Two people were hospitalised and hundreds left without power after a light aircraft crashed on Cumbrian fells.

The gyrocopter, which took off from Carlisle Airport, came down after crashing into power lines.

Fire and ambulance crews - as well as police - were called to the scene in the Branthwaite area of Caldbeck, just before 11am on Saturday.

Fire engines from Aspatria, Wigton and two fire engines and the water bowser from Penrith worked to free two people from the aircraft, who were then taken to hospital by ambulance.

A spokesman for the Great North Air Ambulance Service said: "The GNAAS doctor-led trauma team treated a man, in his fifties, for a chest injury before he was flown to Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary in a stable condition.

"Another man was also taken to hospital by ambulance."

Investigations are expected to be carried out by the Air Accidents Investigations Branch (AAIB) and the Health and Safety Executive.

An AAIB spokesman said: "We are aware of the incident and will be investigating."

When approached by the News & Star , Carlisle Airport said it would not be commenting on the incident.

Electricity North West confirmed that nearly 250 homes in the Caldbeck area had been left without power as a result of the crash.

A spokesman said: "Engineers worked quickly to re-route the supply and bypass the damage, meaning that the majority of homes had their electricity back on by about midday.

"Generators were also brought in to ensure that the remaining properties also had electricity."