FEARS that lives are being put at risk by the chinook flights over Farnham were raised this week by an aircraft safety expert.

The safety consultant, Brian Edmonds, who has 23 years' experience advising oil companies on helicopter safety, stated this week that it is "only a matter of time" before there is an accident involving one of the Chinooks based at RAF Odiham.

Mr Edmonds, of Quennells Hill, is calling for the RAF to take urgent action to reduce the risk of a crash happening over the town.

A fully qualified chartered engineer, Mr Edmonds now works as an independent safety advisor for oil companies. Throughout his career Mr Edmonds has flown on helicopters, including Chinooks, and has assessed pilots to make sure they meet industry standards.

The warning comes after a Farnham man, David Seal, claimed he saw a near miss in which an RAF Chinook and a Royal Navy Sea King helicopter had to take "avoiding action" over the town during the afternoon of August 7.

An RAF Odiham spokesman, however, denied the near miss and this week reiterated that the RAF believe the aircraft are causing no danger to local residents.

The RAF spokesman added that the Chinook crews must fly over the town as part of their training to land the aircraft.

In answer to the RAF's response, Mr Edmonds stated: "The fact that Chinooks are required to fly over Farnham to approach Odiham indicates that Odiham is an unsuitable base. Until demonstrated otherwise, Chinook flights over Farnham should be suspended."

The safety record of the Chinooks was also questioned by Mr Edmonds, who claims the helicopters are too old and too noisy to fly over built-up areas.

During his time working for oil giant Shell Mr Edmonds was horrified by the worst Chinook disaster to affect civilians, which happened off the Shetland Islands in 1986 and claimed the lives of 45 employees.

Mr Edmonds said: "I was not involved in advising Shell on aircraft safety at the time of the crash but I know that after the crash the company stopped using Chinooks to transport their employees."

He added: "Military aircraft such as the Chinooks should not be flying over densely populated areas like Farnham. It is much too risky."

Mr Edmonds' concerns were shared by another local resident, Alan Lovell, who wrote to the Herald this week.

Mr Lovell also called for the RAF to stop flying over the town, stating: "There are really only two options to relieve the situation for residents. The first is to try to get the flying operations carried out in such a way that they do not pass over densely populated areas; and the second is to get the operations at RAF Odiham shifted to a more remote part of the country."

The two residents have, separately, raised their safety fears with local MP for South West Surrey, Virginia Bottomley.

Commenting this week, Mrs Bottomley said she is concerned about the problem. Mrs Bottomley has already written to the Minister for Veterans, Ivor Caplin, and the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Adam Ingram.

Mrs Bottomley said: "Those I speak to locally wish for the helicopters to be moved to a more suitable airfield or alternatively for RAF Odiham to be used as the base for less noisy aircraft. I entirely understand their wishes and will continue to do all I can to obtain a satisfactory solution on their behalf."

Meanwhile the RAF spokesman said he had "serious doubts" whether a move away from RAF Odiham would be possible.