Five people were arrested in Gloucestershire over the weekend

A county RAF base has issued a statement on security after a suspected bomb plot in Fairford.

Five men were arrested on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Gloucestershire police said they had been alerted to three suspicious vehicles travelling towards the base at 12.45am on Sunday.

Shropshire is home to RAF Cosford air base, as well as RAF Shawbury.

Asked whether security has been ramped up at Cosford in the wake of the incident a spokesman for the RAF has confirmed that “enhanced routine security patrols” are taking place across defence sites.

The public has also been asked to report any suspicious activity to the authorities.

He said: “Enhanced routine security patrols continue to be conducted across Defence sites.

“We ask all personnel and members of the public to remain vigilant and, as always, report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.”

Following the incident at Fairford a villager from nearby Whelford who called to alert the police about a group of men and vans in the area has been speaking about what she had seen.

The woman told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I was coming home late from a party. On reaching our farm, I found both the driveway and the road blocked by three white vans.

“We were aware that RAF Fairford was operating at a high security level and that civilian staff had been evacuated.

“We had noticed some activity from what I assumed were plain-clothed police officers for the previous few days, so initially I thought perhaps this was more of the same.

“I had no choice but to turn my vehicle around and return back the way I came.

“On driving a short distance from the vans, I saw a large group of hooded and masked men.

“When they saw me, they ran ahead of me, some into the field and some towards the neighbouring village of Kempsford.

“I then realised that something highly unusual was taking place. In light of my awareness of a security threat to the base, I immediately called the MoD (Ministry of Defence) police, the phone rang out and they didn’t answer.

“At 1.36am I called 999 to report what I had seen. Within 10 minutes, the village was full of armed police.”

She added: “I think it was pure luck that I arrived in the village at a similar time to the vans.

“I am absolutely staggered that it was left to me, as a member of the public, to see and report this.

“The airbase were operating a roadblock close to the entrance to the base, but not on any of the other roads.

“But we assumed someone would be monitoring the roads around the base perimeter and taking regular patrols in the village.

“Clearly, this was not happening, and I believe that my 999 call foiled whatever plans they had.

“Even more surprising that, following my call at 1.36am, the police were aware of the presence of the three vans, but didn’t evacuate the village until 6am.

“No one from the police has been in touch to ask me anything about it.

“I think they were hyper-focused and vigilant about the base itself, and had absolutely no regard for our village.

“The vans were within metres of houses, and those people were left unaware, apart from the fact that I sent a message to our village WhatsApp group, hoping that some people would be awake and could make sure their doors were locked.”

Defence Secretary Wes Streeting thanked the individual for their vigilance but said they only have “a partial picture” of the situation.

The Defence Secretary told Sky News: “Thank you to that member of the public.

“She has done exactly what we would hope that someone in that extraordinary situation would do.

“I’m really grateful to her – I think she acted, by her own admission, quickly and thoughtfully, and she did the right thing.

“With respect, though, she does only have a partial picture.

“And that’s as far as I wish to go this morning but I do want to emphasise my thanks to the police and the security services because their work takes place often unsung, unreported, for good reason.”