Flying visitor lands role at royal party

AN RAF engineer from Hollinwood says he will be honoured to represent the armed forces at a Buckingham Palace garden party.

Former Blue Coat pupil Mark Newsham joined the Royal Air Force at the age of 18 as an avionics engineer.

Since then, he has risen through the ranks and travelled thousands of miles across the globe ensuring Britain’s jets are modified and maintained.

After applying online, Mark (33) was told he and wife Andrea would be brushing shoulders with royalty at one of the Queen’s famed garden parties, on May 29.

Mark, currently based in Cheshire, said: “There aren’t many from the forces selected to go, so I was gobsmacked when I was chosen.

“The invitation came through the post in a lovely posh envelope with about eight things inside about what you can and can’t bring, and what to do if you’re being chauffeur-driven.

“Unfortunately, we’re not, so we’ll probably get the train down to London.”

Mark’s 15-year career has seen him serve in Kosovo, Iraq and Cyprus, working on Tornado and hercules planes, among others.

He said: “It’s been my responsibility to provide technical assistance and make sure everything is running smoothly.”


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