Police helicopter and officers with torches search Parsonage Close in Hayes

A police helicopter shone its searchlight over a residential close in Hayes on Thursday evening, 5 November, while officers searched the area on foot.

Footage shared with UB1UB2 shows the helicopter hovering low over flats in Parsonage Close, UB3, at around 5.40pm. Its searchlight was trained on the buildings below.

Several marked police cars and vans were parked along the close. Officers with torches could be seen searching the bushes and trees behind the parking bays.

Helicopter seen across Hayes

People in other parts of Hayes said they saw the helicopter circling overhead until around 6pm. Some shared photos of it over the town as it got dark.

The Metropolitan Police has not said why officers were in Parsonage Close, and it has not made any public statement about the incident. It is not known whether anyone was arrested or whether anyone was hurt.

Parsonage Close is a small residential street of flats and houses in the UB3 part of Hayes, in the London Borough of Hillingdon.

Why police use helicopters in searches

In London, police helicopters are run by the National Police Air Service (NPAS), which supports the Metropolitan Police and other forces in England and Wales. Crews can be sent to help with a range of incidents, such as looking for missing or vulnerable people, following suspects who have run from officers, and searching for people or objects in places that are hard to reach on foot.

The aircraft carry powerful searchlights and thermal imaging cameras. These can find people hidden in gardens, bushes or wooded areas after dark, and teams on the ground often search the same area at the same time.

A helicopter overhead does not always mean a serious crime has happened. Many searches are for people reported missing, and police often give no details when a search ends without further action.

Contacting the police

Anyone with information can contact the police on 101, or on 999 in an emergency. Information can also be given anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Residents can also contact the local Safer Neighbourhoods team for their ward through the Metropolitan Police website.