ONE man died and a second body was reportedly found after a light aircraft crashed in Gwent.

The two-seater aircraft, registered to a Gwent owner, came down near Barecroft Common, Magor at around 3.45pm today.

It is thought the plane hit high-voltage power lines after witnesses described seeing it "explode" in mid-air, with large pieces of wreckage falling to the ground.

Part of the plane's wing landed on the busy Llanwern steelworks link road near the Tesco distribution depot.

Debris was strewn across the road, miraculously missing traffic, and two nearby fields.

A man's body was recovered close to the scene by forensic officers dressed in white suits soon after the crash.

A forensic officer said rescuers later found a second body close by.

Gwent Police confirmed one man died in the incident, but were unable to confirm a second person was involved.

They were unable to give any details about the dead man, but said his family had been informed.

More than 40 police officers are at the scene tonight trying to piece together what happened, including air accident investigators, forensic officers and six detectives.

A Home Office Pathologist was also called to the scene.

Three helicopters helped with the operation as dozens of search-trained officers combed the fields for pieces of the wreckage.

Superintendent Colin Jones said the search will continue into the night with lighting equipment brought to the scene to assist officers.

He said: "We have a very tragic incident here, and our thoughts go out to the family involved at this time."

According to the Civil Aviation Authority's website the 11-year-old Europa aircraft is registered to a Gwent man.

It was flying to Upfield Farm airstrip in Whitson, Newport, when the accident happened.

Kenneth Bowen, owner of the airstrip, said the plane is based at an airfield in Kemeys Commander in the Usk valley.

He said it landed at Upfield earlier in the day to pick up a passenger, before flying on to an airfield in Bodmin, Cornwall and then returning to Upfield.

One nearby resident told the Argus she saw the aircraft came down.

"My husband was in the garden and heard a noise," she said.

"He was concerned and went over there to help.

"Something had fallen off it as it fell down. There was debris all over the road."

A Cardiff International Airport spokesman said the plane was in airspace controlled by the airport when the crash happened.

"The National Air Traffic Service had communication with the aircraft on a routine basis, but did not receive a mayday or any kind of distress call,'' he said. "The first time they heard it had gone down was from the emergency services.'' Workers from Western Power Distribution checked pylons and overhead power lines for damage.

But police said there is nothing at this stage to suggest that there was any contact with the power cables.

A cordon was set up around the area, and delivery lorries were diverted through Llanwern with a police escort.

Police and emergency service activity was concentrated on a stretch of road about 300 metres away from the wing.