THE HARRIET Quimby Centenary Project group has said it is very close to realising its ambitions of marking the 100th anniversary of the aviation pioneer's solo flight across the Channel.

A plaque has been commissioned and will be sited at the Ramada Hotel in Whitfield, and organisers are now hard at work putting together an event to celebrate the anniversary for the weekend of April 15 and 16.

The project is also hoping to raise funding to build a permanent statue of Harriet overlooking the Channel from the cliffs, from a design selected by Yorkshire-based artist Peter Wallwork.

Ms Quimby, who was the first woman to be granted a pilot's licence in the USA, made her cross-Channel flight on April 16, 1912.

Project chairman Martin Young said: "We are extremely grateful to Trevor Bond and the directors of the Ramada Hotel for allowing the plaque to be sited on their land. The airstrip from which Harriet took off on her great flight is now situated underneath a housing estate and cannot be exactly located."

"She was a household name in the States at the time of her death, and our committee are aiming to promote this plaque over there, in the hope that some will come down here to see where she took off from."

Secretary Andy Cooper added that the project were delighted with the design of the statue, which they hope to put up in time for the anniversary.

He said: "Peter's design is stunning. It will be slightly semi-circular in shape to accentuate the 3D effect, and shows a dynamic, vibrant young person almost jumping for joy at her great feat.

"Everyone who has seen the maquette has had the same reaction, it's astonishing just how the statue comes to life in such a way."

The project has also announced that a website dedicated to the life of Ms Quimby will be going live "in the coming weeks."