INVESTIGATIONS are continuing today into a helicopter crash which killed two people.

The aircraft crashed on to farmland at Biggin crossroads, near Sherburn, North Yorkshire, just moments after taking off.

Married man Anthony Baldwin, 52, of Colton, Leeds, and his son-in-law, Darren Hunter, 30, who had two children, were killed.

Officials from the Air Accident Investigation Branch were at the scene of the crash last night as the helicopter, believed to be a Robinson R22, was removed.

It was owned by Hields Aviation, a company which hires out helicopters and is based at Sherburn airfield, near Selby.

A spokesman for the company expressed condolences for the families of the victims, described as regular customers, and said it was still early days in the investigation.

The helicopter crashed into fields owned by farmer Ian Gilbertson, who rang the emergency services.

He said: "I didn't see anything. I just heard the helicopter and then heard a bang and I knew there was something wrong. By the time I got round the corner it had come down."

The crash was the latest in a string to hit the region in recent times.

In April this year, an RAF Puma carrying 14 people came down on remote moorland near Catterick Garrison. Nine people were airlifted to hospital, including an RAF loadmaster who suffered serious leg injuries.

Pilot Ron Bradbury was also lucky to escape after his two-seater microlight aircraft nose-dived into a field at Easingwold in July last year.