Historic images from across the borough
During the very early years of powered aviation in the 1900s, Sefton was at the forefront of activity in the new phenomenon, which became hugely popular with the public. Flying from Sefton beaches, local pilots such as Henry Greg Melly and Cecil Patterson thrilled large crowds with their aerial exploits, while nationally famous pioneer pilots such as Claude Graham-White came to Southport and gave daring displays, to the delight of everyone watching.
As the years rolled by, aviation still took a leading pioneering role in Sefton. In the early 1930s, the first USA-Britain-USA transatlantic flights were flown to and from Ainsdale beach.
This was followed by wartime flying by fighter squadrons from newly-established RAF Woodvale - to protect Liverpool and its approaches and local towns from the waves of German Luftwaffe bombers after the Blitz.
After the war, pleasure flying took place from Southport beach and Sefton has also still remained at the cutting edge of flight, its skies seeing the latest in fighter design such as today's Eurofighter, displaying at the Southport Airshow and flying along the coast on test flights from BAe Warton in Lancashire.
