Four killed in helicopter crash

A strong smell of aviation fuel was reported

Four people including a father and his 15-year-old son have been killed in a helicopter crash in Somerset.

The wreckage of a privately-owned Jetranger 206B was found in woods in the Blackdown Hills, south of Wellington at 0900 GMT on Sunday.

The alarm was raised at 1300 GMT on Saturday after the helicopter, which had taken off from Gloucestershire Airport, failed to arrive in Devon.

An inquiry is being carried out by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

Night search

There were unconfirmed reports of a loud bang after a helicopter flew over the Taunton area on Saturday afternoon.

Roads around the crash site were closed

Police, search and rescue teams, a police helicopter and the RAF searched throughout the day and night.

Bad weather hampered their efforts and meant the search had to be called off at 0430 GMT on Sunday, before resuming at first light.

At 0900 GMT a member of the public reported that a strong smell of aviation fuel had led him to the crash site in woods near the village of Corfe.

Private flight

None of the victims - who are all male - has been formally identified, but they are believed to be from Gloucestershire.

The victims' bodies were removed from the crash site on Sunday

Gloucestershire Airport said the helicopter belonged to the company Heli-flight, based at Staverton, and was on a private flight at the time of the crash.

A police spokeswoman said it was heading to Torbay and had been due to return to Staverton at 1830 GMT on Saturday.

Temporary Asst Ch Con Rod Hansen, of Avon and Somerset Police, said: "We extend our condolences to the family and friends who have lost a loved one.

"We would like to thank members of the local community, who demonstrated great public-spiritedness, by both reporting what they knew and by helping with the search effort."