UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace vowed to investigate what possible intrusions mean for UK national security and how threats from China are reshaping international relations.

Wallace said: “The UK and her allies will review what these airspace intrusions mean for our security.

"This development is another sign of how the global threat picture is changing for the worse.”

Last week the Defence Secretary exclusively told The Sun that Chinese balloons could have spied on the UK and he would have shot them down if they were spotted.

This morning Transport Minister Richard Holden confirmed the same, telling Sky News it was possible that "Chinese spy balloons have already been used over the UK".