Rally champion feared killed in crash - Sport in brief - Evening Standard
       

Rally champion feared killed in crash

Fears were growing for Scottish rally driver Colin McRae on Saturday night after a helicopter crashed on land near his home.

The 39-year-old is a licensed pilot and owns a helicopter, which he flies in the area. But Strathclyde Police said they were unable to confirm how many people were on board the aircraft which went down at Jerviswood, about one mile north of Lanark, at 4.10pm.

Campbell Roy, a member of McRae's management team, told the Sunday Mail: "I haven't had anything confirmed and at the moment it's speculation. I'm waiting to speak to the family to find out exactly what's happened."

A force spokeswoman would only confirm that one person was feared dead in the accident, although reports claimed that two people were on board.

The Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed that its own helicopter had been despatched to the scene along with three ambulance crews.

Strathclyde Fire Brigade also had units in attendance at the scene.

A spokesman for the RAF confirmed that the helicopter was not a military aircraft but one of its own helicopters was on stand-by to assist.

The helicopter did not come from either Glasgow or Edinburgh Airport, according to a spokesman for the British Airports Authority.

A Strathclyde Police spokeswoman said officers were trying to establish who was on board and where the helicopter was travelling to and from.

She said: "The damage has been so bad that we don't know how many people were on board. It might be one, it might be more. We just don't know at the moment."

Sport in brief in Pictures

Don't Miss
Gala night for the Queen of arts - stars turn out in their hundreds to pay tribute

Happy & glorious

Stars turn out in their hundreds to pay tribute to Queen
Prints charming: patterned trousers for summer

Prints charming

Patterned trousers for summer
Promethipedia: the lowdown on Ridley Scott's new blockbuster Prometheus

Promethipedia

The lowdown on Ridley Scott's new blockbuster Prometheus
The Middletan: Kate Middleton has the most requested tan in London

The Middletan

Kate Middleton has the most requested tan in London
Amy Childs bares all like Britney

Dare to bare

Amy Childs vajazzles like Britney
Thais go Gaga: singer’s ‘fake rolex’ tweet sparks new tour row... but fans still mob her at airport

Thais go Gaga

Singer mobbed at airport
Trip the bright fantastic - in vertiginous neon

Fashion

Trip the bright fantastic - in vertiginous neon
Chelsea Champions League celebrations - in pictures

Victory parade

Chelsea Champions League celebrations
High-flying heroes

High flying heroes

David Oyelowo reveals all about new film Red Tails
The Twitter Diaries: Think Bridget Jones tries social networking

The Twitter Diaries

Think Bridget Jones tries social networking