Two men have been airlifted to hospital to be treated for serious injuries after a small plane crashed near Glasgow Prestwick Airport.

Emergency services attended the scene and police advised members of the public to avoid the area near the Ayrshire village of Monkton.

Officers said the light aircraft crashed in a field near the airport at around 4.10pm yesterday afternoon.

The plane is understood to have crashed on private land.

Roads around the crash were closed as emergency services dealt with the incident.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 4.10pm on Tues 23rd April 24, we received a report that a small aircraft with two people on board had crashed in Monkton.”

The two men, aged 65 and 75, were taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Govan, Glasgow for treatment.

The plane is thought to have come down less than two miles from Prestwick International Airport.

Specialist heavy rescue equipment was also sent to the area.

A statement from HM Coastguard said: “The Coastguard helicopter was requested to attend a site close to Prestwick Airport earlier today following an incident and airlifted two people to QE Hospital.”

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) also confirmed their presence at the scene.

A SFRS spokesperson said: “We were alerted at 4.05pm on Tuesday, April 23, to reports of a crash involving a small aircraft in a field near Monkton. Operations control mobilised two appliances and heavy rescue equipment to the scene. Crews remain in attendance. Two casualties have been passed into the care of the Scottish Ambulance Service.”