Six arrested near RAF Fairford, properties evacuated and vehicles checked
Bomb‑disposal teams checked vehicles and properties in nearby Welford were evacuated while emergency services guarded the base.
Six people were arrested near RAF Fairford after a security alert at the air base, police said, amid checks by military bomb-disposal teams and a visible emergency services presence in the surrounding area.
Police blocked access to the main gate of the base while the British Army explosive ordnance disposal unit examined several vehicles. Around 30 emergency service vehicles, including police cars, ambulances and fire engines, were positioned in the nearby village of Fairford.
Local evacuations and official comment
“Several properties in the Welford area are currently being evacuated after a serious incident was reported,” Gloucestershire Police said. Residents in the vicinity were moved from their homes while officers carried out searches.
RAF Fairford, in southwest England, is used by United States air forces. The British government had authorised the use of the base by the US to strike Iranian missile locations linked to attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, a factor that officials say has shaped recent security arrangements at the site.
Authorities provided few additional details immediately and said inquiries were ongoing. Police urged people in the area to follow the directions of emergency services and avoid the scene while checks continue.
Photo: press material from the event
