Witnesses have told how they saw objects hit a helicopter in Iraq which crashed and killed five British forces personnel.

Among the dead were Flight Lieutenant Sarah-Jayne Mulvihill, 32, and Wing Commander John Coxen, 46, both of whom were based at RAF Benson.

Flt Lt Mulvihill became the first British servicewoman to die in the conflict when the Lynx aircraft crashed on to an empty building in Basra after an apparent missile strike in May last year. Wg Cmdr Coxen was the most senior officer killed in the country.

The inquest into their deaths began yesterday as witnesses told of what they saw when the helicopter came down.

Private Stuart Drummond, who was watching from the ground, said: "I saw two yellowy objects going towards the helicopter. I thought they were missiles. The helicopter exploded. It was engulfed in flames and went down.

"Just before it was hit, the helicopter lifted as though it was trying to move out of the way. It sort of jerked."

Other witnesses said in evidence that they saw one or two white/grey smoke trails leading to a large smoke cloud, created by the initial impact explosion, hanging in the air above Basra City immediately after the incident.

Lance Corporal Dale Birkin said he saw flares being fired from the helicopter before it burst into flames and fell to the ground.

He noted the spot on the ground from where the missile smoke trails appeared to be coming.

Troops were later sent uncuccessfully to find those who might have fired the projectiles, he said.

Also killed were Captain David Dobson, 27, of the Army Air Corps; father-of-three Lieutenant Commander Darren Chapman, 40, of 847 Naval Air Squadron; and Royal Marine Paul Collins, 21, then serving with 847 Naval Air Squadron.

Andrew Walker, assistant deputy coroner for Oxfordshire, told the victims' families that, for security reasons stipulated by the Ministry of Defence, he could not allow them to hear details about the Lynx aircraft's defence systems when the topic arose.

Flt Lt Mulvihill, a flight operations manager, was a passenger on the helicopter that day.

Lt Cmdr Chapman, Capt Dobson and Marine Collins were all based at Yeovilton in Somerset at the time of their deaths.

The inquest resumes today.