Low-flying review call after crash

The Jaguar is believed to have hit a flock of birds

A major review of low flying has been demanded after an RAF jet crashed near Lockerbie.

The call came from Councillor Denis Male, who leads a cross-border local authority group on low flying.

The £20m Jaguar jet crashed on Friday morning, narrowly missing a farmhouse near Shieldhill Village, Lochmaben.

And Mr Male says the latest accident will make a ban on low flying a real issue at the next election.

The former vice convener of Dumfries and Galloway Council said: "I am calling for a whole review of the low flying process.

We have communities living in terror every time they hear a jet coming over

Councillor Denis Male

"I think MPs should be supporting us in this, especially with a general election coming up.

"I also think that this should be an issue in this area during the election, for we have communities living in terror every time they hear a jet coming over."

Mr Male heads a working group on low flying aircraft which brings together councillors and representatives of various bodies from the south of Scotland and the north of England.

There have been 13 military jet crashes in the area over the last 13 years.

Mr Male said the risks of low flying, and the expense of the aircraft lost, were just not worth it.

Lost power

And he pointed out that the low flying tactic was not used during the war in Kosovo.

An investigation is now under way into Friday's crash.

The aircraft is understood to have hit a flock of birds then lost power in both engines.

The pilot, who ejected from the jet, was treated at the scene. His injuries were not thought to be serious.

The crash happened near Lockerbie

Debris was scattered over hundreds of yards at the crash scene, which is expected to be cordoned off all weekend.

Ministry of Defence officials and RAF investigators have been sifting through the wreckage before it is taken away for further tests.

Farmer John Kerr was working in a shed only 300 yards from the field where the bomber from RAF Coltishall in Norfolk came down.

Mr Kerr, who was feeding cattle at the time, said he had been given the shock of his life.

"We're used to the jets coming over here but this was something different. I'm still shaking after this," he said.