THE names of two men who died in a light aircraft crash in North Dorset were released yesterday.

Bournemouth Coroner's website published initial details of the two victims from the tragic incident involving a Tiger Moth biplane which crashed into a field east of Compton Abbas Airfield near Shaftesbury over the August bank holiday weekend.

No date has been set for the inquests into the death of Peter Geoffrey Stacey, 67, from Shaftesbury, and Christopher Harvey Nicholls, 64, from Farnham.

The inquests were due to open yesterday afternoon, but neither of them took place.

On August 26, police, firefighters and paramedics rushed to the scene of the incident, after witnesses spotted the crash before smoke was seen billowing from a crop field.

In the aftermath Chief Inspector Richard Bell, of Dorset Police, confirmed: "Sadly, two men have died in the crash - the passenger, 67 years old and from Shaftesbury, and the pilot, 64 years old and from Blandford.

"Our thoughts are very much with their families at this time."

The incident is being investigated by the Air Accident Investigations Branch (AAIB).

The AAIB, a branch of the Department for Transport, is responsible for conducting air accidents in the United Kingdom.

Last week, a spokesman for the AAIB, which is based at Farnborough, Hampshire, told the Daily Echo: "These investigations tend to take between 10 and 12 month. We won't be releasing any information until the investigation concludes sometime in the new year."

It is thought the pilot was a member of the airfield and the passenger was on the flight as a birthday present.

Members of the passenger's family are believed to have been watching from the ground.

A bouquet with a signed card was left by a farm gate. The card, addressed to 'Peter and Chris', reads: “Nothing I write will make this ok for you or your families and friends.

“This is such a tragic disaster – two healthy, bright men taken too soon.

“All of my love and thoughts are with you and the ones you leave behind.

“I am so completely sorry.”

In 2015, a pilot called Christopher Nicholls gave evidence in court following the death of Orlando Rogers, who was killed in a Tiger Moth crash back in 2011.

Mr Nicholls, who was last person to fly the Tiger Moth in question immediately before pilot Scott Hoyle, told the court he had encountered no problems.

Mr Hoyle was subsequently found not guilty of manslaughter at Winchester Crown Court.