MYSTERY still surrounds the cause of a Ribble Valley glider crash which claimed the lives of a Whalley man and his pilot.

David Rukin, 44, of Pendle Drive, Whalley, and Martin Moss, 55, of Penwortham, died soon after they took off from Bowland Forest Gliding Club, Chipping, on Saturday.

But Inspector Graham Keyte said they would not know the reasons for the crash until the Air Accident Investigation Team had passed its findings to the coroner and post mortem examinations had been held later this week.

The team, based at Farnborough, analyses all air accidents ranging from large commercial plane crashes to small gliding accidents like the one in Chipping.

The police said that the self-propelled glider took off from Chipping and crashed into a field soon afterwards.

But they did not know whether the glider, which was owned by the Bowland Forest club, crashed because of mechanical failure or pilot error.

Fire crews and an air ambulance with paramedics and a doctor rushed to the scene soon after the crash at 1.30pm, but Mr Rukin and pilot Mr Moss were declared dead at the scene.

Although nobody from the gliding club was available for comment, the vicar of nearby St Bartholomew's Church said they were all in deep shock.

The Rev Arthur Siddall said: "I went up to see how they were as part of my pastoral duties.

"They will need to talk about it, they are a very close knit group and I have said I will talk to them if need be.

"When I was up there I was very impressed with the level of support for each other.

"Because their record for safety is 100 per cent since they came in 1979 it will hit them hard and they are all anxious to hear the results of the inquiry. I led a prayer for the two men at Sunday's morning service."

Inspector Andy Hall, of Blackburn Police, said that the scene was still cordoned off today and it was currently being investigated.

He said: "It is unclear why the glider crashed, and although it is being treated as an accident at present we don't know whether it was down to mechanical failure or pilot error."

A farmer who did not want to be named, but lives close to the club, said he saw the air ambulance and emergency services arrive.

He said: "When I saw all these people I knew that it was something serious."

Nobody from the club would comment.