Yorkshire helicopter crash: Two dead near Burton in Lonsdale

People were advised by police to avoid the area following the crash near Burton in Lonsdale

Two people have been killed in a helicopter crash in North Yorkshire, police have confirmed.

The aircraft came down in a field off Bentham Road near Burton in Lonsdale on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales just before midday, officers said.

One local farmer, who did not want to be named, said he saw "a large plume of thick black smoke".

The families of those involved were being supported by specially trained officers, police added.

The North Yorkshire force said it was currently unable to provide any further details about those who died in the crash.

Nobody else was believed to have been on board the helicopter at the time, it said.

The force added that part of Bentham Road was closed.

A BBC reporter near the scene of the crash said a police cordon appeared to have been extended late on Monday afternoon. He added that several workers in hi-vis clothing could be seen around the crash site.

Part of Bentham Road remain closed

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) confirmed its inspectors were on their way.

In a statement, the AAIB said: "An investigation has been launched and a team of inspectors are travelling to the accident site to begin making inquiries."

Burton in Lonsdale is near Ingleton, close to the border with Lancashire and Cumbria.

Peter Thompson, chair of Burton in Lonsdale parish council, said: "We are a rural community of about 600 people. When something like this happens, it is obviously alarming. It's very sad for everyone involved."

Burton in Lonsdale is near the border with Lancashire and Cumbria