RAF ALERT RAF Typhoon fighter jets scrambled to intercept Russian bombers approaching UK

The bombers - nuclear-capable Blackjacks that can travel at supersonic speed - were tailed as they travelled down the North Sea.

The stand-off is the latest in a series of provocations from Moscow amid heightened tensions with Britain and the West.

A Royal Air Force spokesman said: “QRA Typhoon from RAF Lossiemouth scrambled to monitor and subsequently intercept two Blackjack bombers approaching the UK area of interest.

"At no point did the Russian aircraft enter sovereign UK airspace .