The service station close to the scene of a Royal Navy helicopter crash in West Devon remains closed as emergency services work at the scene.

The crash happened in a field close to the Sourton Junction with the A30, a few miles west of Okehampton at about 4am this morning, Wednesday, June 3.

The first pictures of the crash reveal a Royal Navy Merlin helicopter almost completely destroyed.

Local emergency teams are at the scene. The slip road past the services going eastbound onto the A30 remains closed, the Highways Agency has confirmed.

The Shell garage at Sourton remains closed and the scene sealed off.

It is believed that the naval helicopter crashed in a field just north of the service station.

Locals in Okehampton reported hearing the sound of a helicopter in the night. One person staying on a campsite close by later heard three explosions.

A Royal Navy spokesperson said: “An incident occurred involving a Royal Navy helicopter just before 0400 on Wednesday 3 June near Sourton, Devon. An investigation is underway and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

A spokesman for Devon & Cornwall Police said: "Emergency services are at the scene after a crash involving a helicopter at Sourton Down.

“There are road closures are in place around the A386 and A30 Sourton Cross slip and services area. The incident is ongoing and we will share more updates as we have them."

Initial reports of the crash came in at around 4:30am today. Eyewitnesses near the scene have reported hearing loud explosions and subsequently a search and rescue helicopter hovering over the site.

Steve Hughes of nearby Sourton Down Camping and Caravan Park said: “I’ve got to be honest we didn’t hear or see a thing. The first we heard of it was this morning that it was a Royal Navy helicopter. A guy staying here, his wife heard it, they were in a caravan. The one thing I did hear was about 6am, the air ambulance overhead.”

He said the A30 was open in the westbound direction, but the slip road onto the A30 going eastbound remained closed.

Meanwhile, some people in Okehampton did take to social media to report hearing a helicopter overhead, apparently in trouble, around 3am.

One local resident posted in response to the crash: “Shortly after going to bed last night I was woken by a terrible racket and flashing lights from overhead, enough to make me jump out of bed to see if there was an aircraft in trouble. But there was nothing in sight. It sounds like it must be connected to this incident.

“The pilot must be congratulated in that he managed to keep his aircraft from crashing into a densely populated area. I hope he or she has survived.”