'Extreme' flying lessons in Cranfield University plane

Aeronautical students have been learning first-hand what happens when things go wrong in flight in a special "laboratory" plane.

It is owned by Cranfield University in Bedfordshire and performs manoeuvres such as steep descents and sharp turns, while those on board monitor the data.

Students from 25 universities across the UK take part in the flights, which will help them go on to design planes of the future.

Staffordshire University lecturer Martin Fiddler said: "I thought my head was going to hit the ceiling, it was so extreme. So it really is a fantastic experience for students. You just don't get this in a simulator or any other way."