The family of two teenage cousins killed when two RAF aircraft crashed during a training exercise in south Wales said on Thursday they were devastated by their deaths.

The two light aircraft crashed in sand dunes near the Kenfig Nature Reserve in Porthcawl on Wednesday, killing the pilots and schoolgirls Katie-Jo Davies and Nikkita Walters, who were Air Training Corps cadets.

The pilots, who were taking the girls on Air Experience flights, were Flying Officer Hylton Price, 63, and Flying Officer Andrew Marsh, 24.

"Words cannot describe how devastated we are by the loss of our girls," the families from Gilfach Goch, near Pontypridd, said in a statement.

"Nikkita and Katie-Jo were both much loved and will be so sorely missed."

RAF Group Captain Andy Naismith said the planes were Grob Tutors, twin seater, propeller light aircraft which were taking part in air experience flights from the nearby RAF base at St Athan.

"The RAF is working closely with the Air Accident Investigation Branch and South Wales Police as part of a tripartite investigation," he said.

"An MOD Service Investigation is already under way and all the data gleaned will be shared to enable us to determine the facts which led to yesterday's tragic accident. The loss of four members of the RAF family is one that is felt acutely."

Witnesses said the planes had been involved in a mid-air collision before the crash but Naismith said it was too early to say what had caused the accident.

Emergency services had reported that at least one of the aircraft was on fire when it crashed and that debris had been strewn over a wide area.