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Captain Tom Moore will be honoured with a military flypast to celebrate his 100th birthday, the transport secretary has announced.
On Tuesday Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar , which had originally planned an aerial salute over Captain Moore’s home to mark the veteran’s milestone birthday, revealed that its plans had been cancelled by the Department for Transport over fears the event could attract too many spectators.
Now, transport secretary Grant Shapps has confirmed that an official flypast will take place on 30 April and that it will be performed by the RAF .
In a statement on Twitter , Mr Shapps said it was a “pity” the news had been shared publicly as the salute was “meant to be a surprise for Tom”.
It is not yet known which aircrafts will be involved in the fly over, but it is expected to take place over Captain Moore’s home in Marston Moretain, Bedfordshire.
The team at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar suggested that the RAF could be taking over the tribute in a Facebook post regarding the cancellation of its event.
“Sadly we’ve been unable to secure permission to perform a flypast with the ‘Spirit of Kent NHS Spitfire’ for Captain Tom’s 100th birthday on Thursday. Current general aviation restrictions are in place to prevent non-essential travel and in these current times safety is the most important factor,” the post read.
“Luckily the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight are not bound by the same restrictions and are permitted to fly. It is our understanding that they are now picking up the baton to provide a flypast for Captain Tom.
“Getting a Spitfire overhead for Captain Tom was always the primary goal and we’re thrilled that this may still be possible. We wish the BBMF team the very best of luck and hope that the weather permits a flypast on the 30th of April.”
Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar has said that it will still fly The Spirit of Kent on a circuit around the Biggin Hill airfield at 8pm on Thursday, to coincide with the nation’s weekly “Clap for our Carers ” event.
Its planned circuit will take it over the edge of the Princess Royal University Hospital, allowing another gesture towards patients and staff.
Captain Moore has so far raised more than £29m for NHS Charities Together by completing 100 laps of his garden ahead of his milestone birthday.
Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHSShow all 32 1 /32Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS People clap from a block of flats opposite St Thomas' Hospital in London. Briton's were encouraged to clap for carers at 8pm local time to celebrate employees of the NHS
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Staff outside the St James's University Hospital in Leeds, wave to people applauding them from their balconies
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS A sign by Wembley Park Tube Station in London that thanks the hardworking NHS staff
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Barbara Leigh, aged 93, (second left) rings a bell for the NHS, with her family who are all staying together throughout the lockdown, from their front garden across the road from Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS NHS staff respond as people in Blackpool join in the national applause
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak applaud outside 10 Downing Street
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Staff from the Royal Liverpool University Hospital join in a national applause
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Tyne Bridge lit up in blue to support the NHS
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Residents in a Northampton street applaud
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Princes George (right), Louis (centre) and Princess Charlotte joining in a national applause for the NHS as people across the country showed their appreciation for all NHS workers who are helping to fight the coronavirus
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS People in Woodford Green, London, join in a national applause
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS People in flats wave the Scottish flag in Glasgow as they join in a national applause for the NHS
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Ventura', a Grand-class cruise ship of the P&O Cruises fleet, docked at Southampton Docks shows its support for the NHS by lighting up rooms on the cruise ship to spell '#I LOVE NHS'
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Staff from the Royal Liverpool University Hospital join in a national applause
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS The SSE Hydro in Glasgow is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Residents applaud NHS staff for all their hard work during the Coronaviroutbreak in Glasgow
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Wembley Arch in London is lit up in blue in a gesture of thanks to the hardworking NHS staff
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Dr Olivera Potparic Anestesis applauds her colleagues after finishing a 12 hour shift at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Residents in a Northampton street applaud in support of the NHS
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS People applaud infront of big screen in Piccadilly Circus
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS People applaud the NHS from their balconies and gardens across the road from Wythenshawe Hospital
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS A police officer joins staff from the Royal Liverpool University Hospital in a national applause for the NHS
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS The London Eye is pictured lit blue in support of the NHS
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS People applaud the NHS from their balconies and gardens across the road from Wythenshawe Hospital
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS NHS workers wave from a window at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS People applaud the NHS from their balconies and gardens across the road from Wythenshawe Hospital
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Redcar Pier lit up in blue
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS Duchess of Cornwall and the Prince of Wales joining in the national applause for the NHS workers battling coronavirus, coupled with photos from previous visits to NHS facilities
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS People applaud the NHS from their balconies and gardens across the road from Wythenshawe Hospital
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS A family applaud outside their home during the Clap for our carers campaign in support of the NHS in Newcastle-under-Lyme
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS People applaud outside their homes in Parsonage Gardens during the Clap For Our Carers campaign in support of the NHS, as the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) continues, EnfieldPeople applaud outside their homes in Parsonage Gardens during the Clap For Our Carers campaign in support of the NHS in Enfield
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Clap For Our Carers: People across UK thank the NHS People show appreciation outside Chelsea and Westminster Hospital
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Following his success, a school in Bedfordshire has been flooded with more than 125,000 birthday cards from well-wishers across the globe.
In another tribute to Captain Moore, all mail sent from Monday will be stamped with a special postmark in his honour.
You can read more about how to send Captain Moore a birthday card here .
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