Nine people were injured, two seriously, when a light aircraft crashed while taking off at a local airport in Kent, southeast England, yesterday, emergency services said.

The pilot and co-pilot of the plane were taken to hospital after the crash shortly after 4 p.m., at Headcorn Airport, at Ashford, Kent, ambulance service said.

The pilot suffered serious head injuries and was taken by air to the Royal London Hospital, while the co-pilot, who sustained serious chest injuries, was taken by ambulance to hospital in Maidstone, Kent.

A woman passenger, who had an asthma attack, was also taken to hospital. The six other passengers were treated for minor injuries at the scene.