NEIGHBOURS got a surprise when the army set up a temporary missile base at the bottom of their gardens during an Olympic Games security exercise.
Households in Waltham Way, Chingford, were amazed when the army drove up and unexpectedly set up the equipment on a patch of land between their homes and the William Girling Reservoir at the weekend.
The army had previously announced that the reservoir was a potential area for a missile site during the Games, but implied it would be on the Enfield side of the stretch of water.
Other sites earmarked for missile bases include the top of Fred Wigg tower in Leytonstone. Dummy rockets were installed on the block at the weekend for the same exercise.
Steve Bloor, 54, of Connaught Avenue, snapped these pictures (right) of the scene in Chingford.
He said: "I think most people don't mind the army shooting down things if it came to that, but the worry is about these things landing on people's homes.
"Residents are being put at risk but I suppose they have to do something like this."
Residents in Leytonstone have criticised the move and fear the missile base at Fred Wigg could make their tower a target.
The army says no decision has yet been made about whether the missile bases will be in place during the Olympics.
It is thought the army has since left the Waltham Way area.
Do you live in Waltham Way? What do you think? Contact reporter Daniel Binns on 0779 547 6625 or via email at dbinns@london.newsquest.co.uk
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