HOLIDAYMAKERS David and Joan Porter had a narrow escape after their charter jet was damaged by a severe hailstorm as it cruised at 34,000 feet.

The couple, of Moor Crescent, Skipton, were returning from a two week holiday in Cyprus when the drama happened on Monday.

The bmi Airbus A321, en route to Manchester, hit freak conditions as it flew over Germany. The plane's nose cone was severely damaged by hailstones in an incident which made the national news.

Safely back home in Skipton, Mr Porter told the Herald: "The pilot warned us that we were going into turbulence, and all of a sudden all hell let loose.

"It was like a bomb had hit the plane. We dropped from 34,000 feet to 27,000 feet in a matter of minutes. It was as though your stomach had gone through the floor.

"People were being thrown about and were screaming. It was like being on a rollercoaster. You could hear the hailstones hitting the plane."

The pilot is reported to have said he had never experienced anything like it in 20 years of flying.

However it was only after the couple disembarked that they realised the magnitude of the drama.

The plane had a hole the size of a football in its nose cone, there were cracks to the windscreen, and the fuselage was dented. Fortunately, no-one was injured.

"When we saw the damage we realised how lucky we had been. I was absolutely amazed," said 62-year-old Mr Porter.

However he said he had not been put off flying.

"I have flown regularly for 23 years, and have never experienced anything like this before. It won't put me off, but I am not sure about my wife."

The incident has been reported to accident investigators.