MP joins RAF Skyguard to monitor low-flying in the Lakes

3.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 1st Jul 2008

A Lake District holiday park has been working closely with the RAF Police and local MP Tim Farron to keep a close eye on low flying aircraft. Limefitt Park - a luxury lodge holiday park situated in the spectacular Troutbeck Valley near Windermere, hosted a covert piece of military hardware which needs a 10-tonne lorry just to be moved.

The huge Skyguard Radar Unit system is the RAF Police equivalent of a speed camera for jets. It is also able to record the altitude of jets passing over the Lakes to ensure they are keeping within the regulations. The hardware was used during the Falklands War and other military campaigns. The RAF Police approached the park to ask if it would host the Skyguard for a week because of its stunning open location in the Troutbeck Valley.

Tim Farron said:

"I am pleased to see that the RAF is being conscientious and making sure that their aircraft are abiding by the rules and not disrupting local communities.

Mark Thomas, Manager of Limefitt Park in the Troutbeck Valley near Windermere, said:

"We are in a great location and for many people staying here who never get a chance to see these jets close up it is a real spectacle and it was fascinating to get a glimpse of seeing what the RAF Police is doing.

"Thankfully the week they were here proved to be very quiet although when I was lucky enough to be shown the inside operation of Skyguard it did detect a passenger jet at 35,000ft!"

ENDS

Notes

A picture of Tim Farron and Mark Thomas with the Skyguard Radar Unit is attached