Inside the sleepy Cotswold village woken up by a suspected terrorist plot

For the villagers of Whelford, an early autumn Sunday morning would usually bring very little activity.

With no shops or pub, the community has just a 19th century church, with a service once a month, and a mixture of homes mostly located on a main road linking the more well-known village of Kempsford and town of Fairford.

But in recent months, tensions had been mounting.

For situated on the village’s doorstep is the RAF Fairford base, where the government has granted the US permission to use for defensive strikes against Iranian missile sites. The move has resulted in increased police presence, as well as hundreds of protestors taking to its streets.

And early on Sunday morning, a usual peaceful morning turned into a desperate scramble for dozens of families who were woken to officers banging at their doors, demanding they evacuate their homes immediately.

With no explanation, or even time to brush their teeth, villagers left behind their pets and headed to the nearby Cirencester Leisure Centre, which is being used as an emergency shelter.

It began when a villager, driving home from a party, called 999 after spotted vans blocking the road and then men in balaclavas heading into nearby trees. Within 15 minutes officers had arrived at the scene, she said.

“A plucky amateur shouldn’t be spotting an unusual bit of activity at 1am when the air base is on high alert,” she said. “I think it’s absolutely astonishing.”

Quickly, a major incident was declared and a large emergency services presence, which included a Hazardous Area Response Team within a 400-metre cordon, was put in place.

Five men were arrested on suspicion of explosive and terrorism offences. Counter Terrorism Policing detectives took over the response and are said to be investigating whether the alleged plot is linked to Iran, according to The Times.

Aerial footage showed a bomb disposal robot inspecting three white vans, two of which had open rear doors, and were surrounded by large black barrels scattered on the ground.

Julian Tudsbery and his wife were among 85 households ordered to evacuate on Sunday morning.

The Whelford resident, who has lived there for 30 years, was still in his dressing gown when he heard a loud bang on his door around 7am.

“There were several police, three police cars in the drive, and they said you need to evacuate, there’s been a major incident, said he couldn’t elaborate,” he said.

Mr Tudsbery, who had to leave behind his cat, Misty, said a resident had reported three “suspicious vans” in the village in the early hours of Sunday.

Jo, who has lived in Whelford for 18 years, was also evacuated at around 7am and made to leave her dog, Coco, amid the rush.

“We were asleep and [police] were just banging on our door”, she said. “They said it was a critical incident and we’ve got to leave straight away, and they basically wouldn’t leave the doorstep until we left.

“We just had to throw our clothes on and come. We didn’t know anything.”

“(The police) literally waited (at the door). I didn’t even brush my teeth or nothing,” she added. “We didn’t know what, but we knew it must be serious.”

Villagers have described “heightened tensions” and an increased military presence in Whelford in recent months.

One woman, who has lived on the perimeter of RAF Fairford for around 50 years and asked not to be identified, said “great big concrete walls” and vehicles had recently appeared at some of the base’s gates.

“In the prior few weeks they have put heavy, very heavy, vehicles across all gates,” she said. “Obviously they’re taking security seriously.”

Jason, who was evacuated to the nearby leisure centre with his family, told reporters he heard a helicopter near the village at around 1.30am.

“Then we were woken up about 6am with a couple of police at the door,” the 50-year-old consultant, who did not want to give his surname, said.

His family left behind their 11-week-old puppy and two cats without knowing what had happened.

“There’s obviously been heightened tensions in the area, because obviously the base is used by USAF.

“The police response was very rapid. They just need to clear the area now. Just hoping to go home.”

Gloucestershire County Councillor Paul Hodgkinson described the incident as “destabilising” for residents, many of whom will not be able to return to their homes on Sunday night.

“We’re not used to something where there’s a potential terrorist incident,” he said. “It’s not something we’ve encountered in Gloucestershire before in recent times, and so it is worrying.

“I mean, clearly it’s destabilising. Although that’s the whole point of terrorism, isn’t it? Is to destabilise. And clearly, we don’t know yet exactly what the circumstances are.”