Bradninch Red Barrows stepped in for the Red Arrows at RNLI's Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis on Sunday, keeping the red arrows return to UK show on schedule after the RAF team was grounded in Canada. The display was due at 11:30 BST, but poor weather stopped the planned aerobatics team from making it to Dorset.
Mark Ellis, the Lifeboat Week lead, said a squadron of wheelbarrows is not quite what was planned
and that the event was delighted to welcome them at such short notice
. The replacement came from the Bradninch Red Barrows, who perform parody displays of the Red Arrows to raise money for charities.
Bradninch Red Barrows in Lyme Regis
Eight barrow pilots, two ground crew, a squadron leader, a nurse and an announcer were expected to land in Lyme Regis for the display. Flt Lt Cyclone said the group was absolutely honoured and particularly because it's raising money for the RNLI.
He also 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.
The group has built its displays around bringing joy to people and raising money for charity.
Canada weather grounds Red Arrows
The Red Arrows were unable to attend after poor weather grounded them in Canada following their tour of the US. The team had pulled out of a number of UK air shows, and the news came after it was revealed that they would not be able to make Eastbourne's Airbourne.
The substitution kept Lifeboat Week moving on Sunday rather than leaving a gap in the programme. Organisers said the rest of the week would continue as planned, including a display by two Spitfires on Wednesday and a flypast by aircraft of the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight on 21 and 22 August.
