A RUSSIAN spy plane has been spotted flying low over Lancashire as tensions between Vladimir Putin and the West mount to near emergency levels.
The Antonov An-30, armed with five high-resolution cameras, was spotted by photographer Steve Bradley, 41, who was astonished to see it over his garden in Colne, Lancashire.
It comes as British Typhoon jets were forced to intercept a Russian spy plane last week and escort it away from UK airspace.
In the last month, three Russian warships have been monitored sailing through the English Channel.
MPs in east Lancashire have raised concerns about what the spy plane was doing just 30 miles from Menwith Hill, a hi-tech NATO monitoring station, and 22 miles from BAE Systems military aircraft factory at Samlesbury.
Mr Bradley said he was shocked to spot the military turboprop while working in his garden on Friday.
The semi-professional photographer captured several clear shots of the plane flying from east to west.
He said: “It was a bit scary to be honest. I just saw it flying pretty low and wondered: ‘Should that really be here?’.
“My wife was in the kitchen and I just grabbed the camera and took a few pictures. I was dumbfounded.
“Afterwards I looked up the number on the underside of the plane and that confirmed it was a military jet. I suppose some Russian planes must be allowed here but I imagine it’s pretty rare.”
Full article: Russian spy plane spotted over LANCASHIRE: Shock sighting as tensions with Putin boil over (Express)
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