Cargo Monster at Airport

It has a wingspan of more than 88 metres, a maximum speed of 530 miles per hour and can carry the equivalent weight of 240 Mini cars.

The Antonov An-225 is the world's heaviest and largest cargo plane and yesterday it landed at East Midlands Airport.

About 20 people braved the cold and gathered at the airport's Aeropark to watch the Antonov land.

Len Harrison, 78, watched with daughter Kate and grandsons Daniel and Oskar, who were visiting from Iceland.

Mr Harrison, of Caroline Close, Alvaston, said: "It was absolutely incredible. I used to go to Heathrow and watch the planes land there but this was in another league altogether.

"It had such a huge wingspan and had six engines which I've never seen before. But it was very graceful and didn't make much noise for such a large aircraft."

Landing slightly ahead of schedule, some spectators missed the Antonov touch down.

Peter Griffiths of Mill Lane, Shirley, had made the trip to Castle Donington on Saturday, when the Antonov had been due to land.

This was rescheduled to yesterday but he missed the action by a few minutes.

Mr Griffiths, 78, said: "It's such a massive and impressive thing, I really wanted to see it land. But I might come and watch it take off again."

This is the Antonov's third visit to East Midlands Airport. After a fire destroyed the Primark warehouse near Lutterworth two years ago, the plane was used to transport replacement items of clothing.

And in December 2005 the Antonov was used to carry 70,000 shoe-boxes full of presents from school children in the East Midlands to the Ukraine.

The aircraft was yesterday believed to have been chartered by delivery company DHL, but no one was available at the company to explain what it was carrying.

It is not the only high profile aircraft to visit the airport over the years.

The Airbus Beluga, a cargo carrier with a distinctive bulbous nose which opens up, has also touched down there; in the 1990s, Concorde made several appearances and, earlier this year, the new Airbus A380 superjumbo also visited Castle Donington.

Trevor Fitchett is a member of the Aeropark Volunteers Association, members of which were on hand during the landing to answer all the visitors' questions.

He said: "It's a good place for aviation enthusiasts, as we've had some great aircraft over the years.

"I suppose the one we haven't had yet but would really like to see here is the Vulcan. That would be next on our wish-list."

Fellow volunteer John Creamer, 59, said: "We have about 15 vintage aircraft here at the Aeropark and a lot of our work is centred around conservation of the planes.

"The Antonov is fantastic, it's great to have it here again."