A KINGSLEY Green woman feared for her life when she thought a low-flying RAF helicopter was going to crash into her house.
On Monday morning, Christine Birch, who lives just off Chilcrofts Road, was left shaking uncontrollably when she looked out her window and saw the helicopter coming towards the house at eye level.
"I thought I was going to die; it was absolutely terrifying. I was with my cleaner and two daughters and we all feared the worst," said Mrs Birch.
"The helicopter looked as if it was about to crash and it was one of those Chinook models which can seat up to 20 people, so it was massive."
The helicopter then moved away from the house towards the field owned by Mrs Birch where her three horses were grazing.
"It was hovering just metres from the horses and was causing them a huge amount of distress. It almost landed in the field and just hovered and then did circles around the stables for a while.
"Many horses die every year from stress-induced panic fits and this experience has left mine extremely distressed.
"They were going wild.
"They are all show jumpers and very expensive breeds and this is about the worst thing that could happen to them."
Mrs Birch contacted the Ministry of Defence to complain, but was dissatisfied with the response.
"I was told that helicopters on training exercises can land anywhere, regardless of livestock, and in an area with a population of less than 10,000, which seems extremely uncaring to the countryside."
But a spokesman for the MOD said that this kind of incident was rare.
"We have a responsibility to train military aircrew as part of a UK defence commitment. However, in meeting this requirement we will continue to do all we can to minimise disturbance as we take our responsibilities to the public very seriously indeed.
"Only the minimum amount of low-flying training necessary for aircrew to achieve and maintain operational effectiveness is permitted. The amount flown is kept under continuous review."