Eastbourne Dad Offers To Pick Red Arrows Up From Canada In His Ford Galaxy

By Robin Sheffield, Editor

EASTBOURNE — An Eastbourne man has offered to personally collect the Red Arrows from Canada after learning the famous display team will miss Airbourne because their return journey has been delayed.

Father-of-three Graham Morris made the offer on Friday morning after concluding that somebody needed to "stop messing about and go get them."

The Red Arrows have been delayed in north-eastern Canada following their North American tour, leaving Eastbourne without one of Airbourne's most eagerly anticipated displays.

Graham believes the situation has been unnecessarily complicated.

"I've got the Galaxy," he said.

"Seven seats."

"We'll get most of them in."

Logistics Being Worked Out

Graham initially estimated the journey would take "about nine hours" before his wife pointed out that Canada was on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean.

He has since revised the estimate.

"Alright, probably twelve."

His current plan involves leaving Eastbourne shortly after 6am, stopping somewhere near Dover for fuel and "following the sat-nav from there."

When informed that driving directly to Canada is not possible, Graham remained confident.

"There's bound to be a ferry."

There isn't.

"Tunnel?"

No.

Graham described this as "typical."

Aircraft Present Slight Problem

Further complications emerged when his son explained that collecting the pilots would not solve the problem of getting their aircraft back to Britain.

Graham was quiet for several seconds.

"Can't they leave them there?"

His son explained the purpose of the Red Arrows.

"Right."

Graham is now considering hiring a trailer.

He believes several aircraft could potentially fit if their wings were removed.

Aviation experts have not been consulted.

Eastbourne Rallies Behind Plan

Despite several obvious problems, local residents have welcomed Graham's willingness to help.

One neighbour has offered a roof box.

Another has provided sandwiches.

A third said he knew somebody with a van.

Within an hour, the operation had grown to three vehicles and a WhatsApp group called GET THE REDS HOME.

Nobody involved currently possesses a passport valid for Canada.

Graham insists this is exactly the sort of administrative negativity that prevents anything getting done.

"The people of Eastbourne want the Red Arrows," he said.

"The Red Arrows want to get home."

"I've got a full tank."

"Let's stop finding problems."

Backup Plan

Should the Canadian operation prove unsuccessful, Graham has offered to provide an alternative display over Eastbourne himself.

This would involve driving his Galaxy along the seafront while his children release red, white and blue smoke from the rear windows.

His wife has vetoed the proposal.

At the time of publication, Graham had entered "Canada" into his sat-nav.

It calculated a route of approximately 3,400 miles before eventually giving up somewhere in the North Atlantic.

Graham tapped the screen twice.

"See," he said.

"Even she doesn't know."