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Two soldiers have been arrested after a ‘tank’ was allegedly stolen on an Army base and filmed on a £100,000 joyride, leaving crumpled civilian cars in its wake.
Video footage shows the moment an allegedly drunk sapper steered the 15-ton Bulldog vehicle down a narrow access road after smashing into a parked van and SUV at around 1am this morning.
Sources told The Sun the troops had been drinking off-base before returning to Tidworth Camp in Wiltshire and stealing the armoured personnel carrier (APC), which has a top speed of 32mph.
In the footage published by the newspaper – apparently filmed from an upstairs window – the allegedly tanked-up driver struggles to keep the Bulldog straight during the Fast and Furious-style rampage down the access road lined with soldiers’ personal cars.
The camera then pans around to show a crumpled Vauxhall panel van which has been rammed into the silver SUV in front of it and partially on to the grass verge.
The Sun said the SUV, bearing visible panel damage to its rear quarter and front wing, was thought to be a Chinese-made MG ZS electric vehicle – worth around £30,000 – which soldiers have been warned not to hold sensitive conversations inside due to risk of spying.
Following the destruction derby, pictures showed the APC parked neatly in between undamaged vehicles in a nearby parking area.
Tidworth Camp is home to 26 Engineer Regiment, 1 Medical Regiment and the King’s Royal Hussars, amongst other regiments.
The tank was filmed being driven down a narrow access road at Tidworth Camp in Wiltshire early today
At least two vehicles were left badly damaged and partially rammed on to the verge after the ramage
The Bulldog needs a minimum crew of two and is powered by a 240hp Rolls-Royce engine. It is more than 9ft wide and 17ft long and designed to move troops over boggy battlefields.
It is understood nobody was hurt and the Bulldog was undamaged in the incident.
The soldier alleged to have piloted the vehicle was said to have been arrested by Royal Military Police officers in his room at dawn after comrades discovered the devastation on camp.
A second soldier was also arrested.
An Army spokesman said: ‘We expect the highest standards from our personnel.
‘Two soldiers have been arrested by the Royal Military Police following an incident at Perham Down this morning, 24th July. We will not comment further while an investigation is ongoing.’
The Bulldog is capable of carrying up to ten passengers. The vehicle offers protection against small arms and artillery fire and is armed with a 7.62mm General Purpose Machine-gun.
As well as being used for transporting infantry on the battlefield, Bulldogs have also been utilised as ambulances, command posts and recovery vehicles.
Tidworth Camp, where a Bulldog armoured personnel carrier apparently left a trail of destruction after being taken on a joyride
Earlier this week construction began on a new £13million Regimental Headquarters for 1 Medical Regiment at Tidworth under the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Estate Optimisation investment programme.
In 2024, a soldier based at Aliwal Barracks, Tidworth, was convicted of drink-driving after crashing into a telegraph pole in the town while dressed as Batman.
Lewis Blondrage, 25, was caught by police after running from the scene in his superhero dress.
He was found guilty of drink-driving and failing to stop at the scene of a road traffic collision and given a 12-month disqualification and £600 fine by magistrates in Swindon.