LOW flying exercises by helicopters over Savernake Forest are an essential part of warfare training say the Army.

Families with homes in the forest in the Leigh Hill area near Burbage say they are regularly disturbed by low flying helicopters from the Army Air Corps at Middle Wallop near Andover.

Sally and Nick Cockroft, whose home is surrounded by trees, say they and neighbouring families are continually disturbed by the sudden sight and sound of low flying army helicopters.

Mrs Cockroft said her dogs were petrified when the helicopters suddenly appeared at tree-top height and hovered even lower over clearings just a few yards from her home.

She said: "We have lived here for three and a half years and during that time we have had this happen three or four times a week."

Mrs Cockroft said occasionally, but not regularly, the helicopters also carried out similar exercises at night, disturbing everyone living in the area.

The problem was due, she believed, to the Army pilots following the old railway line as far as Leigh Hill and then lining up on the white cottage called Little Lye Hill to begin their exercises over the forest.

Lord Cardigan who runs the family's Savernake estate was aware of the problem his tenants and others faced from the helicopters said Mrs Cockroft.

She said: "It is particularly upsetting for anyone walking in the forest with dogs because the helicopters appear from nowhere.

"On many occasions I have been walking in the clearings when helicopters have suddenly appeared at tree height."

The noise from the machines was so loud that it drowned out conversation both outside and inside her home, Mrs Cockroft said.

Complaints had been made to the Army Air Corps base, she said.

"I spoke to chap in charge of operations and he said he would log it and put it through to the MoD.

"He did not feel there was any chance of it changing, though."

A spokesman in the Army press office told the Gazette that the low level training was an essential exercise for air corps helicopters.

The spokesman said: "This helps them develop the sort of skills that can and do save lives in places like Afghanistan and Iraq.

"We do not train indiscriminately and where possible we try to avoid the local population."

The training enabled pilots to drop troops where they were needed or for casualty evacuation.

He said no permission was needed from landowners the Savernake Estate in the case of Savernake Forest unless the helicopters actually touched down or lowered troops.