Residents have spoken of their shock after a two-seater plane plummeted into a field in Wigan on Sunday afternoon (May 29), leaving two men seriously injured. Emergency services scrambled to the scene, off Rindle Road in Astley, after the light aircraft crashed into the ground shortly after 1pm.
In the minutes that followed, those living in cottages nearby told of how an air ambulance swiftly landed at the scene, followed by a large number of police and fire vehicles, along with paramedics. Two men, aged in their 50s and 70s, were confirmed to have suffered serious injuries, and were treated at the scene before being rushed to hospital.
Pictures from the scene show the plane visibly damaged after it had crash landed into the field, at around 1.10pm, and ended up upside down. Officers from Greater Manchester Police cordoned off a public footpath as enquiries were carried out into Sunday evening.
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In what had been a quiet Sunday afternoon, residents in nearby cottages spoke of hearing a 'loud engine' sound, before hearing multiple sirens. One person told the M.E.N: "I heard a loud engine sound and I knew something wasn't right. I looked outside of the window and just saw the plane had crashed in the field.
"Moments after there was an air ambulance that landed, and then within about fifteen minutes there were loads of fire engines and police here with sirens on. I didn't see the plane crash, but it could so easily have been one of our houses and just missed the railway line."
Another said it was the sound of sirens that alerted her to the commotion just metres from her front door. She said: "I didn't have a clue what was going on - I just heard all the sirens and looked outside and saw police and firefighters running through the field.
"It is extremely quiet around here, I have lived here for six years, and was really shocked when I saw them all. I knew it must've been something serious, but I hadn't heard the plane crash."
Police are expected to remain on the scene for the remainder of Sunday evening, as enquiries are carried out by themselves and the Civil Aviation Authority. Access to the footpath off Rindle Road was blocked off temporarily, along with access to the field.
The nature of the two males' injuries is not yet known, but Greater Manchester Police confirmed that two people on board the aircraft had been taken to hospital with serious injuries that were not thought to be life threatening.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service added: "Just before 1.30pm this afternoon, five fire engines from Farnworth, Leigh, Irlam and Atherton, along with a Technical Response Unit from Leigh were called to reports of an aircraft crash on Rindle Road, Tyldesley. Crews quickly arrived at the scene and worked to make the area safe.
"Firefighters using trauma equipment and a long board worked with colleagues from Northwest Ambulance Service to treat two people at the scene, before they were taken to the hospital."
