Soldiers worked for more than seven hours to lift the shell of a Tornado jet into its final resting place.

The Tornado is put in place

The main road through Arncott was closed as a 140-tonne crane lifted the aircraft in three parts to pride of place outside an office block at Bicester Defence and Distribution Centre, opposite the Plough pub, in Ploughley Road.

Flight Lieutenant Adrian Dant said the operation had gone very well.

He said: "The fuselage arrived on a low loader and each of the pieces have been lifted into place, and the wings lifted onto the tails."

He is pictured, left, with project manager Sean Mansell.

The Tornado, which was mainly used as a training aircraft, was stripped of hazardous materials before transportation.

It forms part of a display to represent the tri-service supply responsibilities of the Defence Storage and Distribution Agency that runs the Bicester Defence Storage and Distribution Centre.

Officers call it a gate guardian.

Already in place are a Striker armoured personnel carrier to represent the Army and a Bofors gun for the Navy.

The Tornado will represent the RAF.