It has now been confirmed that former world rally driver Colin McRae his five-year-old son Johnny, 6-year-old Ben Porcelli and 37-year-old Graeme Duncan were killed in yesterday's helicopter crash in Scotland. 

The helicopter, which belonged to Colin McRae and which it is thought was being piloted by him at the time, crashed yesterday afternoon at approximately 16:10 BST in a wooded area near the McRae family home in Jerviswood Lanark, south of Glasgow. 

An air accident investigation team will carry out a full investigation into the cause of the crash. 

 "We believe that the group were just returning from a visit to the nearby village of Quarter around 1605 hours (1505 GMT) yesterday, when it appears that the helicopter got into difficulty and crashed within the grounds of Mr McRae's family home," Chief Superintendent Tim Love said in a statement. 

"Our officers are working closely with the air accident investigation team who are presently at the scene. "Family liaison officers have been appointed and are with the families to help them through this distressing and difficult time." 

A police spokeswoman stressed that the bodies had not yet been formally identified.