A 61-YEAR-OLD veteran flier died yesterday after his gyrocopter crashed into woodland.

The man, named as Dave Chaplin, from Borrowby, near Thirsk, North Yorkshire, was pronounced dead at the scene.

His gyrocopter crashed shortly after taking off from the Yorkshire Gliding Club's airfield at Sutton Bank, near Thirsk.

It came down just before 2pm in woodland near the White Horse monument, which lies directly below the airfield.

The crash site could be accessed only on foot but, according to North Yorkshire Police, firefighters and paramedics were at the scene quickly following the accident.

It is not yet known what caused the craft to crash.

The site has been cordoned off by police, who continued their investigations last night. The Air Accident Information Branch has been informed of the crash.

Mr Chaplin, who was married with grown-up children, was a former chairman of the Yorkshire Gliding Club and worked at the Sutton Bank airfield.

He was well respected in gliding circles and officials from the region's clubs were last night in shock at the news of his death.

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: "The crash site, which we understand can only be accessed on foot, has been cordoned off pending closer examination.

"There seems to be quite a few witnesses to the accident."

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue said: "The gyrocopter had just taken off from the top of Sutton Bank and crashed into the trees at Hood Grange Wood."

Gyrocopters were made famous when one was used by James Bond in the film You Only Live Twice.