96-year-old war hero pilot has dream fulfilled to fly again

A World war II hero pilot has fulfilled his dream for 'one last flight' with the help of his carer.

George Harvey, 96, was a Flight Lieutenant who flew bombing raids behind enemy lines during the war after joining the RAF in 1939.

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His carer, Claire Nias, was behind getting him airborne again after she saw found a note detailing his dream.

She was responsible for looking after George after he had a brief spell in hospital.

According to the Daily Record, while completing routine paperwork about his progress, she found a note he'd written that said: "I want to be airborne one last time before the 'wooden overcoat'."

Claire set into action to make it happen, contacting RAF Lossiemouth. Flying Officer Chloe McFarlane knew he couldn't go in the supersonic Typhoon jets so she contacted the Moray Flying Club, based at Kinloss Barracks, to organise a flight.

George once sat behind the controls of the likes of the Bristol Beaufighter strike aircraft and, on one occasion, he was forced to land a bomber with its wheels up due to combat damage sustained during one sortie during the war.

Upon seeing the Cessna plane waiting for him at the airfield joked it "would have to do".

He was even allowed to take the controls along the Moray coast. He then checked out the Typhoons the force now fly with and was presented with a station tankard.

He said: "I've had the most fantastic day. It has been so wonderful to fly again."

According to the BBC, Flight Lieutenant Ian Bright said he was "hugely honoured" to fly with George, adding: "He truly is a fantastic character who had us all laughing - he still possesses brutal military banter.

"Once airborne it became clear that lots of memories were rushing back to him, I think he had a tear in his eye."

Mr Harvey has a wife, Evelyn, 87, a daughter, two grandchildren, and one great grandchild.