A Whelford resident helped trigger a major security operation at RAF Fairford after alerting police to several men she believed were behaving suspiciously.
Police said a number of men were arrested on suspicion of offences under the Explosives Act after potentially viable incendiary devices and chemicals were discovered inside a van parked near the Gloucestershire airbase on Sunday.
Three white vans were linked to the operation. Footage showed the suspects handcuffed and shirtless during their arrests, a precaution that may have reflected concerns they could be wearing explosive devices.
Julian Tudsbery, who has lived in Whelford for three decades, said a local resident first raised the alarm after noticing three vans she considered suspicious in the village.
“Apparently, she called the airbase police, but nobody answered,” he said. “The phone simply rang, so she dialled 999.”
Mr Tudsbery said police arrived at his home and ordered him to leave at approximately 7am.
“They were knocking on the door, so I came downstairs in my dressing gown,” he recalled.
“There were several officers and three police cars in the drive. They told me to evacuate because there had been a major incident, but said they could not provide further details.”
Five men were photographed shirtless near RAF Fairford after being arrested under the Explosives Act
The suspects were handcuffed and seated on the road as Army bomb disposal specialists and SAS personnel were deployed to assess the reported threat
A bomb disposal robot examined three white vans after five men were arrested in connection with what was described as a suspected terror plot targeting RAF Fairford
The wheeled bomb disposal robot was seen moving between the parked vans during the security operation
Footage showed the robot travelling along an empty rural road before inspecting the three white vehicles
Mr Tudsbery said he had been forced to leave his cat, Misty, inside the house he shares with his wife.
The operation came as helicopter footage captured a bomb disposal robot examining three white vans parked close to the airbase.
The robot travelled along a deserted country lane before reaching the vehicles. Two vans had their rear doors open, with large black objects visible inside.
Gloucestershire Police had earlier confirmed that the Army’s specialist explosive ordnance disposal unit would inspect several vehicles in Whelford.
However, the force did not specify which vehicles were under examination and has not publicly confirmed that a bomb disposal robot was being used.
Counter-terrorism officers are believed to be directing the investigation as authorities examine whether a possible attack was prevented.
Jason, 50, left his Whelford home with his family, their 11-week-old puppy and two cats, heading for a nearby leisure centre.
He said around 40 or 50 people had been evacuated from their homes, with about 20 people remaining at the centre as of 12.30pm.
Between 40 and 50 residents have been evacuated to the Cirencester Leisure Centre
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Armed police around the village of Whelford, near RAF Fairford this morning
A B-1B Lancer bomber pictured at the air base, which has been used to mount US strikes against Iran since the US-led war began
A vehicle which appeared to be a tractor blocked a gate at RAF Fairford this morning
Jason said the village ‘always feels pretty safe’ but that there had been ‘heightened tensions’ due to the base being used by the US Air Force.
‘I think some of the other residents have noticed more police patrols and things like that,’ he said. ‘But I’ve not I’ve not really noticed any particular difference.’
He said there were messages on a village chat about vans blocking one of the lanes and that he heard a helicopter overhead about 1.30am today.
‘Then I went to bed,’ he said. ‘Then we were woken up about 6am with a couple of police at the door.’
A Government spokesman said Prime Minister Andy Burnham was being ‘kept updated’ from Liverpool, where the Labour Party conference will be held today.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting said of the incident: ‘We can be reassured that this is being dealt with.’
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed the incident was ‘contained’ on X.
She wrote: ‘I would like to thank emergency services for their swift response to the major incident in Gloucestershire this morning and their reassurance that they believe the incident is contained.
‘Whilst investigations are ongoing it would be inappropriate to comment further.’
Emergency services vehicles including fire engines descended on Whelford as the major incident was investigated
RAF Fairford is the US Air Force’s command outpost for operations from Europe and has been used for American strikes on Iranian missile sites that have been attacking ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The base was the subject of a warning from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in July, with the regime warning Britain not to allow US bombers to fly from the base.
In June, the US government said it would spend around $500million (£377million) on ‘expansion and military infrastructure’ at RAF Fairford, understood to include a new hangar complex.
A month earlier the Royal International Air Tattoo, set to be held at the base in July, was cancelled after the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust Enterprises (RAFCTE) said the ‘escalating geopolitical situation in the Middle East’ had required a ‘significant increase in real-world operational missions’ from RAF Fairford.
RAFCTE said both the Royal and US air forces needed to ‘maintain unrestricted, 24/7 operational readiness at the base’.
Shortly after the US and Israel began the war with Iran on February 28, roads surrounding RAF Fairford were closed in a bid to ‘address safety and access issues’.
Protective screens were mounted on the base’s perimeter fences in March to stop filming after it became popular with plane spotters when US bombers began arriving.
That month US military personnel at the base were pictured preparing explosives at the base as Washington intensified strikes on Iran.
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