Senedd Member for Mid & West Wales Cefin Campbell has written to the Ministry of Defence after a number of complaints were raised across Carmarthenshire in relation to an ‘exceptionally loud and disruptive’ RAF training exercise that took place on the night of Monday, January 6 with no advance warning.

Mr Campbell said that he and other fellow Plaid Cymru politicians in the locality, namely fellow Senedd Member Adam Price and MP Ann Davies had been contacted by several constituents with reports and complaints regarding low flying planes overhead across Carmarthenshire in ‘unfamiliar areas and at unusually low altitude’ after dark.

He said that the concerns raised were wide ranging - from farmers worried about the effect on livestock, to domestic pet owners worried about the effect on local animals, to people communicating a concern about their elderly relatives who were confused and upset as they had no idea what was happening.

Mr Campbell said the disturbances seemed highly irregular in two different aspects:

• The duration and volume of the overhead noise - many people reported multiple instances of the planes flying overhead, and reported extremely loud noises each time they did over a period of 15-20 minutes.

• And the geographic spread of the disturbance.

“The reports we have received regarding loud noises from low flying planes overhead ranged from the west of Carmarthenshire in St Clears, to the Towy Valley, to the Ammanford area. This indicates a departure from the usually training flight paths that people are accustomed to in our constituencies,” he stated.

“We as the elected representatives for these areas would kindly ask for an explanation for the 2 irregularities noted above, as well as if there is a way to forewarn local people should a similar exercise be repeated so that they can at least make adequate adjustments,” added Mr Campbell.