MILITARY helicopters have been spotted over Meirionnydd.

There is no need to panic though, the high-tech machines were simply making use of the region’s physical and natural assets as the Army Air Corps conducted mountain training for their helicopter pilots.

The military body has chosen Snowdonia Aerospace Centre at Llanbedr Airfield for their 2016 mountain flying training programme and completed their first week’s deployment with great success and satisfaction last month.

Five single Squirrel helicopters flew into Llanbedr from Middle Wallop on Monday 18 January and conducted all planned flying sorties.

Snowdonia Aerospace Partners said they were “thrilled” to see the airfield being used again for this activity.

A spokesperson said: “We hope Llanbedr, which is perfectly situated as a base for this type of specialised and essential training, will attract other operators to make Llanbedr their preferred location.”

For the full story, see this week’s Cambrian News north editions, in shops now