Crash pair died on flying lesson

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Two men who were killed when a helicopter crashed on marshland in Lancashire were on a training flight.

The aircraft sent a Mayday signal as it flew over Poulton-le-Fylde, near Blackpool, at about 1210 BST.

It came down at Barnaby's Sands, an area of salt marsh on the edge of the Wyre estuary, about 40 minutes later.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: "We can confirm it was a training flight and the passenger was a learner." The two victims have not been named.

Emergency services have been working at the scene to recover their bodies.

The police spokesman added: "We are not in a position to say where it was flying from or to."

There were a lot of people on the riverbank so I assumed something tragic had happened Councillor June Jackson

The Lancashire force has between 25 and 30 officers investigating how the crash happened.

The Mayday signal was received by Blackpool Airport's air traffic control, which alerted the emergency services.

Councillor June Jackson, who lives near where the crash happened, said: "I had noticed a helicopter circling in the area but I didn't think anything of it.

"I went out to get a newspaper from the local shop... when I came back the tide was in, there were a lot of people on the riverbank so I assumed something tragic had happened."

Barnaby's Sands is a nature reserve, managed by the Lancashire Wildlife Trust.