A pair of US Air Force (USAF) B-52 Stratofortress bombers have been spotted flying over Norwich following an operation with Swedish and Polish air forces.

Officials from Minot Air Force Base's 5th Bomb Wing, located in North Dakota, where the strategic bombers are based, said the planes were taking part in the Bomber Task Force Europe mission over the Arctic and Baltic Sea on Thursday, February 24.

The mission aimed to enhance their partnership with the two countries.

Chris Skipper, from Norwich, took a photo of one of the planes as it flew above his home in the west of the city.

He said: "Every day I try to look up and see the planes, there is very often something over Norfolk.

"But I got a really good view of the B-52 which I thought was something a bit different.

"A bit later on we had another one come over from Stalham way.

"The planes are something close to my heart as I had family in the US Air Force."

Following the mission the bombers returned to RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire where they are based while in Europe.

It is the second time this month the distinctive plane has been spotted over the region, with one snapped in west Norfolk at the beginning of February.

A spokesman from the USAF said the mission had been long planned and added the planes had also executed "close air support" in the Arctic.

He said: "Two B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers integrated with allies and partners, on February 24, during a long-planned Bomber Task Force Europe mission over the Arctic and Baltic Sea regions.

"The strategic bombers from Minot Air Force Base’s 5th Bomb Wing joined forces with Sweden and Poland to enhance partner interoperability.

"Additionally, the Stratofortresses worked with Joint Terminal Attack Controllers from Sweden to execute close air support and ground force interdiction in the Arctic.

"A B-52 also integrated with Polish MiG-29 aircraft amplifying support in the Baltic region."