A SPITFIRE will perform a flypast over Hay-on-Wye at the weekend as a mark of respect to a heroic Battle of Britain pilot, who has died.

The burial of retired Squadron Leader Nigel Rose, a Spitfire pilot, will take place at St Eigon Church in Llanigon, Hay-on-Wye, on Saturday at noon.

It is intended that his coffin will be carried from the church by members of the Queen’s Colour Squadron and that there will be a flypast by a Spitfire from the battle of Britain Memorial Flight, weather permitting.

Sqn Ldr Rose, who was training to be a quantity surveyor when the Second World War broke out, had joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve at Southampton in December 1938 as an airman under training pilot.

After completing his training in June 1940, he was commissioned as a Pilot Officer and joined No 602 Squadron at Drem the next day.

On 13 August he was thrown into the front line when the squadron moved to Westhampnett, a satellite of Tangmere.

Sqn Ldr Rose shot down four German planes, but once found himself in trouble over the Channel after he was shot by a German fighter plane which he later explained had “made rather a mess of the spitfire”.

Despite this he managed to return to Westhampnett and land with no brakes, flaps or radio.

After the war Sqn Ldr Rose became a chartered surveyor and settled in Hay-on-Wye.