TWO people were rescued from the wreckage of a light aircraft that crashed near Aveley.

Around 40 firefighters plus other emergency services including the London Air Ambulance were involved in the incident after the plane came down in woodland near Aveley Road moments after taking off from Damyns Hall aerodrome just after noon on Tuesday (4 April).

The two people on board are now recovering after both suffered minor injuries including broken ankles.

Station Commander Jeremy Davies, who was at the scene, said: "Firefighters worked with partners to release a man and a woman trapped inside a lightweight aircraft in woodland near the aerodrome.

"They were both taken to hospital by road and air ambulance crews."

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: "We sent numerous resources to the scene including three ambulances, a medic in a response car, two incident response officers and members of our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART).

"We also dispatched London's Air Ambulance. We treated a man and woman at the scene and took them to hospital."