WATCH: RAF helicopters land in Edinburgh Meadows as three military helicopters circle city centre

Three military helicopters have been spotted circling Edinburgh city centre with two landing in the Meadows in Edinburgh on Friday afternoon.

Reports came in this afternoon of the rare sighting of three helicopters – identified as Royal Air Force choppers – circling the city centre as part of a military exercise.

Police taped off the area during the landing of two of the RAF Puma copters this afternoon and confirmed that they were informed of the military exercise the previous day.

One of RAF Puma helicopters in the Meadows in Edinburgh on Friday afternoon (Photo: Fayaz Alibhai).

A Police Scotland spokesperson has said that the tape has now been taken away and they have left the scene.

An RAF spokesman said: “RAF Puma helicopters from RAF Benson have recently been operating in the Edinburgh area completing essential operational training.

"Our crews use a variety of Helicopter Landing Sites (HLS) such as the Edinburgh Meadows and training areas around the whole of the UK for training and vary their routes and locations to maximise training benefit and ensure that our crews continue to be ready for global operations.’

Watching the large Air Force units land, Sarah Pickering, a military plane and helicopter enthusiast, said: “The police had taped off a large part of the meadows and there were apparently three RAF Puma helicopters coming.

"A wee while later they took the tape down and said they were no longer coming, about 5 minutes later I heard a noise approaching and there they were just coming over the trees above me.

"I love military planes and helicopters so this just made my whole week seeing these.

"These a rare sight in Edinburgh, especially landing in The Meadows.”

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