A PILOT had to be rescued from his aircraft after crashing into a lake near Bradford on Avon earlier tonight.

The 59-year-old man, from South Ruislip, crashed his Piper light aircraft into a lake at the Rushy Lane Fisheries in South Wraxall.

He was sat on top of the plane wreckage when fire crews arrived at the scene.

Police said the crash happened just before 7pm. The pilot experienced a loss of power, lost altitude, clipped some trees and crash landed into the lake.

Fire crews from Bradford, Trowbridge and Cooper Avon factory in Melksham were called to the scene.

The pilot was uninjured but taken to Trowbridge Hospital's minor injury unit for a check-up.

An investigation will be launched by the Civil Aviation Authority.