Emergency services across north Wiltshire took part in a simulated air crash at RAF Lyneham last week.

Paramedics carried injured passengers from the wreckage of a Hercules plane strewn across the runway as firefighters from the RAF base tackled a mock blaze and helped free passengers from the plane.

Police, fire and ambulance services from Wiltshire and Swindon Borough Council all took part.

A second exercise took place outside the airfield in the airmen's quarters at Melsome Road when residents were evacuated after a simulated gas main rupture.

RAF Lyneham has a contingency plan that outlines how the station will respond to any aircraft accident within five miles of the base.

Wing Commander Guy Edwards said: "This is a crucial exercise for Lyneham to undertake.

"In the event of a real accident we would offer as much support as possible to the civilian emergency services, so it is important that we practice with them on a regular basis."

Flight Lieutenant Jane Hawthornthwaite said that in the event of an emergency, the duty commander, working with the civilian emergency services, would oversee all recovery operations .

"We have had no accidents here since the base was opened in the fifties," she said.

"But we have 24-hour medical and fire cover so civilian aircraft know they can land here in an emergency.

"The only incident we have had was when a cow got on to the airfield and we had to close it for 20 minutes.''