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Red Barrows wheel in after Red Arrows cancel Lyme Regis Lifeboat Week Display
The ‘world famous’ Red Barrows are to replace the RAF’s Red Arrows during Lifeboat Week in Lyme Regis after the crack aerobatic team had to cancel their visit to the Dorset resort.
The Red Arrows have been on a tour of the United States and bad weather has delayed their return to the UK.
Their display had been organised by Lyme Regis Town Council and was due to take place on the second day of Lifeboat Week, Sunday 16 August.
But yesterday (Saturday) the council heard that the display had been called off. The mayor Cllr Philip Evans said he was distraught to hear that the Red Arrows had cancelled their appearance.
When the Devon-based Red Barrows heard of the cancellation they offered their fund-raising display to the lifeboat week organisers.
Now a wheelbarrow ‘squadron’ are preparing to scramble from their base in Bradninch, Devon, and will stage their display at 11.30am on Sunday morning in the scheduled slot reserved for the Red Arrows.
Lifeboat Week lead Mark Ellis said: “A squadron of wheelbarrows is not quite what was planned, but we are delighted to welcome the Red Barrows at such short notice.”
Eight barrow pilots, two ground crew, a squadron leader, a nurse and an announcer are expected to land in Lyme Regis on 16 August.
A squadron member, Flt Lt. Cyclone, said: “This is the first time we have actually replaced the Red Arrows at a major event and we are delighted to support the RNLI.
“We fly a little lower and we are a little slower, but we are quite entertaining.”
Organisers of Lifeboat Week stress that the loss of the Red Arrows is a serious blow but the rest of the week continues as planned including a display by two Spitfires on August 19th and a flypast by aircraft of the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight on the 21st and 22nd.
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RNLI Media Contacts
For further information, please contact:
Nick Marks, volunteer Lifeboat Press Officer for RNLI Lyme Regis on 07568 187582 or email [email protected]
RNLI Press Office, 01202 336789, [email protected]
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The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,700 lives.
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