BBMF grounded Lancaster set to start flight testing

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster - known as Thumper - was grounded after an engine fire in May

A Lancaster bomber which was grounded after an engine fire in May is set to begin flight testing.

The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) Lancaster landed safely at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire after it misfired during a training flight.

The crew evacuated safely and the aircraft has since undergone extensive repairs.

The Lancaster, one of only two in the world permitted to fly, has missed most of the 2015 display season.

The Lancaster performed an engine shut down before landing safely at RAF Coningsby

Flt Lt Tim Dunlop, who was flying the Lancaster when the engine caught fire, said: "It's very frustrating to be on the ground - these historic aircraft are happiest in the air and that's where we want them to be - as a living memorial to the crews who flew them."

Speaking about the engine fire, he said: "We managed to get her back down on the deck, but we obviously did some damage.

"The engineers have done a fabulous job and we are very near to getting her flying again."

In 2014, Canadian Lancaster Vera also experienced problems with one of its engines

During a tour in 2014, Vera - the only other airworthy Lancaster - owned by the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum - was hit by an engine fire during a flight in County Durham.

It was due to fly at the Bournemouth Air Festival as well as the Shoreham Air Show and the Gedling Show in Nottinghamshire as part of a two-month UK tour.

Vera was loaned an engine by the BBMF so it could return home.