The Red Arrows return UK display at RNLI's Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis did not go ahead on Sunday after poor weather grounded the team in Canada. The Bradninch Red Barrows stepped in at 11:30 BST, turning a planned aerobatics slot into a wheelbarrow performance at the seaside event.
Mark Ellis in Lyme Regis
Lifeboat Week lead Mark Ellis said a "squadron of wheelbarrows is not quite what was planned" and said the event was glad to welcome the replacement act at short notice. The Red Arrows had been due to perform at 11:30 BST on Sunday, but their travel was blocked after their tour of the US.
The substitute came from the Bradninch Red Barrows, a Devon group formed to raise money for charities with parody displays of the Red Arrows. Flt Lt Cyclone said: "We are absolutely honoured and particularly because it's raising money for the RNLI."
Flt Lt Cyclone and Devon
Cyclone said: "This will be the first time out of our home county so an extra honour there and we are very much looking forward to it." He also said: "As always what we do is to bring joy to people and raise money for charity." Eight barrow pilots and two ground crew were expected to land in Lyme Regis for the display, along with a squadron leader, a nurse and an announcer.
The change mattered because the planned Red Arrows display was replaced by a wheelbarrow squadron instead of the aerobatics team. The Red Arrows had also pulled out of a number of UK air shows, including Eastbourne's Airbourne, while Lifeboat Week organisers said the rest of the week would continue as planned.
Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
Two Spitfires were due to display on Wednesday, and Aircraft of the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight was due to make a flypast on 21 and 22 August. For people heading to Lyme Regis, the main shift was already clear: the headline act had gone, but the rest of the programme was still set to run.
