THE widow of the Red Arrows pilot killed during Bournemouth Air Festival has set off on a 400-mile coast-to-coast charity bike ride today.

Dr Emma Egging, 32, joined a team of cyclists from the RAF's Battle of Britain Memorial Flight and the Red Arrows for the ride, which her late husband, Flight Lieutenant Jon Egging, had been planning to complete.

Flt Lt Egging, 33, from Rutland, was killed when his Hawk T1 aircraft crashed at the end of a display in August.

The cycle challenge began at St David's Head in West Wales and is due to finish in Lowestoft, Suffolk, in four days' time, with the team covering 100 miles each day.

The ride originally aimed to raise money for two charities – the RAF Association Wings Appeal and Fly2help – but money will now also go towards The Jon Egging Trust. The trust, set up by Dr Egging in memory of her late husband, aims to help young people develop life skills.