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Up, up and away! War veteran Harry Lloyd fulfilled a lifelong dream when he took to the skies, at the tender age of 96.

Mr Lloyd served as a flight mechanic during the war, but never got the opportunity to fly during his service.

He had dreamed of taking to the skies from age 10 and thanks to charity Contact the Elderly, Mr Lloyd, of Kings Heath, Birmingham, saw his dreams come true.

He flew a Cessna 172 from Take Flight Aviation in Wellesbourne, Warwickshire, and said the experience was “gorgeous”.

He said: “It was great. I used to dream about it and now I’ll dream about doing it for real.

“It was beautiful. I had a feeling of being able to go wherever you want, up, down, just having control.

“I was used to planes having a stick not a wheel but I got the hang of it. I must have got the hang of it because I’m still here.”

Mr Lloyd served in 605 Auxiliary Squadron based in Castle Bromwich, signing up just before his 18th birthday. During the war, he was held as a prisoner of war in Japan for four years.

The story of his service was featured in a book called Colours of the Day, written by PA Chapman in 1999, with the chapter on Mr Lloyd finishing with the line: “He only has one ambition left, and that is to fly a small plane.”

One of the volunteers for Contact the Elderly read the chapter and set about making his wish come true.

Mr Lloyd was joined by flight instructor Sharlene Benn, who was responsible for take off and landing, with Harry taking the controls for the rest of the hour-long flight.

She said: “His flying was really good - he took to it really well.

“He was looking at the instruments because that was how he used to do it but I told him to start looking outside at the view.

“He was smiling throughout and I’m really pleased he’s been able to tick that box.”

Mr Lloyd married his wife Maud in 1940 and had to hitch a ride from St Athan in Wales to Birmingham on the back of a milk lorry to make it to the altar - as he was only allowed 24 hours’ leave.

It was only a year later that Mr Lloyd was sent to Java with his squadron, where he ended up being captured by the Japanese.

He managed to escape, but was captured again and was taken to Japan by boat where he was held for four years until the war ended.

When his time in the forces finished, Mr Lloyd worked as a paramedic in Birmingham, as well as serving in the Special Constabulary for 27 years.