MORE than 30 pilots from the UK’s armed forces are competing this week in an inter-services regional gliding competition at Keevil Airfield.

Teams from the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are battling it out in the air to determine the overall best service.

This year’s competition is being hosted by the Bannerdown Gliding Club at Keevil Airfield.

It began on Saturday and will end this Sunday, with two classes, sports and club.

Spokesman Susan Brownlie said the pilots will be racing around a triangle after being pulled up into the sky by a light aircraft.

“We have around 100 people and 34 gliders taking part and it gets very competitive,” she said.

The competition is organised annually by the Royal Air Force Gliding and Soaring Association.

On Thursday, the airfield hosted a VIP day for senior services chiefs to enable them to watch the competition, as pilots ride thermal air currents for three to four hours.