpit.

This picture, released by the RAF yesterday, shows the extent of the damage. Much of the middle section of the canopy is missing, and the remains of the bird are seen at the back of the cockpit.

The pilot, who managed to land his jet safely, was praised last night by his commanding officer.

The bird shattered the canopy of the £18m Hawk T1A with explosive force as the jet flew over Barnard Castle, County Durham.

Last night, aviation experts and RAF officials praised the pilot and co-pilot for landing the plane as a 500mph wind screamed through the shattered cockpit.

Squadron Leader Dave Owen, Officer Commanding of 100 Squadron at RAF Leeming, in North Yorkshire, praised the way the airmen - who do not wish to be named - handled the emergency.

He said: "The pilot and weapon systems officer worked together as a team throughout this emergency situation to ensure that the safety of, primarily, the public, but also the aircraft was maintained.

"The diversion and subsequent safe landing of the aircraft at Durham Tees Valley Airport was the most expeditious way of achieving this."

Robin Simpson, from Stainton, near Barnard Castle, trained RAF pilots in flying Hercules aircraft at low altitude for 29 years.

He said: "If you didn't have a windscreen on your car while driving, imagine how difficult that would be.

"But of course, these jets are going much, much faster, so at four or five hundred miles per hour, landing a plane like that would be very difficult, but not impossible.

"The pilot probably wouldn't have seen the bird - or maybe he saw it just at the last second.

"It's when flying at low levels where a jet plane is more likely to hit birds."