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Two men killed in light aircraft crash, police say

Ian Shoesmithand
Paul Burnell,North West
News imagePA Media A male and a female police officer walk down a remote dirt track, which is flanked on both side by gorse. On the horizon are two large electricity pylons, there is yellow-coloured material that is wrapped around the bottom of the nearest pylon that appears to be billowing in the wind PA Media
What appeared to be a yellow parachute could be seen caught on an electricity pylon near to the crash site

Two men were killed when a light aircraft crashed on to farmland in Greater Manchester, police have said.

The small Cirrus SR 20 plane came down close to the M62 in Littleborough, near Rochdale, at about 11:00 GMT.

It had taken off from the XLR Executive Jet Centre - which specialises in serving VIP clients - at Birmingham Airport at about 10:00.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said a team from the Air Accidents Investigation Branch was at the crash scene, and that a cordon remained in place.

News imagePolice cars parked in a country lane close to a dry stone wall. Trees and fields can also be seen.
Police set up a cordon around the crash site and urged people to avoid the area

The Cirrus SR 20 is known to deploy a parachute system and images circulating online after the crash appeared to show a yellow parachute canopy caught in a pylon nearby.

A GMP spokesperson said emergency services had recovered the bodies of two men.

No-one else was believed to have been on board the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries on the ground.

A cordon remains in place around the area as investigators continue their inquiries.

Police, firefighters and an air ambulance were sent to a patch of farmland in Littleborough

Ch Supt Danny Inglis said: "This is a devastating incident where two people have lost their lives and our thoughts are with their families and friends.

"We have been working closely with emergency service colleagues and partner agencies throughout the day to establish the full circumstances and we will be on scene overnight and into tomorrow."

The air ambulance was called to the scene in Tunshill Lane, which is just off Kiln Lane and close to Tunshill Golf Club.

"There will be an enhanced presence as officers and investigators comprehensively survey the area and ensure all available evidence is recovered," added Inglis.

"If anyone has any information, or witnessed the crash, we would urge you to get in touch with us."

News imageFlight Radar A grey Cirrus SR 20 aircraft, photographed on the Flight Radar websiteFlight Radar
The flight tracking website Flight Radar had an image of the aircraft involved in the crash

Pete Robinson said he was feeding his sheep when he heard sirens and saw a "massive response going up Blackstone Edge".

He added: "So I went up into a top field and saw what I thought at the time to be a paraglider on the moor edge, engines and lights everywhere."

The farmer, from Shaw, said he saw response teams running up the track to the pylon.

He said the wind was "horrendous up on the moor edge".

Stephanie Mills, from Dickey Steps Riding School, told BBC Radio Manchester: "There wasn't any noise - I didn't hear anything - but there is a huge yellow parachute. There is a lot of police and helicopters here too."

Describing the parachute canopy, Andrew Mayall, a green keeper at Whittaker Golf Club, said: "I thought at first that a massive sheet had been blown up there as it's very windy up here."

A Birmingham Airport spokesman said: "We can confirm that a private light aircraft left from the XLR Executive Jet Centre at around 10:00.

"We are supporting all our partners, and no further comment will be made until all facts are established."

XLR, which has teams at Birmingham, Liverpool, Bournemouth and Exeter, describes itself as catering for "discerning private clients" and "creating a premium flying experience for VIP passengers".