Low flying over Norfolk nature reserve ‘was accident waiting to happen’

Cley parish council leader says military aircraft were seen flying as low as 10ft over area that is a breeding ground for birds

There have been longstanding concerns about low-flying military aircraft carrying out training exercises over the Norfolk coast where a US air force helicopter crash killed four crew members on Tuesday night.

As police launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, local residents and politicians said they had seen military aircraft flying as low as 10ft above Cley Marshes nature reserve.

Richard Kelham, chair of Cley parish council, said flying so close to a breeding ground for birds was an “accident waiting to happen” and had prompted complaints to nearby RAF bases. Another councillor said regulations had been introduced about 15 years ago to order the aircraft to fly higher when using the area near Salthouse.

“We used to complain to the commanding officer who bluntly told us to piss off. In a sense it’s an accident waiting to happen,” Kelham said. “We do feel for the families of the crew but they were put in a position they shouldn’t be in. This is a place for birds.”

He said the council had complained to RAF Marham and to RAF Lakenheath, the US air force base that was home to the crashed aircraft.

“It’s the oldest and one of the biggest and most famous bird reserves in the country. We’re not happy about them flying low. It’s not uncommon and we certainly don’t raise an eyebrow,” he said. “You used to get Tornados [RAF aircraft] screaming about at roof height, but that doesn’t happen so much now, and before that A-10s [US air force planes] flying across the beach 10ft up.”

Councillor Jennifer Murray said she could see the flashing lights of emergency service vehicles from her home near where the helicopter came down. She said regulations had been introduced about 15 years ago to order aircraft to fly higher, but the military continued to use the National Wildlife Trust area as a training site.

“A few months ago there were three of those little black helicopters hovering over each other for about half an hour, we always see them,” she said.

Asked whether she had seen military aircraft flying low, Murray said: “They always have done. At one time there was a regulation that they had to be higher, about 15 years ago. But I don’t think there have been any [crashes] in the last 30-plus years. I don’t think there have been any great problems.”

A woman who lives half a mile from the crash site said it was unnerving to see aircraft flying so close to the ground on training exercises.

“We do get low-flying helicopters. There’s been occasions where you do feel that’s a bit low and it’s slightly unnerving,” said the woman, who declined to be named. She said military aircraft flew “reasonably often” in the area, which is away from buildings.

Norman Lamb, the North Norfolk MP whose constituency includes the crash site, told Sky News he had been worried …read more