by holdthefrontpage staff
A stunning picture of the Red Arrows aerobatic display team was spread across two pages of the Grimsby Telegraph after former Telegraph snapper Dave Moss "borrowed" a helicopter to get the perfect shot.
The stunning picture captures the moment the team graced Grimsby and Cleethorpes with a 345mph jet stream.
Former Grimsby Telegraph picture editor Dave Moss snapped the historic shot as they passed over the Grimsby Dock Tower.
It was a long-standing ambition for Dave, who said: "It is a picture I've always wanted to do. They've been to this area over the years on at least two full displays and it's always awkward setting up a shot from the ground because you never get anything local in it."
He started to plan the picture in April, co-ordinating with The Red Arrows. But after finding out from pilot Jim Turner at short notice the flypast was going ahead, Dave was struggling to find a helicopter pilot on time.
His original choice was on holiday, but a speculative call to Grimsby Lottery winner Roy Gibney - who has been planning a helicopter flight - led him to Beelsby farmer and landowner Ross Fenwick.
They went up to survey the area beforehand and hovered at 1,200ft in anticipation.
Dave described the moment the Arrows appeared: "As I saw The Red Arrows on the horizon the hairs stood up on the back of my neck.
“It was an awesome sight. And when they started to smoke it was quite eerie, as they hugged the coastline and left their signature over North East Lincolnshire.
"I have never been so nervous on a picture job - they're usually second nature.
"But I knew it was a fleeting opportunity and it was all in the planning. I had gone over absolutely every detail to make sure everything was spot on.
"There is so much to think about including perspective, altitude and angles."
The Red Arrows had been on a display in Lowestoft, Suffolk, and flew up the coast. Dave took the shot with the helicopter door open, held in by only a seatbelt.
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