Residents who spot low-flying military aircraft roaring over Castle Point are being urged to contact borough MP Bob Spink

Mr Spink is researching the issue after a resident contacted him and complained about an increase in sightings.

He said: "A constituent on Canvey wrote to me because he had noticed a lot more low-flying planes and he asked me to investigate.

"The Government is denying it, but I don't know if this is something other constituents are noticing.

"If they are, I am asking them to let me know so I can look into it.

"If it is planes associated with air shows then that's wonderful - I love it. But if they are going to start going up and down doing their practice runs, we ought to know."

Mr Spink asked Defence Secretary Ivor Caplin whether it was his policy to allow RAF aircraft to fly low over south-east Essex on a regular basis.

His reply from Mr Caplin was: "It is Ministry of Defence policy that in principle, the whole of the UK is open to essential military low-flying training in order to spread the disturbance it can cause as thinly as possible.

"South-east Essex, however, largely falls within an area known as the Thames Valley Avoidance Area (TVAA).

"The TVAA is excluded from routine military low-flying because of the amount of controlled airspace associated with the London airports and the proximity of major built-up areas.

"Military low-flying aircraft may still enter the TVAA on occasion.

"However, these events will usually be limited to helicopters conducting transit flights, helicopters conducting search and rescue training over water in the Thames Estuary, or flights individually cleared by MoD head office.

Published Monday, June 30, 2003

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