Huge Apache helicopters spotted flying over Sheffield - and everyone's making the same joke

They were seen flying low over many parts of the city, including Stocksbridge, Shiregreen and Thorncliffe, during the afternoon yesterday, Thursday, March 19.

They are believed to have been on a routine training mission and have been seen in the area before, but with the coronavirus pandemic prompting panic buying at supermarkets and toilet roll becoming a precious commodity they prompted many people to make the same joke.

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In a rare moment of levity amid all the doom over the COVID-19 outbreak, one wag joked: “Apparently they are out of bog roll, so dont mess with them at Fox Valley.”

When one person asked ‘are we at war’, another wisecracked ‘yes, toilet roll war’, while a third person commented that they were probably ‘airlifting toilet rolls’.

The Apache attack helicopter is designed to hunt and destroy tanks, and is armed with weapons including rockets, Hellfire missiles and a 30mm chain gun. It is distinguishable by its Longbow radar located above the rotor blades.

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Apache helicopters are part of the Army Air Corps and are usually stationed at Wattisham Airfield in Suffolk.

Adrian Ruddlesdin, who shared this video, initially joked ‘Apache gunships over the valley! The world is ending!!!’ before adding lest anyone was genuinely concerned ‘they fly over all the time, just most of the time no one cares!’.

One woman told how the helicopters were so noisy they had rattled her oven, while another said the deafening roar had frightened her daughter.