Prince William visits RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire

Prince William in the cockpit of a Eurofighter Typhoon jet during a visit to RAF Coningsby

The Duke of Cambridge has met RAF pilots and engineers, whose job it is to protect UK airspace.

The meeting took place during a visit to RAF Coningsby, one of two RAF Quick Reaction Alert stations that uses Typhoon jets to intercept planes illegally entering British airspace.

Prince William, who served as an RAF pilot, sat in a Typhoon jet cockpit during the Lincolnshire base visit.

He also met local school children at a new engagement centre.

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He also spoke with some of the personnel from the base

The base is one of two which uses Typhoon jets to intercept threats ranging from military bombers to commercial airliners suspected of being hijacked.

The other is RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland.

The Duke, Honorary Air Commandant of the base, sat in the seat of a Typhoon while discussing its capabilities with Wing Commander Andy Chisholm.

He then spoke to children at the base's new engagement centre - the first of its kind at an RAF base - which includes a classroom to teach science and technology.

Replying to one girl who told him she wanted to be an engineer, the duke said: "Music to my ears - we need lots more girls as engineers."

Children from local primary schools also showed the duke a device for successfully parachuting an egg.

Children from local primary schools showed the Duke a device for successfully parachuting an egg in the base's new engagement centre

Prince William was presented with a picture drawn by nine-year-old Ruby Brown of him and his family

He thanked nine-year-old Ruby Brown, from Tattershall Holy Trinity CofE School, who presented him with a picture of him, the Duchess of Cambridge and their two children.

"That's a lovely drawing," he told her.

The base is also home to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), of which the Duke is patron.

As part of the tour, Prince William was treated to a Typhoon jet display