A NINE-year-old boy died yesterday after a helicopter giving flights to children with special needs crashed in torrential rain near the Queen Mother's Glamis Castle in Perthshire.

The accident happened during a charity event hosted by television presenter Noel Edmonds.

Two adults and three other boys, all with special needs and aged between eight and 11, were slightly injured.

The JetRanger helicopter, which had been donated by the Kwik-Fit company for the day, came down in a field shortly after take-off.

The pilot realised his landing had disturbed bulls in the field and tried to move the helicopter to a safer location, but in the process it overturned.

The dead boy, Gary Malley, from Dundee, was thrown from the aircraft and died instantly.

Last night his parents were being consoled at the family home in Barra Terrace. Sandra Malley, 29, and Tom Simpson were too upset to speak about the death of their son.

Gary's aunt, Amanda Malley, of St Nicholas Place, Dundee said: '' I am absolutely devastated by the news. Gary was a lovely wee boy who was liked by everyone. The whole family cannot believe it. My father is very upset that his first grandchild has died.''

The family had just cancelled a holiday to Blackpool after finding a new home in Dundee.

Family friend, Amanda Carr, described how Gary, despite suffering from speech impediments, had been the life and soul of her son's birthday party, last week.

Mr Edmonds said he was ''heartbroken''.

The injured - Ryan Nicoll, 11; Duncan Jones, 11, both from Dundee; Fraser Patrick, eight, and his father Alan, from Westhill, near Aberdeen - were taken to Dundee Royal Infirmary for treatment to minor injuries and later discharged.

The pilot, who has not been named by police, suffered slight injuries. A report has been sent to the procurator-fiscal.

The helicopter, which was on the second flight of the day, landed in torrential rain in a bulls' paddock on Newhouse of Glamis Farm, about half-a-mile from Glamis Castle.

Farmer Rob Adam and his wife Kay ran to the aid of the injured when the accident happened shortly after 11.30am. Mrs Adam said: ''I was in the house and heard a noise like a tree crashing. I looked out of the bathroom window expecting to see a tree had fallen.

''I saw the helicopter in the field and saw a group of people standing next to it. I rushed to phone the emergency services and came across to the helicopter and got the kids up and into a shed in the farm. The field was full of bulls and when they get scared, they get very angry.''

Mr Adam said the helicopter had crashed into an adjacent field and skidded on its side about 150 yards through several wire fences before coming to rest 50 yards behind the farm buildings.

Chief Superintendent Stewart Davidson, Tayside Police divisional commander, said emergency services, who were on standby at the event, were on the scene within minutes. He said the helicopter was three minutes into its flight when it came down and that while it had taken off in heavy rain, there had been no thunder or lightning.

An investigation is being conducted by the Air Accident Investigations Branch of the Department of Transport.

The helicopter involved, the Kwik-Fit Flyer, had been lent by Sir Tom Farmer's Kwik-Fit company to the Airborne Trust charity, which was established by Noel Edmonds. The aircraft was operated yesterday by Seven Air.

Mr Edmonds, who along with children's favourite Mr Blobby, attended the Scottish Transport Extravaganza event organised by the Forfar-based Strathmore Vintage Car Club, said last night: ''Everybody associated with Airborne is absolutely devastated by this accident.

''Over the past four years, the charity has provided helicopter flights for almost 7000 special needs children and our nationwide parties have been completely free of incident. The helicopter involved has been donated to the charity on previous occasions. Naturally, I am heartbroken that such a tragedy has occurred.''

He said they would have to wait for the results of the accident investigation. ''For the moment, we are doing everything we possibly can for all of those involved.''

Mr Peter Holmes, managing director of Kwik-Fit, said: ''Kwik-Fit is clearly devastated by this incident and extends its deepest sympathies to those affected.''

The site is being guarded by police and has been cordoned off for the investigators. The area is hilly but not mountainous and there are no visible pylons or large stands of trees.

Flights at the event were suspended.

Most of the visitors were

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unaware, however, of what had taken place, although some were puzzled by the sudden disappearance at lunchtime of Noel Edmonds and Mr Blobby who had been expected to make appearances throughout the afternoon.

It was later confirmed that Mr Edmonds left the show site immediately after the accident.

It is understood that around 300 children with disabilities from the Tayside and Grampian areas had been nominated by various organisations, including special schools, local authorities, hospitals and doctors, to take up the charity Airborne's invitation of a pleasure flight in a helicopter. The Kwik-Fit Flyer was one of a number of helicopters offered by businesses in support of the event.

A spokesman for the organisers of the event, Strathmore Vintage Car Club, said that Airborne had asked to run its own event alongside the extravaganza.

''We are obviously very sorry to hear what happened, but we have no connection with Airborne. They asked if they could organise their own event today.''

Mr Craig Coutts, chairman of the event, was one of the first at the scene. He said: ''This is an absolute tragedy and has cast a shadow over the day. Our thoughts are with the families involved.

''It was going to be our biggest and best show but it will always be remembered with sadness.

''We are just very lucky that it was not a lot worse. We will obviously have to await the outcome of the investigation before we can say any more.''

This was the 24th Scottish Transport Extravaganza or-ganised by the vintage car club and this year's designated charity was Airborne.

The special guests at the day, Noel Edmonds and Mr Blobby, were joined by other celebrities, including actors Ian Lavender and Vicki Michelle.

The Airborne Trust is one of dozens of enterprises which 48-year-old Mr Edmonds pursues when not on screen, and was set up to ferry children with special needs to events around Britain.

Mr Edmonds is a trained helicopter pilot in his own right with his own Squirrel single-engined craft.

Estate staff said the Queen Mother was not in residence at Glamis Castle yesterday.