Gordon Brown yesterday renewed his support for a monument to the Spitfire in Southampton.

He said he was delighted with the progress towards a memorial for the iconic fighter plane, which first took to the skies over Southampton.

Mr Brown said he had been proud to host a Downing Street reception with city MPs John Denham and Alan Whitehead commemorating the aircraft’s history. He told a gathering of invited businessmen, public sector workers and community leaders: “I’m incredibly pleased you have chosen a site where there will be a proper memorial to the Spitfire and everything that it achieved.”

Mr Brown has previously lent his backing to the Daily Echo-supported campaign for a monument to be built.