The NHS Spitfire is flying over Yorkshire today - this is when and where you can see it

The 'Thank U NHS' Spitfire will fly over Yorkshire today.
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The Second World War aircraft, piloted by the family-owned Aircraft Restoration Company, will take off from Duxford Airfield this morning before making its journey up north.

It will fly over several NHS hospitals in Yorkshire, including St Mary's Hospital in Leeds, with a special 'Thank U NHS' message painted on its wings.

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The aircraft has been spotted up and down the country after it was first flown at 8pm on the last ClapForOurCarers Thursday.

The 'Thank U NHS' Spitfire will fly over Yorkshire today (Photo: George Lewis Romain)The 'Thank U NHS' Spitfire will fly over Yorkshire today (Photo: George Lewis Romain)
The 'Thank U NHS' Spitfire will fly over Yorkshire today (Photo: George Lewis Romain)

After a positive response, Aircraft Restoration Company has organised several flights to thank NHS staff across the UK.

People now have the chance to nominate the name of a loved one which will be hand-written on the aircraft, by donating to a JustGiving fundraising page.

There is the capacity for 80,000 names on the Spitfire and all proceeds raised will go to NHS Charities Together.

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Donators need to state their loved one’s name and reason for nomination in their donation comment, as a way of thanking a family member, kind neighbour or community hero for an act of kindness.

People now have the chance to nominate the name of a loved one which will be hand-written on the aircraft (Photo: George Lewis Romain)People now have the chance to nominate the name of a loved one which will be hand-written on the aircraft (Photo: George Lewis Romain)
People now have the chance to nominate the name of a loved one which will be hand-written on the aircraft (Photo: George Lewis Romain)

Founder of Aircraft Restoration Company, John Romain, said: “The response to our initial flight over the last 8pm #clapforourcarers Thursday was incredibly humbling, with hundreds of people from the local community sharing how wonderful it was to not only see the Spitfire, but also to read the message emblazoned across its wings.

"After such positive response we decided to leave the message painted on the Spitfire for the rest of the flying season, this is where the idea to handwrite the names of the nation’s loved ones onto the aircraft to raise money for the NHS Charities Together began.”

This is when and where you can see the NHS Spitfire in Yorkshire today:

10am - Duxford Airfield takeoff

10.38am - Pinderfields Hospital - Wakefield

10.41am - St Mary's Hospital - Leeds

10.44am - Bradford Royal Infirmary

10.50am - Harrogate District Hospital

10.55am - York Hospital

11.10am - Friarage Hospital - Northallerton

11.15am - Darlington Memorial Hospital

11.20am - Teeside Airport land

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Thank you

Laura Collins

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