A MICROLIGHT followed by a flock of geese over the grounds of Blenheim Palace will be one of the star attraction's at this year's Fly To The Past festival.

Frenchman Christian Moullec pilots the microlight and is followed everywhere by the young geese, who believe Monsieur Moullec is their parent.

M Moullec and his flying geese will be one of many stunning sights as the palace in Woodstock once again plays host to the festival - a full day of flight-themed entertainment including an exhilarating air display.

Event director Francis Rockliff said: "This year's event is a celebration of the history of flight, and the birds' effortless flying display serves as a humbling contrast to the piston and raw jet power required by man to take to the sky.

"What Christian has achieved is remarkable and the sight of his family of geese flying alongside him is a moving display of man and nature in harmony."

Fly To The Past - a day of flight-themed entertainment - is returning to Woodstock on Sunday, July 22.

All tickets bought in advance will help raise money for Helen and Douglas House hospices, and the Oxford Children's Hospital Campaign, which are the event's official charities.

A pound from every ticket sold will be split equally between the two causes. With organisers hoping for a crowd of up to 25,000 on the day, £12,500 could be raised for each.

M Moullec's current mission is to save the lesser white-fronted goose. This species used to breed in large numbers all over Lapland - but today there are approximately only 10 pairs left in this region.

The geese spend the winter around the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea but hunting by the local population on these wintering sites has almost eradicated the protected species in just a few years.

M Moullec said: "My aim is to use a group of four or five microlights followed each year by about 150 young geese bred artificially in Europe. Migrating birds always return to nest in the area where they have learned to fly.

"The aim is to achieve migration, starting from Lapland, and leading the geese with the microlights to more favourable wintering areas in Holland."

  • The festival will run from 9am to 9pm. The centrepiece will be a four-hour flying show with more than 40 aircraft, including Sopwiths and Fokkers in a Great War dogfight, a Battle of Britain display by Lancasters, Hurricanes and Spitfires, and a full Red Arrows display.
  • See the current issue of The Oxford Times for a chance to win a studio tour with Beatles producer Sir George Martin, honorary president of the Fly to the Past show.