GALLERY: Littlehampton’s Armed Forces Day

Delighted organisers Littlehampton Town Council and Harbour Park are convinced the event was the best yet and roars of approval from the thousands of spectators, not just for the Spitfire’s spectacular display, seemed to confirm that success.

The Second World War fighter plane, from the world’s only Spitfire training base, the Boultbee Flight Academy at Goodwood, was certainly the day’s show-stopper, but earlier in the day necks were also craned for what was described as a flypast by a Hurricane which turned out to be a triple pass over the beach and The Green.

The day began with the traditional parade of service and uniformed organisations, including a sizeable number of veterans, along the Promenade and onto The Green, where the drumhead service took place.

The service over, rides along the Promenade in the armoured fighting vehicle Bravo 3 were particularly popular, with hundreds of passengers carried, and over in the arena, two-wheeled transport in the shape of the IMPS Motorcycle Display Team thrilled the spectators.

Dozens more motorcycles roared onto The Green to form a display by the British Legion Riders whose stand made more than £1,000 for the Legion’s Poppy Appeal, which will be the main beneficiary of this year’s event.

A Daimler Ferret reconnaissance vehicle was also put through its paces in the arena, while the outer area was circled by many stalls run by services, uniformed and community organisations, some of them giving demonstrations of the skills they teach young people.

Sofia Chittenden, events and publicity manager for the town council, felt this year’s Armed Forces Day in Littlehampton was ‘the best yet’.