Spitfire flypast planned for Rothwell's Armed Forces Day celebrations

One of the world’s most famous aircraft will fly over Rothwell as part of the town’s Armed Forces Day celebrations.

An iconic Spitfire – which was critical in defending the UK from Luftwaffe air attacks in 1940’s Battle of Britain – will visit Northamptonshire for a flypast on June 26.

It will fly over Rothwell at some point between midday and 5pm after Cllr Karl Sumpter, who is a member of the town’s Royal British Legion branch, applied for a Royal Air Force presence at the event.

He said: "It's the first major event since we formed the Rothwell RBL branch, which was disbanded in 1966 until we got it back up and running last year.

"We're going to have a bit of a party."

The 1940s event, which will have veterans present, will see military vehicles, fancy dress, 1940s music and cadets in the town.

There will be an egg and spoon race, a veteran's picnic from midday and the Red Lion in Market Hill will have a ‘bar in a bunker’.

In the evening there will be a disco in the Market Square.

It will be all eyes to the skies in the afternoon when the Spitfire flies over the town – and Cllr Sumpter said there could be other aircraft on display.

He said: "Because we are fairly near Sywell, they'll get anything else flying in our area to fly over as well."

More Spitfires were built than any other British combat aircraft before or since the Second World War - 20,341 in total.