THEY could not make it to Southampton – but the RAF Red Arrows have performed a surprise fly-past over the Queen Mary 2 in Liverpool to mark Cunard’s 175th anniversary today.

It was part of a day of celebrations that also included a food festival and classic car cavalcade.

As reported by the Daily Echo, the fly-past comes days after the RAF aerobatics team was forced to cancel a 25-minute display over Southampton due to poor weather conditions – the third time the Red Arrows have cancelled an event in the city.

This evening the flagship will continue the celebrations with a Transatlantic Crossing to New York, calling en route at Halifax and Boston to re-create the original Liverpool/Halifax/Boston voyage of Cunard’s first ship, Britannia, back in 1840.

Cunard’s marketing director, Angus Struthers said: “Just six weeks after the RAF Red Arrows delivered the finishing touch to the Three Queens Liverpool Salute, it's wonderful to have them perform a flypast over flagship Queen Mary 2 on the exact day 175 years ago that Cunard's first ship inaugurated the first regular transatlantic service, on 4 July 1840.

“It was the perfect send-off as Queen Mary 2 prepares to sail to North America on this special 175th anniversary voyage that pays tribute to the early days of the company that grew to become the Cunard we know today.”