ROLLS-Royce Merlin engines roared over Cowes this afternoon (Monday) as a pair of Spitfires flew over the town in honour of Second World War pilot and trailblazer, Mary Ellis.

The moving flypast followed a memorial service at St Mary's Church and a gathering at Northwood House where people were able to find out more about Mary's incredible life.

Mary, who died in July aged 101, always said the Spitfire was her favourite aircraft.

Isle of Wight County Press reader Ricky Ashanollah took these amazing photos of the Spitfires during the flypast.

Today, 900 people attended a memorial service in her honour at St Mary the Virgin Church, and enjoyed a flypast by three Spitfires afterwards.

The service heard many tributes to Mrs Ellis, a member of the Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) when it was highly unusual to be a female pilot.

She delivered Spitfires and bombers to the front line during the conflict, and those at the service were reminded that she did this without radio, and armed with only a map and a compass.

Additionally, she often had to fly to hidden airfields, and flew a wide variety of planes — although the Spitfire was her favourite.

Her work was vital to more than just the war effort, as she and her colleagues blazed the trail for today’s generation of women RAF pilots.

The service heard how she would arrive at the airfields and jump out of the plane, only to be asked where the pilot was. She was proud to say that she was the pilot, although she was often not believed and a search of the aircraft ensued.

Mrs Ellis is believed to have flown 1,000 aeroplanes during the war, before moving to the IW in 1950 to take charge of Sandown Airport — becoming Europe’s first female air commandant.

She married Don Ellis, a fellow pilot, in 1961, and they lived in a home beside the runway at Sandown.

Not one to shout about herself, it was decades before many people on the Island realised who she was, or what she had achieved.

Following the service, a gathering was held at Northwood House in anticipation of the flypast.

A toast was given by Hovertravel and former Lord Lieutenant of the IW Sir Christopher Bland, who is one of few people to have been granted the Freedom of the IW. Mary was another. He described her as a “superb aviator.”

A pair of Spitfires flew overhead, before the Mark IX Spirit of Kent from Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar put on a spectacular show.