Aircraft Draws Bin-shaped Flightpath Over Clacton Ahead of By-election

The plane took off from Earls Colne airfield at 2:48pm and landed at 4:13pm, having spent around half an hour above the sea off Clacton, zig-zagging to create the shape of a bin. The aircraft is in private ownership and it is not known who flew it during the stunt. Voters will go to the polls in Clacton on Thursday in a by-election triggered by the resignation of Reform UK leader Nigel Farage.

Mr Farage is being investigated by parliamentary standards commissioner Daniel Greenberg over a £5m gift from cryptocurrency tycoon Christopher Harborne, which he received before taking his seat in the Commons. The investigation was suspended on his resignation but is likely to resume if he wins. If found to have broken rules and a suspension of more than 10 days is imposed, it could trigger a recall petition and force a second contest.