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MICROLIGHT CRASH

Harry Styles’ flying instructor and dad of girl he dated killed in aircrash that saw two perish in same plane flown by 1D star

Pilot Nick Jefferies, 54, died with another man on the day trip out from the home village of Styles' family when the plane plunged 500ft into a field

HARRY Styles' personal flying instructor has been killed in air crash - in the same plane flown by the One Direction singer.

Pilot Nick Jefferies, 54, died with another man on the day trip out from the home village of Styles' family when the plane plunged 500ft into a field.

 Harry Styles flying instructor has died in a microlight crash in mid Wales
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Harry Styles flying instructor has died in a microlight crash in mid WalesCredit: Athena Picture Agency Ltd

One Direction hunk Harry, 22, is a close family friend of Nick after he once dated his daughter Emilie, also 22.

Harry was Emilie's date for their year 11 school prom in their hometown of Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, just months before he took part in X Factor and formed One Direction.

He remained friend's with Emilie - and her dad Nick took him on flying lessons in his single-engine two-seater Cosmik plane decked in the Union Flag colours.

Harry even happily posed in the aircraft on his flying lesson. The aircraft wrecked in a field in the Welsh countryside after crashing.

Dad-of-two Nick and friend Scott Penlington 25,, both of Holmes Chapel, crashed down in the field in Mid Wales on Sunday afternoon.

Farmer Steve Powell told how the small aircraft smashed into a field on his family's 80-acre farm - and feared the two men had "no chance" of survival.

 Harry was Nick's daughter Emilie's date for their year 11 school prom in their hometown of Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, just months before he took part in X Factor and formed One Direction
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Harry was Nick's daughter Emilie's date for their year 11 school prom in their hometown of Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, just months before he took part in X Factor and formed One DirectionCredit: Athena Picture Agency Ltd
 Harry Styles took tragic Nick's daughter Emilie to their High School prom
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Harry Styles took tragic Nick's daughter Emilie to their High School promCredit: Wales News Service
 The pair both attended Holmes Chapel Comprehensive school in Cheshire
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The pair both attended Holmes Chapel Comprehensive school in CheshireCredit: Wales News Service
 Nick pictured with his daughter Emilie and Harry Styles
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Nick pictured with his daughter Emilie and Harry StylesCredit: Wales News Service
 Scott Penlington 25,, also of Holmes Chapel, crashed down in the field in Mid Wales on Sunday afternoon
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Scott Penlington 25,, also of Holmes Chapel, crashed down in the field in Mid Wales on Sunday afternoonCredit: Athena Picture Agency

Mr Powell said: "It is a terrible tragedy and we've never had anything like this before. Their aircraft appears to have fallen out of the sky into our field.

"The police are examining the wreckage but we don't know exactly what happened."

Police and air accident investigators are probing the tragedy near a quiet village church in the Welsh countryside - but confirmed no other aircraft were involved.

Nick and Scott were pronounced dead after the crash just before midday on Sunday at the Powell 80-acre family farm called Fforddlas near Cwmbach, Builth Wells.

The men were dead at the scene in the field less than a mile from the nearby the St John the Divine church.

Mr Powell said: "We were not at home at the time but other people nearby saw it come out of the sky into a field.

"It looks more like a small light aircraft than how you think of a microlight."

A spokesman for Dyfed Powys Police said: "The families of the men are being supported by specially-trained officers."

Daughter Emilie now works as an English and drama teacher to Spanish children and lives in Madrid.

 Harry was friends with Nick's daughter Emilie (centre) when they were at school together in Holmes Chapel, Cheshire
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Harry was friends with Nick's daughter Emilie (centre) when they were at school together in Holmes Chapel, CheshireCredit: Athena Picture Agency
 Farmer Steve Powell told how the small aircraft smashed into a field on his family's 80-acre farm - and feared the two men had "no chance" of survival
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Farmer Steve Powell told how the small aircraft smashed into a field on his family's 80-acre farm - and feared the two men had "no chance" of survivalCredit: Wales News Service

She formed a close friendship with pop-idol Harry during their days at Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School, and kept in touch even after he hit stardom.

The pair were each others' date at their year 11 prom held at Holmes Chapel Leisure Centre, and posed for photos outside the shabby sport hall - taken just two months before Harry's became an overnight sensation on the X Factor.

Flying fan Harry, who has also taken helicopter lessons in the US, was taken up in Nick's plane for an afternoon last summer.

He would have soared up in the sky at speeds of up to 100mph in the plane with experienced pilot Nick by his side.

Nick's personalised plane was adorned with Union Jack markings on the wings and the tail and had the name G-GARB.

 The plane, an Evektor EV-97 EuroStar, came down in fields near the village of Cwmbach, Builth Wells, Powys
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The plane, an Evektor EV-97 EuroStar, came down in fields near the village of Cwmbach, Builth Wells, PowysCredit: Athena Picture Agency

The fixed-wing Cosmik plane was bought by Nick last April and Harry had a lesson in it just two months later while back in his hometown.

Flying fan Harry, who has also taken helicopter lessons in the US, was taken up in Nick's plane for an afternoon last summer.

He would have soared up in the sky at speeds of up to 100mph in the plane with experienced pilot Nick by his side.

Nick's personalised plane was adorned with Union Jack markings on the wings and the tail and had the name G-GARB.

The fixed-wing Cosmik plane was bought by Nick last April and Harry had a lesson in it just two months later while back in his hometown.

A spokesman for the Air Accidents Investigations Branch said: "We will be examining the aircraft and compiling a report for the coroner."


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