A MAN died and a woman was seriously injured after a light aircraft crashed in Dorset.

Police received a mayday broadcast from the pilot reporting difficulties while flying near Stalbridge.

The aircraft was seen by an off-duty police officer to crash in a field near the village of Stourton Caundle.

The pilot who died was named as 62-year-old Hugh Wilson from Hindon, near Salisbury.

The only passenger, a 25-year-old woman, also from Hindon, was airlifted to Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester suffering serious but not life threatening injuries.

Inspector Matt Butler of Dorset Police said: “A man died after a light aircraft came down close to Stourton Caundle, near Stalbridge in North Dorset at 3.05pm on Sunday.

“At 3.03pm Dorset Police were notified that a mayday call reported that the aircraft was in difficulty.

“An off-duty police officer reported that an aircraft had crashed at 3.06pm.

“Sadly the pilot was found dead at the scene by paramedics.”

The scene of the crash was 200 yards from Stourton Caundle near a road between the village and Stalbridge.

A Stourton Caundle resident said he believed the plane hit overhead telephone lines before crashing.

Another resident Colin Harris said: “A few people heard the engine spluttering.”

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch is investigating.

It emerged today that Mr Wilson was making a charity flight to raise money for his village church.

The 62-year-old was flying a passenger who had paid £50 towards refurbishment work.

“I waved to him when he went overhead before it happened,” said friend and pub landlord Doug Richards from his home village of Hindon.

“He would do trips around the village for £50. He would fund the costs himself.”

Mr Wilson was a director in aircraft brokers Jet Finders Limited and had sold and demonstrated planes all around the world.

Last year he became chairman of the friends group for Hindon parish church.

The membership secretary of The Friends, who asked not to be named, said: “Because he was a pilot he offered this as a way of getting more funds. It was for things like central heating, the stone work, toilets.

“He was friendly man, cheerful and well liked with a sense of humour.”

Hindon’s population is only 500 and the accident has hit the village hard.

Mr Richards said: “He was just such a lovely, gentle man. We are all horrified.

“We were together for the day on Thursday, just going round the antique shops.

“He was totally involved in village life. I went down to the cottage where he lived – it was absolutely shattering.”