A BATON carrying a message from Her Majesty plummeted 10,000 feet to the ground as a round-the-world relay landed in Oxfordshire.

Red and white smoke streaked the sky this morning as the Queen’s Commonwealth Games baton made a spectacular entry into the county, courtesy of Falcons Parachute Display Team.

RAF Brize Norton proved to be a ‘stunning’ pit stop for the baton on its 230,000 km world tour, in the run-up to the 2018 sports contest in Australia’s Gold Coast. 

Louise Martin, president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said: “The display was terrific. This is the first time it’s come down like that, in a parachute. 

“When people started to see the plane coming, you could feel the excitement rising. It’s always palpable. This is the build-up to the games, it’s about getting that euphoria.”

She said the 388-day baton relay was a ‘special’ part of the sporting event, adding: “It’s about family; bringing people together. We take it into communities and schools - we want as many people, of all ages, to touch and feel and see it.”

Nine Falcons personnel appeared as pinpricks in the sky as they jumped out of a C-130 Hercules plane above their Brize Norton base.

They fell for 4,000 feet, reaching speeds of up to 120mph, before deploying their parachutes and floating in perfect formation in front of crowds below.

Ian Metcalfe, chairman of the Commonwealth Games Federation, said it was a ‘huge privilege’ to have the Queen’s Baton Relay stop at the RAF base.

He said: “The display was stunning. It is a huge privilege to be here. I would be surprised if there has been a more spectacular [baton] entrance anywhere in the world to date.

“The baton is something physical that people can touch, and engage with a sense of social mobility and diversity. It creates harmony, not division.”

Sqn Ldr Ruairidh Jackson was responsible for safely transporting the baton as the team soared through the sky.

He said the honour was an ‘absolute privilege’ and highlighted the strong link between the military and sport, especially as most of the Falcons joined the RAF as physical training instructors.

Corporal Dan Cartwright, who was among the parachute jumpers, added: “It was absolutely phenomenal to be part of it, especially with the team. It’s such a big thing to be promoting sport.”

Kate Shaw, a spokeswoman for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, addressed crowds after the Falcons landed.

She said: “It’s very thrilling to start [the European leg] here today. This relay is the longest and most accessible in history.

“The baton is very unique and is a symbol of the Gold Coast. The relay is about building excitement and sharing the dream of the Commonwealth Games. It is a much-loved tradition, celebrating community involvement and spreading a message of inclusivity.”

Guests were given the chance to hold the baton yesterday, and it will continue to travel around the UK for the next few weeks. 

The Queen’s baton also visited Oxfordshire in 2014 ahead of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, when it stopped at Cutteslowe and Sunnymeade Park in Oxford.

This year’s relay began in March at Buckingham Palace and will finish in Australia in December.