RAF Tornado targeting Isis 'badly damaged' after hitting stray dog

The pilot and navigator considered ejecting as the jet was too close to the ground to cancel the landing

An RAF Tornado fighter jet at the Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus (Getty Images)

An RAF Tornado was reportedly badly damaged after hitting a stray dog as it landed at RAF Akrotiri airbase in Cyprus.

The Tornado GR4 was returning after a night sortie on Tuesday and touching down at 200mph when the stray ran across the airbase's runway.

The pilot and navigator considered ejecting as the jet was too close to the ground to cancel the landing.

Neither were injured.

Damage to the plane's undercarriage would cost "hundreds of thousands" of pounds, a source told The Sun.

“Packs of strays roam the base for food," the source said. "There’s no money to do anything about them, apparently.

“Everyone is s****ing themselves about a major incident.”

The jet has reportedly been repaired and has now returned to service.

In a statement reported by The Sun, an RAF spokesperson confirmed: “An RAF Tornado GR4 hit a feral dog. The aircraft has returned to service.”

The Independent has contacted the RAF for comment.

In July, two missiles fell from an RAF Tornado as it landed at the base in Cyprus. Fortunately, the missiles did not explode and no-one was injured.