MYSTERY surrounded the arrival of an aeroplane carried on a convoy of lorries in Herefordshire.

The Boeing 747 aircraft was transported down the A49 on Sunday morning into Hereford city centre and over Greyfriars Bridge, before it turned around at the Tesco roundabout and went down Belmont Road and out on the A465 towards Abergavenny.

It later turned off the trunk road at Wormbridge and was seen going into the Pontrilas Army Training Area.

Villagers said hedges and trees had recently been trimmed close to the military base used by the SAS – and it was now clear why the gardening had been carried out on the country lane.

It is believed the aircraft is to be used by soldiers to prepare for possible kidnapping scenarios but the Ministry of Defence declined to comment when contacted by the Hereford Times.

The aircraft began its journey in Kemble, near Cirencester, on Saturday morning. It was taken on three specialised load transporters in convoy and was escorted by Wiltshire police westbound on the M4.

It parked overnight at High Noon services off the A40 at Whitchurch, near Ross-on-Wye, before coming into Hereford the following morning.

Due to the slow-moving convoy and the size of the aircraft, traffic built up.

The Daily Mail reported that the aircraft’s final destination was to be a site in Staffordshire.

It was, the paper said, to be used to provide a studio and design academy for students, involving the Nottingham- based National Design Academy and Staffordshire University.

But Helen Keighley, director of quality and business at the academy, said: “This isn’t our plane on the move at the moment. It will be coming but not quite yet. I am not sure where the rumour started.

“We are getting a plane and we will be using it for design practice, but it is not going to happen for a couple of months as we are still finalising the site.”

Police escorting resources were provided by volunteer police officers on rest days, paid for by the haulier at no cost to the public.

Traffic built up on many routes when the convoy arrived and motorists have been warned to expect further delays when a similar delivery is made on Saturday.

But, just like last weekend, few details are being disclosed in another operation expected to end at the Pontrilas base.