Vintage aircraft crash pilot dies

The pilot of a vintage aircraft which crashed at an air show has died.

The man, in his 40s, will not be named until a coroner's inquest opens, said a police spokesman.

The crash happened at Old Warden Aerodrome, near Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, which is home to the Shuttleworth Collection of vintage aircraft, as 600 people attended a military pageant.

Police said they worked alongside the fire and rescue service, East of England Ambulance Service and the aerodrome's own fire service to help the pilot.

He was pronounced dead soon after the accident.

The Shuttleworth Collection confirmed in a statement on its website that an aircraft had experienced difficulties and crashed.

"Emergency services and the air ambulance were called to the scene and one casualty airlifted to hospital," it said. "We are not releasing details of the person's identity or the nature of the injuries incurred.

"Today's planned air show has been cancelled to allow accident investigators to assess the scene. We would like to thank both on-site and external emergency crews for their prompt reaction."

A spokesman for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) said that the aircraft involved was a DH 53 vintage aircraft.

"A team of inspectors have been despatched to the site, to start an investigation which will determine the circumstances behind the accident," he added.