Mirror UK reports:

Fatalities are feared after a police helicopter monitoring violent counter-demonstrations in Charlottesville, Virginia, crashed and exploded into flames.

Local reports suggested that two people were on board the aircraft when it went down.

Photos posted online showed the wreckage in a ball of flames and smoke billowing into the air amongst trees.

Witnesses told local media that the Virginia State Police helicopter crashed near a golf course.

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People who live near the scene told the Richmond Times-Dispatch that the helicopter hovered low over houses before crashing.

A police helicopter had been seen earlier in the day circling over the counter-demonstrations in Charlottesville.

The crash site was on the west site of Charlottesville, away from the site of the violent protests.

The helicopter went down at about 5.30pm local time on the west site of Charlottesville, away from the site of the violent protests.