This is why you may have seen huge military planes flying over Doncaster this morning

The huge RAF Airbus A400M was seen and heard buzzing across Doncaster earlier today – and the aircraft is being used in the UK’s battle against coronavirus.

Flying out from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, the Airbus is playing a critical role in the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The huge aircraft are being used to airlift seriously ill patients and are also helping bring personal protective equipment from Turkey to RAF Brize Norton.

The planes have been assisting the NHS by airlifting critically ill patients from remote areas of the UK to intensive care units.

The RAF said in a statement: "The Atlas is ideally suited to such tasks, especially at the present time where care has to be taken in protecting both patients and the medical staff caring for them.

"The newest transport aircraft in the transport fleet, Atlas is a tactical airlift and strategic oversize lift capability, meaning it can carry huge loads into and out of areas that may not have ideal airport or runway conditions, such as gravel strips or beaches.

"This makes it an excellent addition to the standby fleet ready to assist the government in the efforts against COVID-19 with its ability to deliver critical supplies to (or retrieve patients) from remote areas of the UK and abroad."

However, the RAF said the planes were on routine training exercises near Doncaster Sheffield Airport on this occasion.