Residents in the Weymouth area may have heard the sounds of helicopters overhead at length over the last few days.

The sounds of a large helicopter were heard above Weymouth and Chickerell on Tuesday, November 14 and Wednesday, November 15 for around two hours each day in the early afternoon.

It is understood that one of the aircraft was an RAF Chinook operating on military training routines in the area close to the Chickerell training camp.

A spokesperson for the Royal Navy said: “The helicopter activity in the Weymouth area was routine training being conducted by both Royal Navy and Royal Air Force aircraft.”

Known for making a loud noise whilst flying, Chinooks are an extremely capable military helicopter that can reach jungles and deserts. 

Primarily used for trooping, resupply and battlefield casualty evacuation, the Chinook can carry up to 55 personnel or up to approximately 10 tonnes of mixed cargo.

Despite being 18 feet tall and nearly 100 feet long, it can reach speeds of up to 183mph and has a maximum density altitude of 15,000 feet. 

Introduced by the Americans in the 1960s, the Chinook is used by air forces across the world and have helped British troops in the Falklands War and Afghanistan.