Man arrested after laser shone at police helicopter in Wiltshire

A laser light was shone persistently at the aircraft, causing visibility issues

A man has been arrested after a laser light was shone at a police helicopter during a search for a missing woman.

The National Police Air Service (NPAS) was helping officers on the ground look for the vulnerable woman who had gone missing from Corsham on Wednesday.

The pilot reported the laser and NPAS were able to pinpoint the address, and room, it was coming from.

The man in his 50s, from Chippenham, was arrested on suspicion of endangering an aircraft.

Supt Steve Cox, from Wiltshire Police, said: "Sadly, this is not the first incident of this nature that we have had reported in recent years, but it is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

"While on the surface it may appear to be a minor act of stupidity, the consequences of this behaviour could be catastrophic.

"The minute a laser light hits the screen of a helicopter, the laser is magnified, often momentarily blinding all those within the cockpit."

Supt Steve Cox said the behaviour will not be tolerated

Fortunately, the missing woman was located four hours after being reported missing.

Supt Cox said that when the public see a police helicopter, it is often assisting officers in searching for very vulnerable people who may be in a crisis.

He said: "Please take a minute to think how you would feel if a member of your family was missing and the actions of an individual were seriously impeding the skills of the highly qualified pilots at NPAS in assisting to search for your loved one.

"Their support is invaluable in searching the many rural areas that we have here in Wiltshire and it is often thanks to them that these individuals are found and returned to safety."