Hunt follower killed in collision with helicopter 'flown by anti-hunt monitors'

[Guest guest]

Two men were arrested yesterday on suspicion of murder after a hunt follower was killed by a gyrocopter thought to have been carrying anti-hunt monitors.

 

 

 

 

By Matthew Moore Last Updated: 6:44AM GMT 10 Mar 2009

 

 

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Trevor Morse, a keen hunt supporter in his late 40s, was killed in a collision with a gyrocopter this afternoon.

 

General view of the crash scene at Long Marston airfield at Lower Quinton, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire. Photo: NEWSTEAM

Police are investigating whether the pilot of the light aircraft – which is a small, open cockpit helicopter – flew into the victim, who was with the Warwickshire Hunt, yesterday afternoon.

Trevor Morse, 48, is thought to have been decapitated by the blades after approaching the gyrocopter as it prepared to make a refuelling stop at Long Marston airfield near Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, at around 3pm.

 

Last night Sam Butler, the joint master of the Warwickshire Hunt, said a similar vehicle had been spotted tracking and harassing several hunts in the area over the past two or three weeks.

He said that hunt officials had contacted the Civil Aviation Authority last week to complain about the dangerous flying of a gyrocopter, which is thought to have been hired by the anti-blood sports group Protect Our Wild Animals (Powa).

"The typical pattern would be for the gyrocopter to appear in the morning, then disappear around lunchtime – we think to refuel – and reappear again in the afternoon. But today it disappeared and didn't return," he said.

Mr Morse, a gardener from Alderminster, near Stratford-upon-Avon, had separated from the main hunt to visit the airfield.

Most of the other hunt followers were several miles away when the collision took place, although it is understood that it was witnessed by two other people connected to the hunt.

Mr Morse's partner Caroline was too upset to speak last night but friends paid tribute to a "true countryman" who devoted his life to helping the Warwickshire Hunt.

"It is a tragic but fatal accident, our first and foremost thoughts are with Trevor's family and we must wait for the facts and the truth ourselves," Mr Butler said.

"He was a very great supporter, a passionate believer in country sports and hunting and the tribute I pay is not only to him but to his family."

Powa was established in 1998 by a former member of the League Against Cruel Sports to campaign for even stricter anti-hunting legislation.

The group's monitors film and photograph hunts across the country to record alleged breaches of the 2004 Hunting Act, which outlaws hunting with dogs. No-one from the group was available to comment last night.

The League Against Cruel Sports, the leading anti-hunting group, said that its monitors never used aircraft.

A spokeswoman said: "This is the first time we have heard of a gyrocopter being used for monitoring, and it's certainly not something that we would do."

Anthony Hodges, the airfield manager, said that the gyrocopter was the only aircraft to fly in on Monday, which was a windy day, and had been given special permission to land.

"The two men arrested had flown in from another airfield," he said. "It is very unusual for a man to be hit by a gyrocopter."

A spokesman for Warwickshire Police said: "I can confirm that we are dealing with an incident at Long Marston airfield involving a gyrocopter and that sadly a man has died as a result of the incident.

"It is far too early to tell what has occurred at the airfield at this stage.

He added: "The two men detained have been arrested on suspicion of murder."

West Midlands Ambulance Service said that their crews arrived at the airfield to find that a pedestrian had been in collision with a aircraft.

A spokeswoman said: "Unfortunately nothing could be done to save him and he was confirmed dead at the scene. No one else was injured in the incident."

As well as hosting a microlight flying school and racing strip, Long Marston airfield is well-known for being home to dance music festival Global Gathering and the Bulldog Bash motorbike show. It was used as an RAF base between 1941 and 1954.

[Guest guest]

There's an awful lot of " thought to be's " and " possiblies " in there, and no evidence at all to suggest that this actually was hunt monitors!I'd be intrigued to find a hunt monitor who could afford to hire a light aircraft... generally that sort of thing is only available to the rich, who tend to be the hunt followers!

