Four people were on board a helicopter that crashed in a field on the Isle of Wight during a flying lesson, it has been confirmed.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary was called to the scene near Shanklin at about 09:20 BST and has closed the A3020 Shanklin Road.

One person has been airlifted to the Major Trauma Centre, University Hospital Southampton. The condition of the others on board is not yet known.

Northumbria Helicopters confirmed the helicopter had departed from Sandown Airport with “four passengers on board including the pilot, and was undertaking a flying lesson”.

The company said it was giving its “full cooperation” to the authorities investigating the crash.

Shanklin Town Council earlier praised the pilot for “bringing the helicopter down” away from built up areas.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service said crews from Newport, Ventnor and Shanklin were called to the reports of a “light aircraft incident”.

Four double crew ambulances, one specialist paramedic in a rapid response vehicle, one critical care paramedic and the operational commander were all at the scene.

In a statement, Shanklin Town Council said it was “shocked to hear about the incident involving a pleasure flight helicopter crash landing on the outskirts of the town”.

It added that there were many organised events on the island over the bank holiday weekend, including the Isle of Wight Scooter Rally, which attracted thousands of vintage scooter owners to the event at Sandown Airport.

It said the site runs regular flights that give visitors the ability to view the coastline from the air.

The local authority said: “This is a tragic accident and the pilot deserves huge credit for bringing down the helicopter in a field away from any built up areas.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the individuals involved as well as their immediate families, not forgetting the quick action and professionalism of our emergency services.”

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has said it is “deploying a team to commence an investigation”.

BBC Reporter Anjana Gadgil said she could see the police cars parked in the road where the accident took place: “It’s a rural area with tall hedges lining each side of the narrow winding roads.

“The whole area has been cordoned off including the many bridleways and footpaths that crisscross the fields and hill.”

Conservative MP for the Isle of Wight East Joe Robertson described the event as a “tragedy”, and said the community was in shock and ready to rally around the families of those involved.

He asked people to avoid the site of the crash: “Where the helicopter came down is fairly rural.

“It’s surrounded by fields and a road that runs from Shanklin and Sandown, which are on the east, quite well-known for their beaches, through to Ventnor in the south, which is part of the rocky part of south of the island.

“It is not in a very populated area, albeit it seems to be fairly close to a road that runs between two towns.”

Fleur Sanders, runs Appuldurcombe Gardens Holiday Park in Wroxall, Ventnor, near to the crash site and said it has been “a bit chaotic”.

She said her guests are struggling to make it to their holiday park accommodation in the aftermath of the crash.

“They’ve closed off all the roads at the moment,” she added.