“YOU were what Great Britain is made of.”

A week after Red Arrows pilot Jon Egging lost his life in Bournemouth, those were among the thousands of moving words left in tribute.

Bournemouth council has decided to keep its books of condolences open for another week after 6,000 people signed them in just six days. Five hundred floral tributes have been left outside the Town Hall.

The Red Arrows will again try and fly home to RAF Scampton today, seven days on from the tragedy that killed Flight Lieutenant Egging – Red Four – after last Saturday’s air display.

They have been cleared to resume flights, but yesterday’s mid-morning flight back to Lincolnshire was cancelled because of the weather.

Flowers, cards and children’s inflatable Red Arrow toys were heaped around the Pride in Bournemouth lion outside the Town Hall.

One card, signed Cristina, said: “You were the perfect example of great bravery, gallantry and heroism.

“You were what Great Britain is made of and you will be missed.”

An unsigned tribute said: “Jon Egging was a brilliant flyer. He will always be in the sky watching over us.

“He is the blue sky, the white cloud and the red sunset.”

Jenny and Georgina left a note saying: “Red 4, a true hero. We lay these flowers down with a heavy heart.”

Mavis and Keith from Wareham wrote: “You filled the skies with colour with your fantastic display.

“You are now flying higher than you have ever been before.”

The mayor of Bournemouth, Cllr Chris Rochester, said yesterday: “The supportive reaction from people has made me proud to be from Bournemouth.

“Everybody has been very supportive and obviously it was a very sad day for the town.

“But I think all of our services have been amazing.

“Now we are working on a fitting tribute to Flt Lt Jon Egging and I am sure something appropriate will be decided on in the future, with the agreement of his family.”

A Bournemouth Airport spokesman said the postponement of yesterday’s departure was due to the weather at the Red Arrows’ home base in Lincolnshire.

A Red Arrows spokesperson said: “They will fly back on Saturday weather permitting.”

Engineers yesterday checked over the planes as they waited at Bournemouth Airport.

The RAF grounded all 126 of its Hawk T1 training jets after the crash while preliminary investigations were carried out.

The ban was lifted on Thursday and the Red Arrows are set to resume practice flying as an eight-plane team on Tuesday.

They may resume displays later this season.

Bournemouth council said the books of condolence in memory of Flt Lt Jon Egging have been made available until the end of next week due to the numbers of people still arriving to sign them.

The Military Air Accident Investigation Branch has also asked Echo readers with videos or photos from around the time of the crash to visit its website and get in touch.