One man dead, one hurt after gliders collide in UK

LONDON, Oct 2 (Reuters) One man was killed and another injured after their single-seat gliders collided in mid-air in northern England, police and a gliding club said today.

The body of the dead pilot was found in the wreckage of one of the aircraft, which collided with the other over woodland in Sutton Bank, North Yorkshire, at about 4.15 pm (1515 GMT).

The second man parachuted out of his glider to safety and is being treated for his injuries, which are not thought to be life threatening, a North Yorkshire Police spokesman said.

''We were called at 4.15 this afternoon and told the two single-seat aircraft had collided not far from Sutton Bank Gliding Club over the wooded area to the south of the main road,'' the spokesman said.

Debris from the collision scattered across the A170. Police closed the road and set up diversions, which will remain in place overnight while an investigation by air accident investigators takes place.

The two pilots, whose identities were not immediately released, were not from the county.

The Yorkshire Gliding Club confirmed the fatal collision took place and said the British Gliding Association had also been contacted to look into what happened.

Reuters SBA VP0312