Profile of a sporting legend

The helicopter, which police believe was owned by Mr McRae, 39, came down on Saturday afternoon in Jerviswood, about a mile from Lanark, and caught fire.

Strathclyde Police said Colin McRae, a keen pilot, is thought to have been on board with three others.

However formal identification of those killed still has to be carried out.

Strathclyde Police said the damage to the Squirrel aircraft was so bad it was initially unclear how many people had died.

A police statement said: "Around 1610 BST on Saturday, 15 September 2007, emergency services were called to a helicopter crash in Jerviswood, east of the A73 at Lanark.

"There are no survivors."

The Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has been informed and will carry out a full inquiry.

Police have been conducting a full scene examination and area search.

There were no survivors of the crash on the outskirts of Lanark

The Scottish Ambulance Service confirmed that its own helicopter had been despatched to the scene along with three ambulance crews, and the Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service was in attendance.

An RAF helicopter was also put on stand-by to assist.

A spokesman for airports operator BAA said the helicopter did not come from Glasgow or Edinburgh airports, but its flight path was still unknown.

Colin McRae won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in 1995 driving a Subaru, becoming the first Briton to win the title.

He was also runner-up in 1996, 1997 and 2001.

He is married to Alison and has two children, Hollie and Johnny.