BBPeter2009/3/10 jo.heartwork <jo.heartwork

 

 

 

 

 

Two men were arrested yesterday on suspicion of murder after a hunt follower was killed by a gyrocopter thought to have been carrying anti-hunt monitors.

 

 

 

 

By Matthew Moore Last Updated: 6:44AM GMT 10 Mar 2009

 

 

Previous

1 of 2 Images

Next

 

 

 

Trevor Morse, a keen hunt supporter in his late 40s, was killed in a collision with a gyrocopter this afternoon.

 

General view of the crash scene at Long Marston airfield at Lower Quinton, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire. Photo: NEWSTEAM

Police are investigating whether the pilot of the light aircraft – which is a small, open cockpit helicopter – flew into the victim, who was with the Warwickshire Hunt, yesterday afternoon.

Trevor Morse, 48, is thought to have been decapitated by the blades after approaching the gyrocopter as it prepared to make a refuelling stop at Long Marston airfield near Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, at around 3pm.

 

Last night Sam Butler, the joint master of the Warwickshire Hunt, said a similar vehicle had been spotted tracking and harassing several hunts in the area over the past two or three weeks.

He said that hunt officials had contacted the Civil Aviation Authority last week to complain about the dangerous flying of a gyrocopter, which is thought to have been hired by the anti-blood sports group Protect Our Wild Animals (Powa).

" The typical pattern would be for the gyrocopter to appear in the morning, then disappear around lunchtime – we think to refuel – and reappear again in the afternoon. But today it disappeared and didn't return, " he said.

Mr Morse, a gardener from Alderminster, near Stratford-upon-Avon, had separated from the main hunt to visit the airfield.

Most of the other hunt followers were several miles away when the collision took place, although it is understood that it was witnessed by two other people connected to the hunt.

Mr Morse's partner Caroline was too upset to speak last night but friends paid tribute to a " true countryman " who devoted his life to helping the Warwickshire Hunt.

" It is a tragic but fatal accident, our first and foremost thoughts are with Trevor's family and we must wait for the facts and the truth ourselves, " Mr Butler said.

" He was a very great supporter, a passionate believer in country sports and hunting and the tribute I pay is not only to him but to his family. "

Powa was established in 1998 by a former member of the League Against Cruel Sports to campaign for even stricter anti-hunting legislation.

The group's monitors film and photograph hunts across the country to record alleged breaches of the 2004 Hunting Act, which outlaws hunting with dogs. No-one from the group was available to comment last night.

The League Against Cruel Sports, the leading anti-hunting group, said that its monitors never used aircraft.

A spokeswoman said: " This is the first time we have heard of a gyrocopter being used for monitoring, and it's certainly not something that we would do. "

Anthony Hodges, the airfield manager, said that the gyrocopter was the only aircraft to fly in on Monday, which was a windy day, and had been given special permission to land.

" The two men arrested had flown in from another airfield, " he said. " It is very unusual for a man to be hit by a gyrocopter. "

A spokesman for Warwickshire Police said: " I can confirm that we are dealing with an incident at Long Marston airfield involving a gyrocopter and that sadly a man has died as a result of the incident.

" It is far too early to tell what has occurred at the airfield at this stage.

He added: " The two men detained have been arrested on suspicion of murder. "

West Midlands Ambulance Service said that their crews arrived at the airfield to find that a pedestrian had been in collision with a aircraft.

A spokeswoman said: " Unfortunately nothing could be done to save him and he was confirmed dead at the scene. No one else was injured in the incident. "

As well as hosting a microlight flying school and racing strip, Long Marston airfield is well-known for being home to dance music festival Global Gathering and the Bulldog Bash motorbike show. It was used as an RAF base between 1941 and 1954.

[Guest guest]

Hi Peter

 

I'd agree. Very strange.

