Terminally ill grandad enjoys dream Spitfire flight

Brian Fox said it had been his dream to fly in a Spitfire

An 88-year-old grandad who has been given less than a year to live has fulfilled his childhood dream of flying in a Spitfire.

Brian Fox, who lives in the New Forest, has been diagnosed with stage four oesophageal cancer and created a bucket list - with taking to the skies in the iconic fighter at the very top.

The dream was fulfilled when he was able to take part in an Aero Legends Spitfire experience from Compton Abbas airfield in north Dorset.

Mr Fox said the flight had been "exhilarating, unforgettable and wonderful".

Mr Fox said the flight had been "exhilarating"

The flight took him across the Dorset and Wiltshire countryside, the New Forest, down the coast near Old Harry Rocks and back up past Corfe Castle.

"To see all these places I'm so familiar with on the ground, surrounded by my family watching on the ground - it's an experience I won't forget. It will stay with me," he said.

He had also been "desperate" to do a victory roll in the Spitfire.

"I was with a very good pilot called Charlie Brown from Aero Legends at Compton Abbas Airfield, and he said to me 'are you up for this Brian?' And I said, 'go for it, Charlie, go for it!'"

The 88-year-old's family watched the flight from the ground

Mr Fox grew up in east London and some of his earliest memories are of the Battle of Britain and the Blitz.

Mr Fox said he remembers watching dogfights between the RAF and Luftwaffe.

"We all cheered when they did a victory roll, which we saw several of and it left me with an abiding fondness for the [Spitfire] - it became so iconic, such a crucial part of our history," he said.

Reflecting on his terminal diagnosis, Mr Fox added: "I was suddenly told to my surprise that I didn't have quite as long to go as I'd always expected, so that's what galvanised me."