Warwickshire Hunt made complaint before light aircraft death
Mar 11 2009 by Adam Aspinall, Birmingham Post
Members of the Warwickshire hunt had complained to the Civil Aviation Authority about a light aircraft following them just days before one of its supporters was killed in a collision at an airfield.
Trevor Morse, aged 48, died after he was hit by a gyrocopter at Long Marston airfield near Stratford-Upon-Avon as he followed a hunt on Monday afternoon.
Two people travelling in the aircraft were arrested on suspicion of murder after the incident, which happened just after 3pm. The pair remained in police custody in Leamington Spa last night.
It is understood that an animal rights group, Protect Our Wild Animals, had been monitoring the Warwickshire and the Heythrop hunts from a gyrocopter in the past three weeks.
The circumstances surrounding Mr Morse’s death remain unclear but it is believed he was killed as the aircraft taxied on the runway.
It is thought the gyrocopter, a privately-owned aircraft similar to a small helicopter, had landed at the airfield to refuel.
Sam Butler, of the Warwickshire Hunt, said a gyrocopter had recently been following hunts in the area.
He said it was a “tragic but fatal accident”, but he did not know why an aircraft had been in the area over the last few weeks.
Mr Butler said Mr Morse had been following the hunt on Monday afternoon when tragedy struck.
He also paid tribute to Mr Morse saying hunting was his life and everyone was “completely shocked”.
“No higher quality of person could you find than Trevor,” said Mr Butler, a family friend and joint master of the hunt.
“ Everybody was just completely shocked and can’t believe that we have lost such a good friend.
“First and foremost he was the most wonderful son and brother and the most dedicated and loving partner of Caroline and we feel very deep sympathy.
“Everybody was just completely shocked and can’t believe that we have lost such a good friend.”
Mr Butler said Mr Morse was a “wonderful, loyal, hunt supporter” who had never missed a day’s hunting. Last night Mr Morse’s partner Caroline, who lived with him at their family home in Aldminster, near Stratford-upon-Avon, was too upset to speak.
Detective Superintendent Graeme Pallister said: “The investigation is still at a very early stage.
“We are working to establish the circumstances of yesterday’s incident and to find out how and why Mr Morse died.
“Our sympathies go to his family at this time and I would appeal to the media to give them the time and space they need to come to terms with their loss.”
A post-mortem examination, carried out at the University Hospital of Coventry and Warwickshire, revealed that Mr Morse died of head injuries.
Experts from the Air Accidents Investigation branch are also investigating the incident.
