A former Sutton man has been flying high with royalty.

Squadron Leader Roger Bousfield, 36, has been teaching Prince William to fly at RAF Cranwell, in Lincolnshire, since the beginning of last month.

Sq Ldr Bousfield said he felt very privileged to be teaching the prince.

He said: "Obviously, his requirements mean I will be taking him to a certain point rather than, as with other students, as far as possible. But the standards required to progress to the next stage have to be met, whoever is the trainee pilot."

Roger's parents, Judith and Bob Bousfield, still live in Sutton. They said they were very proud of their son. Father-of-four Roger was a student at South Craven School, Cross Hills, until he was 18 and joined the RAF soon after leaving.

Mrs Bousfield said that her son had wanted to be a pilot since he was a young boy.

Mrs Bousfield said her son won a scholarship with the RAF when he was 16 and received gliding lessons, which gave him a taste for flying.

Roger had joined the Skipton Air Cadets when he was 13 and stayed with the group until he joined the RAF.

"The Air Cadets played a brilliant part in his career and I would urge anyone thinking about a career in the RAF to join," Mrs Bousfield said.

Sqn Ldr Bousfield has been teaching Prince William to fly during the royal's four-month attachment with the RAF.

Twenty-five-year-old William is being fast-tracked through the RAF's six-month pilot training course.

He was only nine days into the course when Sqn Ldr Bousfield allowed him to fly solo.

He said the prince had a remarkable aptitude for flying.