A SPITFIRE flew low over Southend as a tribute to the life of a young man who used to work on the wartime plane.

Darren Tracey-Bower, 34, who worked as an engineer in the aircraft and aviation electronics industry, was killed in a car crash near Chelmsford in March.

His funeral was held at Southend Crematorium yesterday and the fly past was organised in his honour by his mother Patricia Tracey-Bower, from Canvey.

Peter Teichman, a customer and friend of Darren's, flew the Spitfire at 500ft with a number of daring swoops and barrel rolls.

Friends, colleagues and customers of Darren joined his parents, his fiancee Cristina Bonalumi, and his daughter Kerry, 13, in remembering him at a packed service.

A reading at the service, written by Miss Bonalumi, 40, who was due to marry Darren this year, said: "The only way I can describe Darren is as a beautiful bright soul who was sometimes noisy.

"Part of who he was was a drummer and I remember the day he went out to buy a crash helmet and came back with a drum kit which he tried to sneak in the house."

Darren, of Little Wakering Road, Little Wakering, grew up in Rochford with his parents and sister before moving to Westcliff.