VILLAGERS in West Dorset have put up a memorial to the fallen Red Arrows pilot Jon Egging who died in a crash last year.

It was thanks to Drimpton village hall chairman Mike Saunders, who spent 42 years in the RAF and trained Red Arrows pilots, that the elite pilots agreed to help out.

The pilots also supported the village’s fundraising efforts to upgrade the village hall by giving the main prize for the grand draw, a day for two people with the Red Arrows at their home base in Lincolnshire.

Mr Saunders said it was emotional putting up the memorial weather vane to Red 4, his good friend Flt Lt Jon Egging.

He said the Reds were flying with only seven pilots this year as they are not allowed to have too many trainees but they had once again agreed to fly past on this year’s fun day on September 1 and it is hoped there will be another prize of a day at their home base.

He is also negotiating with the Battle of Britain memorial flight programme to get a Spitfire and Hurricane too.

The idea for the memorial weather vane came from villagers, Bill Studley, a microlight enthusiast, and his wife, Vanessa.

And such is the support for the Red Arrows and the esteem they hold in the aviation world, that Bill’s fellow microlight pilot, Dave Valentine, and his team produced the weather vane, in his small factory, using stainless steel and powder coat paint, free of charge.

Mr Saunders said this generosity enabled the village to donate the £350 raised for the weather vane to the Jon Egging Trust, administered by his widow Emma. The trust creates partnerships and develops opportunities for young people who are under-achieving in the formal education system.

Mr Saunders said the disabled access, modifications for a disabled toilet and modernised changing rooms in the village hall were nearly all complete.

The Red Arrows’ involvement helped to raise thousands for the improvements.

Mr Saunders said: “On Saturday we were remembering Jon but also all the lovely time we had last year at the fun day.”

The memorial was put up at the hall’s monthly coffee morning, which includes games, story time for the children and homemade cakes and refreshments.

He added: “We always try and do something special and this time it was putting the weather vane up.”