Villagers evacuated after arrests near RAF Fairford explosives investigation

Residents of Whelford near RAF Fairford were evacuated early on Sunday after police reported the arrest of several men for explosives offences and launched an investigation around three vans. People in the village first noticed the vehicles during the night. Jason, a resident who declined to give his surname, said messages about the vans began circulating in a local WhatsApp group at about 1.30am.

Julian Tudsbery, who has lived in Whelford for 30 years, said a resident tried to contact airbase police but received no answer before calling the emergency services. At about 6am, police went door to door and instructed residents to leave immediately. Tudsbery said several officers and three police cars were outside his home.

Residents were told there had been a major incident, but officers did not provide further details at the time. About 30 emergency vehicles were seen in the village. The army, a bomb squad and counter-terrorism police attended, while explosives experts examined the three vans.

The cordon was expanded during the afternoon, preventing residents from returning to the area. Evacuated people were taken to a leisure centre in nearby Cirencester. Jason said roughly 40 to 50 people, including children, older residents and dogs, were there earlier on Sunday.

Authorities had also asked some people whether they had another place to stay overnight. Residents said they had not been given more information than police had released publicly. Tudsbery said he hoped to return home because his cat, Misty, had been left behind.

The account also said security around RAF Fairford had increased in recent weeks, with heavy vehicles and concrete barriers placed behind some gates. The source linked the base to US air force operations but provided no official explanation connecting those measures to Sunday’s investigation.