THE dangers of conflict between low-flying aircraft and other civilian aircraft was highlighted this week after an incident over the M6.

Endmoor resident Bob Robertson said he saw two jets and a helicopter come uncomfortably close on Tuesday morning.

Mr Robertson, whose home is one mile from the M6, said he watched a helicopter travelling north over the M6 when it was suddenly joined by two RAF jets travelling behind each other.

The incident prompted similarities to be made with the fatal Farleton Knott mid-air collision in June 1993, when two civilians died after a helicopter and a Tornado collided just half-a-mile from the M6.

The experienced sailor estimated that the aircraft came within half-a-mile of the slower-moving helicopter and that all three were flying at about 300-400ft.

Around 15 minutes later, he said another two aircraft, which may have been the same ones, appeared and one veered off north-east towards the Lune Valley, which was the direction the helicopter had gone.

Concerned by what he saw, he rang the RAF in Penrith to report the near miss but was disappointed to be told that complaints from members of the public were not passed on to the pilots, as it was the responsibility of the pilots to report such incidents.

Mr Robertson said: "When the jet went up the valley in the same direction, that concerned me two lots of aircraft travelling in close proximity to a slower helicopter.

"If the pilots didn't see the helicopter and the helicopter is not aware of the jets, and the incident is not reported to them, that's not good enough.

"It may not have been the pilot's fault, may be the helicopter should not have been flying there, but I would have thought that if you reported something like that, at least the pilots would be told about it."

Tony Parrini, regional community relations officer for the RAF, said a distance of half-a-mile would not constitute a near miss and the pilots of all aircraft were obligated to report such incidents to the independent Airprox board if they, or their passengers, felt their aircraft had been endangered.

Mr Parrini said the public should still report such events as Mr Robertson's complaint would be sent to the MoD in London and, in the event of a complaint being made to Airprox by any of the pilots, he could be considered as an eye witness.

Mr Parrini said Mr Robertson's evidence suggested the aircraft were aware of each other as none had taken any avoidance action.

He added that the jets' onboard radar systems and warning devices would also have acknowledged the proximity of the helicopter, and the pilots may also have been talking to each other by radio. "We are not complacent when it comes to safety, it is of paramount importance to us," said Mr Parrini.

However, Mr Robertson said with the aircraft being half-a-mile apart and the RAF jets travelling at around 400 to 500 knots, only a "slight twitch" in the cockpit was needed to result in a crash.