A farmer from Whelford has spoken out after reporting what she believed to be a potential terror attack near RAF Fairford, expressing frustration over the absence of follow-up from the authorities.
The woman, in her 50s, recounted how she and her husband, along with a young employee, noticed vans blocking a road near the airbase late at night while returning from a party. The vehicles were parked in an unusual formation, making it impossible to drive between them or access the farm drive.
“When you live in Whelford, you notice everything,” she explained. “We all know the cars each other drives and the people who pass through regularly.”
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One van bore unfamiliar writing, initially leading her to believe it might be an undercover police vehicle. Upon discovering no one was inside, she attempted to call a contact number displayed on the van to have the vehicles moved but was unable to reach anyone.
After dropping off their employee, the trio encountered a large group of men who appeared to panic upon seeing their vehicle, which resembled a police patrol car with its main beam lights on. The men fled in different directions, some into nearby fields and others towards the neighbouring village of Kempsford.
While five men were later arrested on suspicion of explosive and terrorism offences, the witness estimated there had been between eight and ten individuals involved, all wearing slim-fitting clothes with covered faces.
She attempted to contact the Ministry of Defence police but was unable to get through, eventually calling 101 before being put on hold. At 1:36am she dialed 999 and alerted her village via WhatsApp about the suspicious activity.
“Within five minutes, armed police arrived, the suspects were arrested, and a helicopter searched the area for several hours,” she said. “There was a lot of shouting.”
Despite this rapid response, the farmer highlighted a concerning lack of communication thereafter. “The police did not contact me even though they had my details, and nobody informed the village about the situation apart from me,” she stated. “It wasn’t until around half six in the morning that an evacuation was ordered, yet those vans remained parked in the village centre throughout the night.”
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting responded earlier in the day, suggesting the farmer had only “a partial picture” of the events. The woman contested this, emphasising the unusual nature of the vehicles and men she encountered and the absence of official contact.
Gloucestershire Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone confirmed a report regarding “three suspicious vehicles” approaching the base was received at 12:45am.
The farmer called for recognition of what she perceives as mishandling of the incident, urging for clarity on the sequence of events to improve future responses. “If there was a report about those vans at quarter to one, what happened in the time before I found them?” she questioned.
Asked whether she considered herself a hero for her actions, she responded, “No. Anyone who saw what I saw would have done the same.”
Gloucestershire Police have been approached for comment.