Microlight crash leaves two injured.

Byline: By Dave Black 

Two flyers were in hospital with broken legs last night after a microlight crashed during an attempted take-off.

The men, both believed to be in their 40s, were injured when the two-man aircraft failed to take off and hit a drystone wall.

The accident happened on a privately-owned microlight landing strip at Selby House Farm, Stanton, near Morpeth in Northumberland at 3.30pm and sparked a major 999 alert.

The pilot and his passenger ( one of them from Tyneside and the other from Wales ( were given first aid by ambulance paramedics and taken to Wansbeck General Hospital in Ashington.

Northumbria Police said they had both suffered broken legs but their injuries were not life-threatening.

The damaged microlight was being photographed by police officers to help with an investigation into the incident by the Air Accident Investigation Board.

It is understood the man from Wales was interested in buying the microlight and was trying it out when the accident happened.

The airstrip is owned by a local farming family which is also involved in microlight flying.

Last night, Sgt David Chattaway said: "Two males were in the microlight and have been taken by ambulance to Wansbeck Hospital after it failed to take off and collided with a drystone wall.

"There was no-one else injured and the accident happened on a private landing strip, so there was no threat to traffic.

"The Air Accident Investigation Board will investigate the incident based on police photographs of the microlight and evidence from the pilot. The accident was reported by a local farmer and the two injured men were given first aid by ambulance paramedics."