Chopper crashed in awful weather

Tributes have been paid to Peter and Andy Patrick

Four men killed in a helicopter crash set off in "awful conditions", neighbours have said.

The Robinson R44 crashed minutes after taking off from Arkholme near Carnforth in Lancashire on Friday night.

Residents said the aircraft headed towards the crash site in neighbouring Cumbria in low cloud, mist and rain.

Gary Priestley, 39, Tim Newburn, 39, Andy Patrick, 37, all from Yorkshire, and Mr Patrick's father Peter, 68, of Arkholme, were found on Saturday.

The helicopter crashed near a farm in Kendal, Cumbria, while taking the men to a shooting event in Scotland.

One neighbour in Arkholme, said: "We heard the helicopter going off on Friday evening.

The helicopter's wreckage was found by a farm worker

"Visibility was appalling, there was very low cloud and mist and it was raining, and you are heading for the hills going north.

"It was pretty awful conditions. It must only have been five minutes flying time before it went down."

The wreckage of a helicopter has now been taken to Farnborough in Hampshire, for examination by the Air Accident Investigations Branch (AAIB).

On Monday, the family of Peter and Andy Patrick paid tribute saying they "were so alike and lived life to the full."

Keen pilot

Both had helped build up the family business, Termrim construction based in Huddersfield.

Peter had just started his retirement and was a former Master of the Vale of Lune Hunt in Lancashire and Bedale Hunt in Yorkshire.

He leaves wife, Rita, daughter Nicola and her children Daniel and Laura.

His son, a keen pilot, who took over the building firm, leaves a wife, Jilly and three young children, Grace, Abbey, and Jonty.

A search operation involving police, coastguards, mountain rescue teams and an RAF helicopter was mounted when the helicopter failed to arrive at its destination in Lochmaben, near Lockerbie.

It was found the following morning by workers at Sill Field Farm near Gatebeck.

Inquests into the deaths of Mr Priestley, from Hipperholme, Halifax; Mr Newburn, of Baliff Bridge, Brighouse; Andy Patrick, of Askwith, near Ilkley, and his father will be opened this week.