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Plane crash causes travel chaos

James Edgar
Friday 02 September 2011 16:52 BST
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A light aircraft crashed today near a busy A road, police said today.

The plane went down near Sibson Airfield, close to Peterborough, and the A1 has been closed, causing travel chaos at a peak time.

It is thought the aircraft hit power lines as it plummeted towards the ground.

Cambridgeshire Police said: "Emergency services including police are currently at the scene of a light aircraft crash near Sibson Airfield, near Peterborough.

"The scene of the crash has been cordoned off and the Air Accident Investigation Branch has been informed.

"We cannot confirm at this stage the extent of the injuries to the pilot, but there were no other passengers on board."

Commuters have been badly affected by road closures in both directions on the major arterial road that runs up and down the east of the country.

"The A1 is closed northbound at Haddon and southbound at Wansford because power lines over the road have been affected," the police spokesman added.

"We would urge motorists to avoid the area.

"The crash did not happen on the A1 and there is no debris on the road."

A spokesman for the Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said three units were sent to the crash site.

He said experts from the National Grid were also attending the scene to assess the damage to the power lines.

He said: "Two crews, from Dogsthorpe and Stanground, attended the scene, and a rescue vehicle from Dogsthorpe."

PA

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