Police have said that they believe a man who died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday afternoon is Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Barry Dodd CBE.
Formal identification has yet to take place, however, the police say that Mr Dodd is thought to be the victim.
Mr Dodd was piloting the aircraft on Wednesday afternoon when it came down and caught fire in a field near Harrogate.
The cause of the crash is not yet known, and Mr Dodd’s family is being supported by police officers.
Pilot named following helicopter crash near Aldborough. Whilst we await formal identification, we believe he is Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant for North Yorkshire, Mr Barry Dodd CBE. Our thoughts are with his family at this difficult time & request that their privacy is respected. pic.twitter.com/LABaHa86qT
— North Yorkshire Police (@NYorksPolice) May 31, 2018
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Mr Dodd was appointed to the position of The Queen’s Lord Lieutenant in 2014 and was responsible for representing the monarch in the county of North Yorkshire.
According to North Yorkshire’s website, the role is responsible for the “promotion of civic, commercial, voluntary and social activities.”
It described Mr Dodd as a “successful entrepreneur and wealth creator especially interested in creating employment in rural areas”.
Mr Dodd was also Pro-Chancellor at the University of Hull, and chair of the joint Hull York Medical School.
He was awarded a CBE in 2014 for his services to the UK economy.
The government Chief Whip, Julian Smith, has paid tribute to Mr Dodd saying: “Barry was enormously liked by many people and helped a great number in the business and wider community.
“The scale of his work and public service was enormously impressive and his tragic death is a great loss to us all.”
A special service will take place at Rippon Cathedral on Thursday evening to remember Mr Dodd and to say prayers for his wife and family.
As is customary, all Lord-Lieutenants are non-political and are not associated with any political party. They are appointed for life, although it is customary for them to retire aged 75 and the sovereign may remove them from their position.
