Police say four people died aboard a small plane that crashed shortly after taking off from London Southend Airport.

A witness who was at the airport with his family said he saw a “big fireball” after the plane “crashed head first into the ground.”

Four people who died when a small plane crashed at London Southend Airport are believed to be foreign nationals, police have confirmed. The airport has been closed since emergency services were called to the incident involving a Beech B200 Super King shortly before 16:00 BST on Sunday.