CUMBRIA has been left in shock after a tragic incident in which a helicopter crashed near a village killing two people

Police were called just before midday on Monday, June 26 to an area close to Burton in Lonsdale, off Bentham Road, following eyewitness reports that a helicopter had crashed into a field.

At around 4.55 pm, a North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "A full investigation is underway into the cause of a helicopter crash near Ingleton.

"The incident happened shortly before midday in a field off Bentham Road near Burton in Lonsdale.

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"Two people were sadly killed as a result of the crash. Their families are being supported by specially trained officers.

"There is a full road closure at the A65 and at the junction of Bentham Moor Road.

"People are urged to continue to avoid the area.

"We thank local residents for their patience and co-operation."

The first news broke about the crash at around 1 pm, when North Yorkshire Police advised people to stay away from the crash site, which is near the River Greta, and on the outskirts of the Rivers Edge Holiday Park on Bentham Road.

The management of the holiday park said that their head office had asked them not to comment at that time.

By 3 pm, around 30 emergency services vehicles including fire engines, ambulances, police, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and a police helicopter were dispatched to the scene, as locals speculated on social media describing seeing dozens of emergency services with sirens blazing speed through the normally quiet village.

One said: "Something big/serious going off.

"A lot of fire engines, fire officers, ambulances, police, and air ambulance just passed through/over Gargrave heading west.

"Accident or something down Bentham Road.

"Police and fire engines there. Just past river's edge going towards Bentham."

At around 4 pm, UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch announced that they had launched an investigation into the crash:

"An accident involving a light helicopter near Burton in Lonsdale, North Yorkshire has been notified to the AAIB."

"An investigation has been launched and a team of inspectors is travelling to the accident site to begin making enquiries."

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