UK Independence Party politician Nigel Farage was injured in a light plane crash this morning.
Mr Farage, an MEP who is running as a candidate in the general election, was taken to hospital with non life-threatening injuries following the crash at Hinton-in-the-Hedges airfield, near Brackley in Northamptonshire.
The plane went down just after 8am, also injuring the pilot, who was airlifted to Walsgrave Hospital.
It was towing a banner with the slogan “Vote for your country — Vote Ukip” and was due to fly over the counties of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire as polling began.
Mr Farage was taken to Horton General Hospital in Banbury.
A spokesman for UKIP confirmed Mr Farage was involved in the crash.
"We've had unconfirmed reports that either the banner got snagged up or there were cross-winds and it was unfamiliar airfield to the pilot, who had to be cut out of the plane." Mr Farage suffered "minor head injuries" but campaigners had been told to "carry on", the spokesman said.
The aircraft was believed to be a 1960s-style biplane which left the Winchester area early today and flew into Hinton.
The incident happened as the plane was taking off again from Hinton, the spokesman said.
The Eurosceptic party came second in the European Parliament elections last year under proportional representation, though its chances of winning House of Commons seats are hampered by the first past-the-post system used in that election.
PA