Crash site probe follows McRae tragedy

The 39-year-old's son Johnny, aged just 5, also died in the accident at the weekend along with six-year-old Ben Porcelli, of Lanark, and Graeme Duncan, 37, who lived in France.

McRae, a licensed pilot, was flying the plane when it went down in the grounds of his Jerviswood home, about a mile north of Lanark, at 4.10pm on Saturday.

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman said on Sunday: "The air accident team will be there again and their work could take some time. The police will assist in preserving the scene while this is ongoing."

The crash site will remain off limits while the examination continues. The bodies of the victims were removed from the scene of the wreckage in hearses on Sunday night.

Post-mortems will be carried out over the next few days, the police spokeswoman confirmed.

McRae hails from a well-known motor racing family, with his father Jimmy a five-time British rally champion. He has a wife Alison and daughter Hollie.

Jimmy McRae described the death of his son and grandson as "unbelievable" and "tragic".

Ben Porcelli was a friend of McRae's son, while Mr Duncan was a school friend of the driver who was home on holiday.

The death has stunned motorsport fans around the world, with tributes being paid by three-time Formula One world champion and fellow Scot Sir Jackie Stewart, who said: "It's a sad loss for Scotland, of a real hero and an immensely popular friend."