A PILOT has been killed in a helicopter crash in North Yorkshire.

There were no other passengers in the aircraft, North Yorkshire police have said.

Emergency personnel are presently at the scene of the crash near Aldborough, Boroughbridge.

Rescue services were called to the scene at around 1.20pm on Wednesday to reports of a helicopter crashing into a field.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue service said in a statement on Twitter that a number of engines from Boroughbridge, Knaresborough, Harrogate and Ripon had been sent to the incident.

They said hoses were used to "damp down the scene" and their crews have now left the site.

Aldborough is close to RAF Dishforth - a site used by both the RAF and the British Army, and formerly home to Apache and Lynx helicopters.

At this stage, the helicopter is not believed to be either an RAF or Army vehicle. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defence declined to make an official statement at this stage.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has confirmed it is sending inspectors to North Yorkshire, to investigate the crash.

Brian Rey is landlord of The Ship Inn at Aldborough, and said he and his wife heard the helicopter prior to the crash.

Mr Rey said: "We heard the helicopter, the next thing after that was police sirens.

"Apparently it crashed in the middle of fields just out the back of us and is completely burned out.

"When I spoke to police 45 minutes ago they didn't know how many were in it.

"It was a burnt out wreck.

"I don't know where it was going or where it was from, that's to be officially confirmed.

"I didn't hear it come down.

"My wife made some comment about noise, but we were actually thinking it was a crash on the A1, but the sirens were a bit closer than expected."

Mr Rey, who has been in the village for ten years, said he had never known anything like this happen.

However, he said the pub had a memorial plaque dedicated to the crew of a Lancaster bomber who stayed on board their stricken aircraft to prevent it crashing into the village during World War Two.

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch has confirmed it is sending inspectors to North Yorkshire, to investigate the crash.