Hundreds gather for first anniversary of Shoreham Airshow disaster

A minute's silence was held across the county at 1.22pm - the exact moment one year ago when the Hawker Hunter crashed into the A27, killing 11.

Relatives of the victims joined hundreds of others for at Shoreham Toll Bridge, including members of the local community, civic leaders and workers from the emergency services.

The names of the 11 men were read by the Reverend Ann Waizeneker before their families released 11 doves across the River Adur.

Ribbons bearing the men's names were also attached to the bridge, while mourners left dozens of flowers, cards and tributes.

Among them was a card from the sister of Tony Brightwell, a 53-year-old NHS worker killed as he stopped to watch the Hawker Hunter's flight from the roadside.

"I've loved you all my life and I will love and miss you for the rest of mine," she wrote.

The bells at nearby St Nicholas Church were also rung to remember the 11 killed in the worst British airshow disaster for more than 60 years.

Among those gathered to support the families were many people who had been spectators at the airshow.

Raymond Jones, 72, from Shoreham, said: "I was there last year and saw the plane come down - it never goes away.

"It's awful and I wanted to come and pay my respects."

Reverend Terry Stratford, of Shoreham's St Mary de Haura Church, said: "I was pleased to see so many people came out to support the families. There has been a strong desire to show support."

Meanwhile in Worthing, two 23-year-old footballers killed in the crash, Jacob Schilt and Matt Grimstone, were remembered by their former club, Worthing United.

Some 70 friends and team-mates paid tribute to the pair with a two minute silence and a minute applause in the centre circle at their Lyons’ Road, ground.

Club vice chairman Mark Sanderson thanked those who came and said: “It’s been a really hard 12 months. I still can’t believe it’s been a year.

"It’s good we do something here, this is where they did what they loved.”

First team manager Nigel Geary added: “I’ve been a Shoreham boy all my life but I hope the airshow never happens again. For something like that to take someone’s life, it’s awful.”

Meanwhile, across Sussex, flags flew at half-mast on civic buildings to mark the disaster.

Last night, the West Sussex Bikers Motorcycle club also planned a memorial ride from the B&Q car park at Lyons Farm, Worthing, to the Toll Bridge.

The bridge became a focal point for the community in the days after the disaster.

Thousands of cards and messages left at the Toll Bridge after the crash have been dried out and form part of an archive available to view online and at the West Sussex Records Office in Chichester.

WE THINK ABOUT IT A LOT – NOT JUST TODAY

GIOVANNA Chirico clutched her flowers and bowed her head as she listened to the names of the 11.

The 33-year-old stood with friends and family facing a picture of her late partner Mark Trussler as the Rev Ann Waizeneker listed the names of the dead.

“Maurice Abrahams. Dylan Archer. Tony Brightwell. Matthew Grimstone. Matt Jones. Graham Mallinson. Daniele Polito. Mark Reeves. Jacob Schilt. Richard Smith. Mark Trussler.”

Then she and the hundreds of people who gathered on the Shoreham Toll Bridge fell silent to remember those men, the only sound the soft lapping of the River Adur and the wind breaking over the bridge.

It was in stark contrast to 1.22pm exactly one year ago, when a Hawker Hunter fell from the sky less than one mile away and smashed into the road.

“I’m very sad for all the possibilities lost, all the promise wasted – and how much we miss him,” Caroline and Bob Schilt, parents of 23-year-old victim Jacob Schilt, said on the bridge yesterday.

Relatives and friends of the 11 men covered the Toll Bridge with cards, flowers and photos of lost loved ones yesterday, as they had in the days after the disaster.

Eleven white doves were also released, which fluttered off towards Shoreham, past the hundreds of people lining the wooden bridge to pay their respects.

One card to victim Matt Jones, 23, read: “Trying to keep the happy memories a year on.

“We are all still feeling shocked and devastated by your sudden departure.”

A card from the mother of Tony Brightwell, 53, from Hove, to her son read: “Words cannot express our sadness and life without you.”

Individual red roses were also left for each of the men, with the message: “Death leaves a heartache no-one can heal.

“Love leaves a memory no-one can steal.”

Among the flowers was a bunch from the organisers of the Shoreham Airshow, expressing their “thoughts and deepest sympathies with the families at this time.”

With many questions as yet unanswered about what caused the crash, they also released a statement stressing their co-operation with the investigation, and adding: “We know this will be a particularly challenging time and we share the deep sorrow of the whole community.”

Many of those who came to the bridge yesterday had been at the airshow and had seen the Hawker Hunter crash.

Raymond Jones, 72, from Worthing, said: “It is one of those things that sticks in your mind, and it never goes away.

“I see it all the time – every time I close my eyes.

“I am a great fan of airshows but when you look at the area, maybe it should not happen here again.”

Voice cracking with tears, Graham Maskell, 59, said: “I live over the road there and I was watching the show in my front garden.

“I saw it do the loop and then thought it was not high enough and then – you could feel an impact in your chest.”

Diane Goodwin, 59, from Hove, said: “I wanted to show my support. I cannot begin to imagine what the families are going through.”

On the bridge yesterday emergency workers who had rushed to the site of the crash were able to meet the families they had hoped to help one year ago.

Richard Tyler, from the Red Cross, said: “It wasn’t easy but we are trained to do this. You hope you never have to, but the training kicks in and you just have to try and stay calm.

“Some of the families who we had not met before have shaken our hands today. It means a lot for us to be here.”

The silence of the Toll Bridge was repeated at memorial events across the county.

At the Lyons Road ground of Worthing United, friends of the club and of nearby businesses marked the moment the team was robbed of two of their most popular and energetic young sportsmen, Jacob Schilt and Matt Grimstone.

Mourners formed a circle on the pitch with only the wind whistling through the trees disturbing the two minute silence – which started and ended with two blasts of vice chairman Mark Sanderson’s whistle.

Meanwhile in Shoreham itself, the disaster hung heavy on people’s minds.

Leah Groom, a 25-year-old mother who was out running errands said: “We think about it a lot – not just today.

“I saw it happen. I was there with my three children.

“It was really upsetting. To be honest, The children still talk about it.”

Andy Reeve, who works at Transair Flight Equipment at Shoreham Airport and was in town during the afternoon, said: “We had a minute’s silence. I don’t think people will ever get used to something like that having happened. It’s horrible.”

Ben Smith, 26, the manager of Ropetackle Fish and Chips, said: “I remember the day “I was here and saw everyone coming back. People today are very sad. A lot of people are keeping their heads down. It had a massive impact.”