A Pilot has beaten off stiff competition from other European flyers to take a top race title and prestigious award.

Alan Turner made history when he clinched first place in the Royal Aero Club’s Bleriot Centenary Celebrations in France last month - winning an award that has not been presented for almost 100 years.

Mr Turner, an instructor at the Stapleford Flight centre won the James Gordon Bennett trophy.

He was among 20 British and French pilots taking part in air race events at Abbeville over the Bleriot weekend.

He covered the 130nm course in just under an hour in his Grumman AA1.

To his great surprise and delight he won the race and received the handsome trophy. The last winner was Claude Grahame White, who won it in October 1910.

Subsequently the trophy had remained unused in the RAF Club in Hendon, until it was recently refurbished and loaned to the Royal Aero Club to be awarded once again for air racing.

He is now preparing to take on further Aero Club competitions in the months ahead.

Mr Turner, who has taken several top flying titles in his 20-year long racing career said: "This is the biggest and most prestigious I have won to date.

"I was very surprised to win, and with a view to Royal Aero Club’s competitions ahead I may have peaked a bit early. This is going to play havoc with my handicap.”