Stork of the town

HIGH above the pageantry of military bands playing wartime favourites and jubilant cheers ringing over the Mall, a lone bird performed a dignified flypast to mark the recent 80th anniversary of VE Day.

- Stuart Winter

The white stork, its vast wings flapping, spindly neck and legs outstretched, cast a victorious cross-shape silhouette in the skies on a day the nation hailed its heroes. Whether the King and Queen caught sight of the stork circling east while RAF warplanes zoomed over Buckingham Palace remains unknown.

My patriotic goosebumps stood to attention as a Lancaster bomber roared and the Red Arrows painted a red, white and blue canopy over the London skyline.