At 4.40pm on Wednesday, February 15, 1911, people walking through the streets of Worthing were stopped dead in their tracks.

They heard a dull humming noise, a noise they had never heard before, and must have wondered where it was coming from.

It was a brilliantly clear winter's day. Shops, offices and firms had closed early and many townsfolk were engaged in recreational activities.

A football match, watched by scores of spectators, was taking place at the Sports Ground. Suddenly, people started pointing towards a dark shape in the sky, their mouths agape in absolute astonishment.

For the vast majority, it was their first ever sighting of an aircraft and caused something of a sensation.

We must remember that this was only 90 years ago and should marvel at how far the human race has progressed since then.

An unknown aviator by the name of Oscar Morison was at the controls. He had taken off from Brooklands aerodrome, Surrey, 40 minutes earlier, heading for Brighton.

Morison flew over the Downs at 3,000ft. One wonders if he had a sense of history or was simply focused on self-preservation as he gazed down on Worthing from his flimsy aircraft.

He later said: "I thought I was over Brighton but noticing there was only one pier I came to the conclusion that it was Worthing."

The moor's hum was plainly heard by people below and caused considerable excitement. The outline of the aircraft was visible, although it was too high for the occupant to be seen.

An onlooker recorded: "The graceful flight of a monoplane over the town on Wednesday attracted considerable attention, this being the first view of such a machine attained by many local residents.

"The time at which its passage was observed was about 20 minutes to five.

The evening was beautifully clear and spring-like and an excellent view was gained, the throbbing of the engine being plainly heard."

Morison headed towards Brighton, just south of the Sports Ground, where the football match had ground to a halt, and disappeared into a bank of mist.

Twenty minutes later, watched by thousands of people, he landed safely on the beach at Brighton, although his machine was damaged by the impact.

Worthing was also the home of an aviation pioneer who designed and built a prototype helicopter decades before they took to the air.

George Clout, of Dainsbury, Tarring Road, said in 1903: "I believe that when the problem of aerial navigation is solved it will be safer to travel in the air than by motor or train."

He had in fact been experimenting with magnificent flying machines since about 1890, long before the Wright brothers carved their names indelibly in the history books.

His prototype was made of steel tubing and wood. It weighed 350lb but Mr Clout was sure that if aluminium had been used, the weight could he halved.

Above the "car" where the pilot sat were two wings measuring 30ft from tip to tip, revolving above the operators' head and powered by a petrol motor.

Mr Clout said you could turn the car to the left or right or keep it stationary in the air - just like a helicopter.

Tipping the car forward would be sufficient to propel it forward, while the angle of the wings could be regulated to offer least resistance to the air.

At first, Mr Clout was very coy about his plans, hoping to secure a contract from the War Office, but after a year of negotiations his invention was rejected by the military.

A commentator of the day stated: "It has one feature which is alone sufficient to elicit a close interest in it - its originality. Although it must necessarily bear a resemblance to other flying machines, an examination reveals that the principle is entirely different from anything yet adopted.

"We wish Mr Clout the success he merits with his invention. He has found in his endeavours to conquer the air an interesting hobby and it is impossible not to appreciate the determination with which he has continued his experiments.

"He happily possesses none of the recklessness of a crank and expresses the opinion that he would not trust himself in even a perfectly-constructed machine until exhaustive experiments had assured him of their safety."

A year later, Mr Clout had moved to Durrington and allowed a photographer to take a picture of the contraption. I have seen a very grainy copy and doubt whether it would ever have got off the ground.

Worthing was also visited by a rather dashing character, with long flowing locks, by the name of SF Cody, who gave a lecture on flying on a mercilessly wet evening at St James's Hall in March 1910.

He told an enthralled audience how he had survived an 800ft fall into the sea in a balloon and what happened in 1903 on the Downs at Findon when he took part in trials of a manlifting kite.

In June 1910, Cody was badly hurt in an air crash. A report stated: "While making the first flight with a new Army aircraft at Aldershot, a sudden gust brought the machine violently to the earth and when Mr Cody was taken in an unconscious condition, from beneath the wreckage, it was found that he was suffering from concussion and a dislocated shoulder."

I leave the final word to a man who watched in disbelief as Morison flew over the town in 1911.

He said: "It may be accepted that such a spectacle will soon lose its rarity among us."

How right he was.