MEMBERS of The Jon Egging Trust joined the Mayor of Bournemouth and other aviation representatives to remember the Red Arrows pilot who lost his life five years ago.

Two students of the trust's Blue Skies programme helped to mark the occasion with dignitaries at the East Overcliff memorial by tying ribbons to the adjacent railings.

The railings were erected following the landslide earlier this year.

Among the gathering was Ben Murphy - a fellow Red Arrows pilot who was flying when Jon was killed in the accident. He was joined by other Red Arrows, the Mayor Cllr Eddie Coope, trust employees and members of the Southampton University Air Squadron - of which Jon was a member.

The Blue Skies students Alfie and Gabrielle represented the trust, alongside Ellie Orton, the trust's interim CEO.

Ms Orton said: “In the five years since Jon Egging tragically lost his life here at Bournemouth the trust set up in his name has achieved a great deal.

"We are now helping young people in five regions across the country to realise their potential and be the best they can be. "This year 195 students graduated from our Blue Skies programme, and over 7,000 benefited from our Inspirational Outreach programme which connected them to inspirational mentors including National Air Traffic Services, Wessex Archaeology, Cobham Aviation, test pilots from Empire Test Pilots’ School at MOD Boscombe Down and the Red Arrows.

"We are continuing to expand and aim to be in nine regions working with over 10,000 young people per year by 2020.”

Thirteen-year-old Gabrielle added: "I've benefited from Blue Skies, I look back and can feel the confidence I've gained and my teamwork skills have improved. Teamwork has helped me to look at being able to complete challenges where before I would have been too shy. My school life has improved and out of school, I'm more willing to try different things."