Captain Tom Moore: Spitfire salute to celebrate veteran's 100th birthday cancelled over crowd fears

Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar says it has been 'unable to secure permission to perform a flypast'

The Spitfire salute which had been organised to mark Captain Tom Moore's 100th birthday has been cancelled over fears it will attract crowds amid the coronavirus lockdown.

The aerial flypast, involving a Mark 9 Spitfire named The Spirit of Kent, had been planned to take place on 30 April over Captain Moore's Bedfordshire home.

However, officials from the Department for Transport have deemed the flypast to be non-essential travel and are also concerned that it might attract too many spectators.

The team at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, which organised the salute, shared the news on Facebook, writing: “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.”

“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.”

Instead of the proposed tribute, Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar has said that it will 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.

The flight will not require permission from the Department for Transport as it will remain within Biggin Hill's air traffic zone restrictions, flying within a five-nautical mile diameter around the airfield, in London's south-east outskirts.

Its planned circuit will take it over the edge of the Princess Royal University Hospital, allowing another gesture towards patients and staff.

“That way they can see a Spitfire and we can do a salute to the people of the NHS,” Alex Monk, from Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar, told The Telegraph.

Captain Moore has so far raised £29m for NHS Charities Together by walking 100 laps of his garden ahead of his birthday.

Following his success, a school in Bedfordshire has been flooded with more than 125,000 cards from well-wishers across the globe for the veteran’s birthday.

Famous names including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Dame Kelly Holmes were among those to send cards to the Bedford School, which Captain Moore's grandson, Benjie Ingram-Moore, attends.

Benjie turned to his school for help when he learned that the post office was being swamped with cards.

The 16-year-old said: “The volume of cards that have been sent to granddad is just astonishing. So many of the cards are truly heartfelt with thousands from young children who have taken the time to use their artistic talent and write a personal message.

“It means a lot to granddad as well as us as a family. We are hugely proud of how the nation has taken granddad to its heart. Words can't express how much I idolise him.”

In another tribute to Captain Moore, all mail sent from Monday will be stamped with a special postmark in his honour.