The US Air Force (USAF) has apologised for deviating from a Stansted flight path during the G7 summit.

A Boeing C17 flew low over Great Hallingbury, Essex and Thorley, Hertfordshire after taking off from Stansted Airport on June 14 at 11.11am.

An RAF Lakenheath spokesperson, a USAF base in Suffolk, said: "We acknowledge that an unplanned deviation from the originally agreed upon route occurred and apologise for any disturbance to the local community."

According to Civil Aviation Authority charts, planes taking off from Stansted Airport ordinarily avoid Thorley.

But the plane flew low over the town en route to Joint Base Andrews near Washington DC.

A noise monitor near Great Hallingbury recorded a maximum volume of 88 decibels when the plane flew over. By comparison, an earlier Ryanair flight recorded 75 decibels.

Dunmow Broadcast: A noise monitor registered 88 decibels when the C17 flew over. Aircraft usually avoid Bishop's Stortford, but this pilot deviated from the flight path over ThorleyA noise monitor registered 88 decibels when the C17 flew over. Aircraft usually avoid Bishop's Stortford, but this pilot deviated from the flight path over Thorley (Image: Screenshot/Envirosuite. Contains OpenStreetMap data.)

Dunmow Broadcast: US President Joe Biden addresses US Air Force personnel at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, ahead of the G7 summit in CornwallUS President Joe Biden addresses US Air Force personnel at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, ahead of the G7 summit in Cornwall (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

RAF Lakenheath said the C17 was in the UK on G7 business.

The G7 summit was held in Cornwall from June 11-13.