A fresh call for a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) to be held into a mid-air crash between two RAF Tornados almost six years ago is being considered by the Crown Office.

Moray MSP Richard Lochhead and campaigning constituent Jimmy Jones presented what they believe to be new evidence during a meeting with officials at the Crown's Scottish fatalities investigation unit.

Flight Lieutenant Hywel Poole, 28, Flight Lieutenant Adam Sanders, 27, and Squadron Leader Samuel Bailey, 36, died in the collision over the Moray Firth on July 3, 2012, while a fourth crewman was badly injured.

The men were all based at RAF Lossiemouth in Moray.

A Military Aviation Authority (MAA) service inquiry report, published in 2014, found there were 17 contributory factors to the accident, including the lack of a collision warning system (CWS) on both aircraft.

The following year, the Crown Office decided not to hold an FAI into the incident, saying that such a hearing "could not better and would only repeat" the investigation already carried out by the MAA.

Speaking after the meeting on Tuesday, Mr Lochhead said an FAI would ensure that any lessons to be learned from the tragedy would be "out in the open".

Mr Lochhead and Mr Jones would like to see evidence brought forward by Mr Jones explored in any new inquiry.

"We now wait to hear back from the Crown Office, hopefully with a positive answer, given that it is certainly in the public interest for an FAI to be held," the MSP added.

"In Moray and throughout Scotland we have military and civilian aircraft in our skies and when there is a collision such as we tragically experienced in 2012 we have to ensure that all the lessons are learnt to minimise the risk as far as possible of any future collisions of that nature."

Mr Jones, 77, a retired RAF engineering officer, said Crown officials appeared "more receptive" to their calls than he had anticipated.

A Crown Office spokesman said: "We will carefully consider the material provided to us during the meeting with Richard Lochhead MSP and respond in due course."