His name has not yet been released pending formal identification, but Warwickshire Police has confirmed its belief a district man was one of three killed when the machine crashed in poor weather near Winchcombe on Saturday.

Post-mortem examinations were expected to be carried out later today (Tuesday). Two men aged 55 and a woman, 27, all thought to be from the Midlands, died in the incident. It is thought the pilot had been flying from Stratford to Yeovilton in Somerset.

The wreckage is being examined at the headquarters of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch in Hampshire.

One of the three victims was named locally as Roderick Paskey, 55, who was a co-owner of the helicopter and a company director from Tamworth.

The French-designed Gazelle helicopter was based at Baxterley, Warwickshire. It came down at Langley Hill Farm, near Winchcombe, at about midday.

The Great Western Ambulance Service said no mayday call had been received prior to the crash in heavy mist.

Spokesman Kevin Dickens told reporters parts of the helicopter, of a type used by the military for scouting missions, were scattered "over some distance".

A spokeswoman for the AAIB said it was impossible to say how long the investigation would take.