Microlight 'crashes into forest'

A search is underway for a microlight plane after it was seen crashing into a Cheshire forest in heavy rain.

Several witnesses called police after they saw the plane getting into problems above Delamere Forest, just after 2000 BST on Tuesday.

Mountain rescue teams and a police helicopter were forced to stop the search on Tuesday night because of heavy flooding in the area.

Police say no wreckage has been found and no-one has been reported missing.

Boggy conditions

A Cheshire Police spokesman said: "A number of witnesses saw the microlight come down but a search of the area has so far found no evidence of this.

"Parts of the forest could not be reached because they have essentially become a bog in the heavy rain we have experienced.

"The search will continue today and we will be contacting local microlight clubs to see if anybody is missing.

"There is a chance the pilot regained control and landed safely but we will continue our search until this is established."

The search resumed on Wednesday morning and police said the local archery society had been enlisted as they have a good knowledge of the area.