THE police has revealed that it is responsible for the loud explosions heard across Gloucestershire and Wiltshire last night.

The two explosions at 10.15pm, which shocked residents and were heard as far apart as Cirencester and Swindon, formed part of a police training exercise at Cotswold Airport on “explosives awareness” for officers involved in searches.

A spokesman for Gloucestershire Police, Simon Masters, said: “We would like to reassure residents that the explosion heard in Kemble yesterday was part of routine operational training for police. ”