 

BBJo

 

 

-

Peter Kebbell

Tuesday, March 10, 2009 10:04 PM

Re: Hunt follower killed in collision with helicopter 'flown by anti-hunt monitors'

 

 

There's an awful lot of "thought to be's" and "possiblies" in there, and no evidence at all to suggest that this actually was hunt monitors!I'd be intrigued to find a hunt monitor who could afford to hire a light aircraft... generally that sort of thing is only available to the rich, who tend to be the hunt followers!BBPeter

2009/3/10 jo.heartwork <jo.heartwork >

 

 

 

 

 

Two men were arrested yesterday on suspicion of murder after a hunt follower was killed by a gyrocopter thought to have been carrying anti-hunt monitors.

 

 

 

 

By Matthew Moore Last Updated: 6:44AM GMT 10 Mar 2009

 

 

Previous

1 of 2 Images

Next

 

 

 

Trevor Morse, a keen hunt supporter in his late 40s, was killed in a collision with a gyrocopter this afternoon.

 

General view of the crash scene at Long Marston airfield at Lower Quinton, Stratford Upon Avon, Warwickshire. Photo: NEWSTEAM

Police are investigating whether the pilot of the light aircraft – which is a small, open cockpit helicopter – flew into the victim, who was with the Warwickshire Hunt, yesterday afternoon.

Trevor Morse, 48, is thought to have been decapitated by the blades after approaching the gyrocopter as it prepared to make a refuelling stop at Long Marston airfield near Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, at around 3pm.

 

Last night Sam Butler, the joint master of the Warwickshire Hunt, said a similar vehicle had been spotted tracking and harassing several hunts in the area over the past two or three weeks.

He said that hunt officials had contacted the Civil Aviation Authority last week to complain about the dangerous flying of a gyrocopter, which is thought to have been hired by the anti-blood sports group Protect Our Wild Animals (Powa).

"The typical pattern would be for the gyrocopter to appear in the morning, then disappear around lunchtime – we think to refuel – and reappear again in the afternoon. But today it disappeared and didn't return," he said.

Mr Morse, a gardener from Alderminster, near Stratford-upon-Avon, had separated from the main hunt to visit the airfield.

Most of the other hunt followers were several miles away when the collision took place, although it is understood that it was witnessed by two other people connected to the hunt.

Mr Morse's partner Caroline was too upset to speak last night but friends paid tribute to a "true countryman" who devoted his life to helping the Warwickshire Hunt.

"It is a tragic but fatal accident, our first and foremost thoughts are with Trevor's family and we must wait for the facts and the truth ourselves," Mr Butler said.

"He was a very great supporter, a passionate believer in country sports and hunting and the tribute I pay is not only to him but to his family."

Powa was established in 1998 by a former member of the League Against Cruel Sports to campaign for even stricter anti-hunting legislation.

The group's monitors film and photograph hunts across the country to record alleged breaches of the 2004 Hunting Act, which outlaws hunting with dogs. No-one from the group was available to comment last night.

The League Against Cruel Sports, the leading anti-hunting group, said that its monitors never used aircraft.

A spokeswoman said: "This is the first time we have heard of a gyrocopter being used for monitoring, and it's certainly not something that we would do."

Anthony Hodges, the airfield manager, said that the gyrocopter was the only aircraft to fly in on Monday, which was a windy day, and had been given special permission to land.

"The two men arrested had flown in from another airfield," he said. "It is very unusual for a man to be hit by a gyrocopter."

A spokesman for Warwickshire Police said: "I can confirm that we are dealing with an incident at Long Marston airfield involving a gyrocopter and that sadly a man has died as a result of the incident.

"It is far too early to tell what has occurred at the airfield at this stage.

He added: "The two men detained have been arrested on suspicion of murder."

West Midlands Ambulance Service said that their crews arrived at the airfield to find that a pedestrian had been in collision with a aircraft.

A spokeswoman said: "Unfortunately nothing could be done to save him and he was confirmed dead at the scene. No one else was injured in the incident."

As well as hosting a microlight flying school and racing strip, Long Marston airfield is well-known for being home to dance music festival Global Gathering and the Bulldog Bash motorbike show. It was used as an RAF base between 1941 and 1954.