YOUNG Molly Sutherland managed to help persuade the RAF to send in helicopters to bring her dream of cleaning up a white horse near her home a reality but even she could not control the weather.

The 11-year-old, who is a pupil at Woodborough Primary School was determined the Alton Barnes white horse would be re-chalked.

On Friday a Chinook was ready to fly the chalk to the top of the downs but mist and rain meant it was grounded at the bottom.

But Molly, from Bottlesford, near Pewsey and her brother William, nine, who helped with the scheme now hope it will be all systems go on Monday.

Their dad Rob and his friend Steve Napier, who is chairman of Woodborough Parish Council and has connections to use their connections to get the RAF and businesses involved. Mollie wrote letters urging them to help.

Mr Sutherland said: “We are meant to be on holiday on Monday but there is no way Molly would miss this.

“On Friday it was simply not safe for the Chinook to fly but it had arrived spot on time.”

Molly and her family came up with the idea of giving the White Horse its first major makeover in ten years as a farewell present from Year 6 pupils at Woodborough Primary.

She said: “We wanted to do something for the community. The white horse was looking a bit dirty.”

She and the team then persuaded Lovell Partnerships to pay for 40 tonnes of chalk, MAC Constructing to deliver it to Alton Barnes, Airbus Defence & Space to fund the bags, and Wiltshire Concrete to provide a driver and machine to bag up the chalk.

On Friday Molly and her school friends were ready to help spread the chalk.

Mr Sutherland said: “We needs some more volunteers and they should meet at the White Horse at 4pm on Monday.”