Gloucestershire Constabulary's Temporary Chief Constable Maggie Blyth begins the press conference by saying that a disposal unit continues to examine three vehicles near Whelford.

She says that counter terrorism police are leading the investigation, and says she can't give further details.

Blyth says that the arrests will have caused "some shock and anxiety" in the community and it is working to support people.

She says that a cordon remains in place.

We're expecting to hear an update shortly from the police on their response to the RAF Fairford incident.

Earlier, Gloucestershire police confirmed that five men has been arrested on suspicion of explosives offences after "three suspicious vehicles" were spotted near the base.

You'll be able to watch live at the top of this page. We'll also bring you key details from their remarks here.

Bea Swallow
Live page reporter

Gloucestershire's Police and Crime Commissioner, Chris Nelson, has issued a statement thanking residents for their patience amid the ongoing incident.

Nelson says he had "refrained from commenting until now" while Gloucestershire Constabulary established the facts of what he described as a "fast-moving situation".

"I'd like to begin by thanking the residents of Whelford and Fairford for their understanding whilst policing and the armed forces have been dealing with this incident," he adds.

"Strong communities, like those in the Cotswolds are what helps keep communities safe and make them more resilient.

"I also want to pay tribute to the comprehensive emergency service and local council response, following well understood major incident and contingency plans."

Nelson says his focus is on supporting local people and ensuring residents are kept informed about when it is safe to return home, alongside what reassurance can be provided in the weeks and months ahead.

Image source, Getty Images

The US military says it is "working closely" with its UK counterparts after five men were arrested on suspicion of explosives offences near RAF Fairford, where the US Air Force has a significant presence.

“We are working closely with our UK counterparts to monitor this situation, minimise impacts and ensure the safety of US personnel, their families, and the local community," a spokesperson says.

Three white vans turned up in the small village of Whelford - next to RAF Fairford - in the early hours of Sunday morning. In the hours since, five people have been arrested, a bomb disposal team has been deployed and 85 homes were evacuated.

Police say they were alerted to the incident after receiving a call from a resident reporting "three suspicious vehicles" travelling towards the base.

Rich Preston
BBC News

Protection of the UK's military sites is shared between several organisations and covers more than a hundred facilities used by the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, the Army, and other Ministry of Defence (MoD) departments.

The Defence Infrastructure Organisation manages the entire defence estate. It's part of the MoD.

Armed soldiers are provided by the Military Provost Guard Service. The MoD Guard Service provides an unarmed presence.

In the case of RAF Fairford, they're supported in their work by the RAF Police as well as the local police force, Gloucestershire Constabulary.

London's Metropolitan Police leads the UK's counter-terror policing.

The Security Service (MI5) is the UK's domestic security and intelligence agency which evaluates the intelligence picture and assesses threats against the UK.

Naturally, they work closely with their counterparts in countries like the US.

Image source, .

An image purporting to show the moment five men were arrested near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire has been sent to BBC Your Voice.

The person who sent us the image told us it was taken last night and then shared on a local village WhatsApp group.

We are unable to verify the original source but BBC Verify has geolocated the image and can confirm it appears to be authentic.

It shows detained men in Whelford, about 350 metres from runway access at Crash Gate 6A at RAF Fairford.

This is 40 metres from where two bomb disposal vehicles were seen overnight, and 90 metres from where bomb disposal vehicles have been pictured in helicopter footage today.

It’s also about 200 metres by road from where a robot has been pictured moving between three white vans.

Image source, Getty Images

US President Donald Trump tells reporters that the men arrested near RAF Fairford on Sunday were "looking to do big damage".

"We had them under investigation. They were looking to do big damage to our fort, and working with the British worked out great," he says.

"It may have been Scotland Yard, I don’t know. We worked with a lot of them. We had them under view for a long time, and we got them.

"It was fantastic. Working with Britain, it was an amazing job."

Image source, Reuters

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has urged people not to speculate after five men were arrested on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offences.

"I know today's incident near RAF Fairford will be deeply concerning for local residents and for many people following developments across the country," Burnham writes on X, also thanking the police for their response.

He says the "safety and security of the public" is his government's "first priority", adding: "I want people to know that we will always take every step necessary to protect our communities and keep our country safe."

"The investigation remains ongoing, and I would urge people not to speculate while the authorities establish the full facts."

Jeff, one of the local people who was evacuated, says "the whole village" is at the leisure centre.

"I heard shouting outside at about 02:00 BST," he says. "[I] looked out the window and saw men were being held by police outside the house.

"They were armed. It was surreal."

He says he got to the leisure centre a few hours later.

"They [the leisure centre] have paid for tea, coffee, bacon sandwiches," he says.

"We've been asked if we have anywhere to stay overnight.

"The whole village is here. There's about 60 houses in the village."

Anyone arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 can be detained for up to 14 days without charge.

That's different to the usual 24-hour limit for standard arrests without an extension application.

