Battle of Britain flight enthrals the crowds at Ironbridge second world war event
Not one but two flypasts were the highlights of the Ironbridge World War Two weekend.
Organisers pulled some serious strings to get the Lancaster, Spitfire and Hurricane Battle of Britain flypast for nothing on Saturday.
And the Spitfire and Hurricane fighters flew over Dale End Park on the Sunday too, just to cap off a weekend of reenactment of the 1940s.
"We've never had the Lancaster bomber, Spitfire and Hurricane in 10 years of the weekend," said Ironbridge World War Two committee chairman Paul Bull.
"It usually costs £10,000 to get the three together but as they were flying over to Liverpool on Saturday we persuaded them to pay Ironbridge a visit."
He added that the stirring sounds of the Rolls Royce Merlin engines powering the Battle of Britain flight were a fantastic attraction.
"They helped us win the war," said Mr Bull. "The sound of those engines is fantastic."
The weekend saw Dale End Park in Ironbridge transformed into a 1940s time capsule with between 300 and 400 reenactors, musicians and display owners. The crowds responded to the magnificent sunshine to turn up in their droves on both days.
Held to raise money for Combat Stress, which helps people cope with mental health issues including post traumatic stress disorder, it is estimated to have brought in between £5,000 and £10,000 for the cause.
Mr Bull described that as a "good result" for the charity.
It wasn't all about battles, but there were plenty of bangs for the price of a free entry, with displays of machine guns and mortars. Trucks and jeeps were also present but heavy tanks were not.
"We did have someone ask if they could bring their tank," said Mr Bull. "But the council would not like it churning up the park."
There is a big educational element to the weekend too with displays about domestic life in Britain during the 1939-45 conflict on the so-called Home Front.
Displays weren't restricted to those of the Allies. The German wartime military was also in view as the organisers aimed to reflect the wartime from all over the globe.
Mr Bull confirmed that the date of next year's weekend has already been pencilled in again for the late May bank holiday weekend, pending any council conditions.
