Helicopters that are part of a special SAS unit have been spotted above Swindon on a 'training exercise'. 

Photos were initially captured of the aircraft, from the 658 Squadron based at SAS HQ in Hereford, on Tuesday evening just after 8pm. 

Now another member of the public, Neil Wiles, has shared images of the military vehicles that he captured when they were hovering above Faringdon Park in Swindon town centre. 

The helicopters are Eurocopter AS365 Dauphins and are painted in civilian colours to allow them to blend into normal civilian air traffic. This is to allow members of the SAS to be transported quickly and covertly across the UK. 

These helicopters are also used to fly the SAS into action during counter-terrorism operations. 

It is understood that the helicopters were taking part in a military exercise taking place across April 8 to April 12 between 8pm and am. 

The exercise was said to have involved personnel within the helicopter jumping out and using ropes to access the rooftop of a building. 

A similar exercise was carried out in Swindon in November 2023 with SAS soldiers spotted jumping out of Dauphin helicopters onto Signal Point in the town centre. 

The abandoned Debenhams was also used as the site for more Ministry of Defence training.