The five men were arrested earlier today under the act - meaning any hypothetical charge could come as late as 11 October.

They are in custody having been arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act, Counter Terrorism Police say.

The act also allows police to arrest anyone without a warrant if they are reasonably suspected of being a terrorist and provides stop and search powers.

Bea Swallow
BBC News, West of England

Image source, Getty Images

Today's incident has brought an unusual level of attention to a community more accustomed to a slower pace of life.

Fairford is a small Cotswold market town with a population of about 4,000 people, best known for its medieval church, stone streets and quaint riverside setting.

While the airbase sits just outside the town and is a major presence, day-to-day life is generally that of a quiet rural community - aside from the occasional roar of military aircraft heard overhead.

The exception is the annual Royal International Air Tattoo when hundreds of aircraft and tens of thousands of visitors descend on the area, briefly turning the town into a focal point for aviation enthusiasts around the globe.

Leigh Boobyer
Live page reporter

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Here's what we know:

• Five men are currently in custody after being arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act. They were also held on suspicion of committing offences under the Explosives Act.
• Helicopter footage has revealed a wheeled robot, from the Army, is operating near three parked white vans in the village.
• A 400m cordon is in place around the vehicles while they're being examined, with 85 households evacuated to a leisure centre.
• Gloucestershire Constabulary says they received a call at about 00:45 BST relating to "three suspicious vehicles" travelling toward RAF Fairford.
• Several residents who were evacuated have told the BBC they were woken up in the night by police officers knocking on their doors.

• At a news conference, Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone says: "work to establish the full nature of the incident is ongoing".

James Landale
Diplomatic correspondent

We do not yet know who or what is behind the ongoing incident outside RAF Fairford. But some may suspect Iranian involvement.

The US Air Force has used the base to launch attacks against Iran since March.

Iran’s foreign ministry in July accused the UK of complicity in war crimes and gave this explicit warning: "Any party that, in any manner, participates in military aggression against Iran will bear responsibility for the consequences and repercussions of its decision."

Ongoing US and Iranian diplomacy is failing to break the current impasse in the war.

Some analysts have speculated Iran may have an incentive to escalate the conflict and impose new costs on the US for failing to agree a deal.

That could involve attacks in the Middle East but also further afield. But until we know more, this is just speculation.

People evacuated from their homes near RAF Fairford may have to stay overnight as the emergency services make the scene safe, a local councillor has said, as he described the incident as “destabilising”.

Gloucestershire County Councillor Paul Hodgkinson told the Press Association: "It’s not something we’ve encountered in Gloucestershire before in recent times, and so it is worrying."

When asked whether there had been any more preparations to protect people living near Fairford amid global conflicts, Hodgkinson added: “We are in a more heightened state of awareness around these things.”

As authorities continue their enquiries, those forced to leave their properties are being supported at a leisure centre, where overnight food supplies, provided by the council, have begun arriving.

Leigh Boobyer
Live page reporter

Assistant chief constable Richard Ocone from Gloucestershire police says the cordon is still in place "as a precaution" and "the public can expect to see an emergency services presence in the area for some time".

"The emergency services have well-rehearsed plans for dealing with major incidents," he adds.

He says residents who have been unable to stay with friends or relatives have been sent to a nearby leisure centre, with the force "working as quickly as possible" to get them back to their properties.

"We’d like to thank the residents who have left their homes this morning for their understanding and support."

“We would ask the public not to speculate but to follow official channels for updates," he adds.

Image source, Reuters

We can now bring you further details from Counter Terrorism Policing.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicki Evans says they are in the "early stages of an investigation, and five men remain in custody".

Counter Terrorism are "working closely" with partners to "understand the circumstances of the incident", she says.

She adds: "We continue to work with Gloucestershire Police to keep the community safe as we work to gather evidence from the scene."

Repeating details shared earlier, she says a 400m cordon is in place around the vehicles while the Army's Explosive Ordinance Disposal unit carries out examinations, and 85 households have been evacuated.

Counter Terrorism Policing say the five men have now been further arrested on suspicion of preparation of a terrorist act.

We'll bring you more on this shortly.

Image source, POOL

We've just received an update from Gloucestershire police following a major incident near RAF Fairford.

Here's what we learnt:

• Five men were arrested on suspicion of committing offences under the Explosives Act and remain in custody
• The force received a call at about 00:45 BST relating to "three suspicious vehicles" travelling toward RAF Fairford
• A 400m cordon is in place around the vehicles while they are being examined, with 85 households evacuated
• Ocone said work is ongoing to establish the full nature of the incident, with the force working alongside counter-terror police

Assistant Chief Constable Richard Ocone finishes by stressing the police's focus is on the local community.

He thanks residents for their co-operation in evacuating, and says he appreciates the disruption this has caused.

"I would like to reassure them that we are working as quickly as we can to get them back into their properties," he adds.

Ocon then asks the public not to speculate about the incident.

That brings the brief news conference to a close.