Two North Yorkshire-based jet pilots were today receiving specialist treatment in hospital after their plane crashed in Northumberland.

The two-seater Hawk training jet, from RAF Leeming, came down close to a vil-lage after a bird strike, according to reports.

The pilots were seen to bail out of the plane before impact.

They were airlifted to a specialist spinal injuries hospital in Nottingham.

Eyewitnesses said the plane had been struck by a bird which damaged the cock-pit canopy as it flew near the village of Lowick, near to Holy Island.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the pilots had been on a training mission when the incident happened, shortly before 5pm yesterday.

Neither has been named.