A Longford community are in shock after a man in his 40s died when his single-seater plane crashed yesterday evening.

The crash happened at around 6pm at Abbeyshrule Aerodrome off the N55 Athlone Road following an 'acrobatic stunt show'.

Emergency services attended the scene and the pilot, who was from Mullingar, was taken to hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

The tragedy comes almost a year after a helicopter crashed into the side of a pub near the village before falling onto its side on the banks of the Royal Canal.

Local Fianna Fail Councillor, Mick Cahill, says it's another sad day for Abbeyshrule;