A WARTIME Spitfire emblazoned with "Thank U NHS" will fly over Essex again today as a tribute to key workers.

The spitfire will take flight again from 11am this morning, flying over the county on its way from Duxford Airfield to Goodwood Aerodrome.

It will travel over Southend Hospital at around 11.15am and should be visible from areas in north Essex.

Here is the flight path of the plane:

Gazette:

It will also do a second route from Goodward back to Duxford from 3pm, although the flightpath will take it over the south coast.

Organisers are also giving residents a unique opportunity to nominate loved ones whose names are being hand written onto the family-owned Aircraft Restoration Company's iconic, blue photo-reconnaissance Spitfire as it takes flight to raise funds for NHS Charities Together.

The names will be nominated by the public as a way of recognising small acts of kindness throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

From a family member to a kind neighbour, close friend or community hero, the public can now thank them with this special gesture. In return for their donation, their nominated name will be one of those written on the Spitfire, which has an 80,000 name capacity.

As the names are added, the UK will be able to watch this extraordinary visual spectacle unfold.

John Romain, founder of Aircraft Restoration Company, said: “The response to our initial flight over the last 8pm #clapforourcarers Thursday was incredibly humbling, with hundreds of people from the local community sharing how wonderful it was to not only see the Spitfire, but also to read the message emblazoned across its wings.

"After such positive response we decided to leave the message painted on the Spitfire for the rest of the flying season, this is where the idea to hand write the names of the nation’s loved ones onto the aircraft to raise money for the NHS Charities Together began."

The Just Giving donations window is open.

So far, more than £16,000 has been raised.

Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nhsspitfire.