Two hurt as light plane crashes

An elderly couple were injured when their light aircraft crashed in Essex.

Fire crews were called to Church Road in Barling Magna near Rochford where the aircraft ended up upside-down in a ditch just before 1600 GMT.

An ambulance service spokesman said the 72-year-old pilot was taken to Southend General Hospital with "very serious" neck and head injuries.

His 66-year-old wife was also taken to hospital with less serious injuries to her arm, leg and back.

The pair, who are believed to live locally, had taken off from a field in the village of Barling, just to the north of Southend.

It is believed they had been flying for only a short time when the aircraft hit a tree and landed heavily in a ditch.