A PICTURE of the family kill-ed in a helicopter crash was released by police yesterday.

Mark Price, his wife, Jean, and their 14-month-old son, Samuel, were pronounced dead at the scene where the Hughes 500 aircraft they were flying in plunged to the ground.

The parents of 33-year-old Mrs Price are in shock at their home in Colburn, near Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, following the accident at the weekend.

Jim Lehany, a retired teacher and his wife, Judith, who are well known in their community, were yesterday unable to comment on the tragedy.

The helicopter wreckage was recovered on Sunday from the field where it came down in Knockholt, near Sevenoaks, Kent, for investigators to piece together what may have caused the accident.

David Stewart, a spokes-man for the Air Accident Investigation Branch, said the helicopter was likely to be taken to a hanger in Farnborough, Hampshire.

"Investigators will probably lay out the helicopter debris and look at all the different pieces of metal to get an idea of what may have happened," he said.

"The wreckage would have also been examined on the ground before it was taken away."

However, it could be months before Mr and Mrs Lehany fully understand what caused the death of their daughter - who attended Risedale Community College and Richmond School sixth form - and her family.

The Price family, from Chessington, Surrey, were the only three people on board the chartered helicopter when it crashed in Cudham Lane South at 9.50am on Saturday.

The aircraft, hired from Biggin Hill Helicopters, took off from Biggin Hill Airport and was due to return later that day.

A spokesman for the company, which offers a range of helicopters for self-fly hire to experienced pilots, said 39-year-old Mr Price had been a regular customer.

"Mr Price did fly with us quite often and so we did know of him fairly well. He would sometimes come here with his family and other times he was on his own," he said.

Kent police confirmed that a post-mortem examination of the bodies was being carried out yesterday.