A MICROLIGHT crashed leaving two people seriously injured due to a lack of fuel, an official report has concluded.

Pilot John Hearle and passenger Reg Coar, both had to be cut free from the Main Air Sports Blade' aircraft after it plummeted to the ground on farmland off Further Lane, Mellor, just after 7pm on April 14.

An official Air Accident Investigation Branch report into the crash says that 47-year-old Mr Hearle, who had nearly 400 hours flying experience, was returning to Higher Barn Farm airstrip, east of Preston, when the engine began hunting' from low to moderate power.

The report says: "After several cycles the engine stopped and the pilot attempted to carry out a forced landing in a grass field. The airspeed decayed and the microlight probably stalled, undershooting the intended landing area, and collided with a substantial hedge.

"Both passenger and pilot received serious injuries. It was highly likely that fuel starvation, due to a lack of fuel, was the cause of the engine failure."

The report says that Mr Hearle was on his fourth flight of the day in the microlight which he based at Higher Barn Farm when the crash happened.

Turning to the possible causes of the engine failure, the report says there was no evidence of any major mechanical failure of the engine and the ignition system was serviceable, as was the engine-driven fuel pump.

However, it says that the fuel tank had contained under two litres of fuel and that a flexible fuel feed pipe was deflected to a point that it would not draw fuel from the tank's lowest point.

The report continues: "The investigation concluded that the engine had stopped, probably resulting from fuel starvation due to a lack of fuel, and that the pilot was unable to reach a suitable area on which to carry out a forced landing, due to his low height."

Off-duty nurse Hilary Ramsbottom helped stabilise Mr Hearle and Mr Coar until paramedics arrived.

Firefighters had to remove the engine from the craft to free pilot Mr Hearle and passenger Mr Coar from the wreckage.

The pair were taken by ambulance to the Royal Preston Hospital and were eventually discharged from hospital.