An icon of the skies flew over Greater Manchester today as it said farewell to its spiritual home.
The Avro Vulcan bomber, a cold war delta-wing military plane, is being retired at the end of this season, after key funding to keep it flying was withdrawn.
The nuclear warplane, which was manufactured at Woodford near Stockport in the 1960s, is performing two tours this weekend - a Northern Tour on Saturday and on Sunday, it will head south from its base at Doncaster Airport.
Today, the bomber flew to Greater Manchester from the Lake District, where it headed to Barton Airport, the Thelwall viaduct, then made an approach to Manchester Airport from the south on a Runway 05 approach, and turned over Stockport to say farewell to Woodford Aerodrome.
Thousands lined up at City Airport in Salford, Manchester Airport and at Woodford, as well as at points along the route, to catch a glimpse of its last flight, which at points was just 500ft high.
