MILITARY chiefs are investigating a security breach after a woman was found hiding in a cupboard at a Somerset base.

An aircraft technician is said to have smuggled the woman onto the RNAS Yeovilton airbase.

It is believed he drove her onto the site in the boot of his car after returning from Christmas leave.

The Sun has reported that the technician, a member of the Commando unit, admitted to his superiors that the woman, who was born in Indonesia but is a Dutch citizen, is his girlfriend.

The Ministry of Defence said it was satisfied it was not a case of espionage.

An MoD spokesperson said: "The Royal Navy takes any breach of security or Covid guidelines extremely seriously.

"We are investigating the incident, but the individual is a European national and there is no suspicion of espionage."

The Sun reported that the woman was escorted from the base by armed guards and is said to have left the country.

The newspaper added that the technician, who is serving with 847 Naval Air Squadron, said that he got to know the woman on holiday in 2019.