‘LOUD BANGS’ and 'low flying helicopters' spark PANIC in quiet south London suburb
LOUD bangs and several explosions sparked fear among residents in a quiet south-west London suburb on Wednesday evening, after the police carried out secret training drills without informing the general public.
Secret police training drills sparked fear among residents in Mortlake on Wednesday night
Local residents reported hearing “loud bangs” and “low flying helicopters” near Mortlake Brewery in Mortlake, south-west London, which one individual said sounded “like gunshots”.
Numerous people took to Twitter to express their anger at the disturbance, and called on the police to provide further details.
Commenting on the drills, Topaz Amoore wrote: “Military training in a residential area at 11pm? It’s madness.
“Everyone very shaken by the loud explosion and the low flying helicopter."
A Met Police spokesman confirmed the police had been carrying out training exercises in the area
Everyone very shaken by the loud explosion and the low flying helicopter
Jessica Duchen added: “Weird stuff going on SW14.
“Three loud bangs - sounded like gunshots - close enough to send our cat scuttling in from garden and now helicopters circling low near Mortlake and the river. Anyone know anything?"
A Twitter user named Damien said: “There's a ridiculous amount of noise and helicopters flying out of the Mortlake brewery site.
“It's after 11pm at night and families are trying to sleep.
Did anyone hear a massive explosion in #mortlake? In the Richmond area
— jack kisby-carroll ������☕ (@JackTVCasting) May 16, 2018
“The cacophony had being going on since late afternoon. What the hell is going on? Please investigate.”
Jack Kisby-Carroll noted: “Very loud explosions around 4-6 of them.
“Helicopters flying all over Mortlake Brewery. No warning of this. All after 11pm.”
And another Twitter user named 'Lion Lady' wrote: “They're using the brewery as a police training site.
Residents expressed their anger at the drills and called on the police to provide further details
“They've been doing controlled explosions all day and landing the helicopters on site.
“Can't believe it's still happening at this time tho. I can't even keep my windows open it's so loud.”
Residents as far as Southfields, over four miles away, also reported hearing helicopters flying overhead as part of the training drills.
A representatives from the Met Police confirmed that the police had been carrying out training exercises in the area, but offered no further details.