A little unexpected

Beach at Victoria Country Park

We spent Saturday afternoon at one of the local parks where Imogen likes to go. We took her bike for a little riding and then a play on the park, slides and swings before swapping the bike for a ball and bit of football and ball games on the open spaces.

The park is one we go to often and get to park for free as part of a scheme we are members of, and wondered why on arrival there were stewards helping with parking, and noticed it was busy. But we couldn't figure out why, thinking maybe they had an event on somewhere.

When playing ball we needed to move over a bit as it got a lot busier and they started using the field for a car park. Imogen then wanted to pop the ball away and go down to the beach to play.
It was here again that we noticed how busy it was getting, the shoreline was lined with lots of people with cameras and binoculars.

... and then the penny dropped. I recalled reading about an event to mark the 70-year anniversary of the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, which carried out the flypast. It also celebrates the 100 years of flight from Southampton.

Lancaster, Hurricane and Spitfire

So there standing on the beach we looked up and towards us and overhead were the UK's only remaining flying Lancaster Bomber; flanked either side by a Hurricane and the unmistakable Spitfire - creation of a Southampton born engineer.

Lancaster overhead

This was on the news site today with a short film (after the advert!).
http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/8291984.Spitfire_soars_again/

It was very moving seeing them in the air, a historic moment whatever your view on their purpose all those years ago. I'm pleased I had my camera to capture the moment. They turned and flew past twice which was amazing and they were literally overhead as we were down by the shoreline. Imogen proclaimed they were a bit loud - they were, but it was awesome.