TWO local men were last night in a critical condition in a UK burns unit following a plane crash in which a third man died. Pilot Rob Le Page and front passenger Dave Bougourd were rushed to the specialist Odstock unit at Salisbury’s District Hospital after the incident on Saturday.

Their friend, whom police have yet to name, was reported to have died instantly after the light aircraft in which they were travelling came down.

Mr Le Page, an architect, experienced problems moments after taking off from Bournemouth International Airport – apparently for a short flight to a vintage aircraft open day – and turned the single-engined aircraft around.

He tried to reach the runway but lost height and crashed into a hedge just 300 yards from a packed Alice in Wonderland family theme park. The Tobago Socata plane burst into flames.

The Guernsey Aero Club got two aircraft at short notice to fly immediate families to England that afternoon to be with the men, who are well-known at the local club.

Chairman Colin Ferbrache said that it was deeply saddened by the tragedy.

‘At this stage we don’t really know what went wrong. The details are very sketchy and it is very difficult to suppose what happened. Our thoughts are just with the family, without really contemplating what happened until we hear from the Air Accident Investigation Branch.’

Some families at the park and golfers on a nearby course saw the aircraft come down, bounce off the ground and career into a hedge bordering the theme park and a busy road, before bursting into flames.

Motorists were forced to stop for fear of hitting the blazing plane and many tried to help, but were beaten back by the flames.

Fire crews from the airport finally put the blaze out with foam.

Investigators are today examining the charred wreckage which is lying on its side by the 8ft hedge.

Inspector Shaun Cronin, of Dorset police, said yesterday that the plane was seen going at low speed and was losing altitude.

‘It had a lot of fuel on board because it had just taken off and, upon crashing, it caught fire very quickly.’

He said that several motorists stopped and people got out of their cars to try to help.

‘It was extremely fortunate that nobody on the ground was hurt.

‘The hedge is only 300 yards away from a kiddies’ play slide at the theme park which was packed full. And there were several cars on the B3073 road at the time.

Russell Lucas, owner of the Alice in Wonderland park, said there were 400 people at the attraction at the time of the crash, just before noon on Saturday.

He said: ‘The plane was spluttering and was flying horizontally. It seemed under control but way off course, probably 200 yards from the runway.

‘Then it ploughed into the ground and crunched into the fence and hedge. A loud explosion was heard as it burst into flames.’

A spokesman at the Parley Golf Club said its members were in a state of shock afterwards.

‘There were two members on the second green when the plane flew over them. They were so horrified by what they had seen they were taken home straight away.

‘There were many other golfers on the course but thankfully none of our members was hurt.’