A private helicopter carrying four people has vanished after leaving an airport in Liverpool soon after last night's Champions League game against Chelsea.

Chelsea said this morning they are not aware of any club officials aboard the missing helicopter.

The helicopter, which left John Lennon Airport in Liverpool last night after the Anfield match, was destined for a private landing site near Peterborough when it vanished.

Cambridgeshire Police were unable to give details of the people on board and could not say whether there was any link to the match.

A Chelsea spokesman is adamant no club directors were involved, having spoken to a number of directors who attended the game.

Club owner Roman Abramovich was away on business and did not attend the match.

A police spokeswoman said: "Details are sketchy at the moment.  The helicopter, we believe, had about four or five people on board and was a twin-engine Squirrel.

"It left John Lennon Airport in Liverpool at about 11pm last night and was on its way to a private address near Peterborough.

"It appears to have disappeared off the radar. At the moment we are trying to find out more.  The best case scenario is that it has made an emergency landing somewhere."