A UNION Jack paramotor pilot flew so low over Stonehenge, visitors said he was close enough to have kicked the ancient stones.

The busy World Heritage Site was hosting 176 visitors on the morning Wiltshire man Timothy James Dunham flew his friend’s paramotor, which had a Union Jack parachute canopy, less than 500ft above the stones. Among the visitors that day were 66 schoolchildren.

The Civil Aviation Authority, which brought two charges of contravening the rules of the air against the 26-year-old, said Dunham could have crashed and injured himself or bystanders. The flight on January 30 breached both rules against low flying and a ban on flying above the ancient heritage site and the surrounding military firing ranges.

Prosecutor Alison Slater told Swindon magistrates Dunham had circled the ancient monument two or three times “getting closer on each occasion” before flying directly over the stones.

One eyewitness said: “It looked like he could have kicked them.”

After a member of staff at the heritage site gestured at him to leave, Dunham flew over towards Byway 12, a site often used by caravans and campervans.

The resident of one motorhome was concerned the pilot might become entangled in the trees, Ms Slater said.

The police found Dunham and a friend after they had landed in a nearby field. The youngster had admitted he was the pilot of the Union Jack paramotor.

Appearing in court dressed in jeans, trainers and with his long hair in a bun, Dunham told magistrates he was sorry for flying so low: “I was not aware I was doing anything in infringement of the law on the day. I’m very sorry for what I did. I didn’t mean to cause any harm to anyone else.

“If I’d known what I was doing was wrong I wouldn’t have done it.

“I was honest. I handed myself in. I could have flown away.”

Dunham, of Salisbury Street, Mere, said he was an experienced paramotor pilot: “I wouldn’t have done anything like that if I was a novice.”

Magistrates fined him £600. He must also pay court costs of £400 and a victim surcharge of £60.

Chairman of the bench Hatty Stafford-Charles said: “We accept you did not mean any harm by this.” However, she warned Dunham there had been an enormous potential for harm.

“We’re expecting not to see you again with any of these sort of matters,” she said.