Lockdown gender reveal sees plane fly over Hollingworth Lake

If you were at Littleborough’s Hollingworth Lake on Sunday afternoon (28 February) you may have noticed something a little out of the ordinary.

Unable to host a gender reveal party, Donna and Matthew Wood of Shawclough, Rochdale organised something much more lockdown friendly to announce the sex of their baby – a plane with a banner reading the words ‘Baby Wood it's a girl’. 

For their family and friends to enjoy the baby news together, whilst still conforming to lockdown rules, the plane flew over the local lake at 3pm towing a banner announcing the gender.

Father-to-be Matthew Wood said: “Obviously with lockdown rules it has been hard to announce and celebrate together, so we were thinking of the best way to tell the people we love. We decided to pay for a plane to fly over Rochdale announcing the gender of our baby. This way, our family will all know at the same time without putting anybody in danger.”

To safely social distance and comply with lockdown rules, the pair decided Hollingworth Lake would be the best location as there is a ‘good 2-mile radius for everybody to social distance safely’.

 

 

Matthew continued: “Obviously, we would have like to have a party but with Boris planning on June when lockdown is lifted, it would be too late as our baby is due around July.

“We want to demonstrate that even with this lockdown people can be creative and do something different.

“The reaction from everyone was both suspenseful and emotional. At first, we couldn’t make out the writing which made it fun with everybody shouting what they thought it was, then when the plane turned to complete a circle they were able to see it said baby girl.

“Viewers at the lake started clapping and some crying.

“It was a beautiful day - both weather and the event went perfect. We will remember this forever.”