Two people were feared dead after a light aircraft crashed in a field north of Birmingham today, an ambulance service spokeswoman said.

She said it had not been confirmed whether the plane, that came down close to Blithfield Reservoir, near Rugeley, Staffordshire, had crashed after a mid-air collision with a second light aircraft.

"I believe the one that crashed had two fatalities," she said. "It is being investigated at the moment."

East Midlands Airport said in a statement a light aircraft made an emergency landing there today. It said the runway was blocked and traffic was being diverted.

"East Midlands Airport can confirm that investigations are currently underway into an incident that occurred at 12.20 p.m.," the airport said. "The incident involved a privately owned light aircraft which performed an emergency landing."

Firefighters called to initial reports of a grass fire found the wreckage of the light aircraft.

A police spokesman said collision investigators were on their way to the scene.