A new 'whale-shaped' plane will be flying over South Gloucestershire and the surrounding areas today, it makes it's debut flight in the UK.

The aircraft, which has been called Beluga XL, is a transporter plane and has been given it's name in reference to its shape resembling a whale.

It will be making a trip to Chester where it will land at Hawarden Airport, however it will pass over Airbus' base in Filton before moving across South Gloucestershire today. 

It is expected to be flying over Filton at around 2.30pm before heading on to the Severn Estuary at around 3.00pm. 

It is then flying across the area to arrive at Hawarden Aerodrome in Broughton, Flintshire for 3.30pm. 

Police in Flintshire issued a statement before the arrival of the plane. 

The plane is in the last phase of tests and is expected to join the Airbus fleet officially later this year.