Helicopter Flipped Onto Its Side During Garden Take-Off

Horrifying footage has been released showing the moment a helicopter flipped onto its side just after attempting to take off from a back garden.

Terrified neighbours spotted the blue aircraft setting off from a property in Hinckley, Leicestershire at around 4 pm yesterday when it spun out of control.

According to reports, the chopper became tangled in a piece of garden furniture just seconds after setting off, causing it to flip onto its side while the rotor blades carried on spinning.

Fortunately, the pilot was able to get out of the helicopter and escape unharmed.

Those who lived nearby said they were scared that the situation could have put more lives in danger.

One person said: "I was watching the helicopter taking off as it's not something you see every day.

"As it tried to leave the ground part of it got stuck, which caused it to spin and flip, it's made a very loud crashing sound.

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"It's very fortunate that nobody was seriously injured. The response of the emergency services was phenomenal."

A woman who lives close to where the incident happened, shared her concern on social media, saying she was 'absolutely terrified' for the safety of her children who were playing close by.

She said: "Too close for comfort this! 'My children were playing a few yards away the other side of this hedge where debris landed! Absolutely terrifying!!"

A second person said they had seen the chopper flying earlier that day and were worried. They wrote: "This flew over us at Ashby road twice earlier this afternoon and I said it sounded a bit ropey!!!"

A third onlooker commented: "Saw this coming over Swallows green this afternoon around 2.45ish. Seemed to be loosing (sic) power... "

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"Bloomin (sic) heck lucky it hasn't hit any houses," put a fourth.

While another added: "Good piloting for landing it there and not on someones house. Two fire crews from Hinckley and a technical rescue team from Leicester's Southern fire station went to the scene."

A Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "We were called at 15.46 to Shilton Road, in Barwell.

"The call came in to us with a report that a helicopter had flipped over. The pilot was out and okay before we got there.

"There was no fire situation and no fuel leak.' The last appliance left the scene at 5.38pm."

Topics: UK News, Interesting

Dominic Smithers

Dominic graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in French and History. Like you, Dom has often questioned how much use a second language has been. Well, after stints working at the Manchester Evening News, the Accrington Observer and the Macclesfield Express, along with never setting foot in France, he realised the answer is surprisingly little. But I guess, c'est la vie. Contact us at [email protected]

@SmithersDom