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A Merseyside teenager has become one of the youngest commercial pilots in the UK.

Ryan Irwin landed a job with Ryanair just weeks after earning his wings at aviation academy.

The 19-year-old will soon be flying holiday makers across Europe for the budget airline.

After 18 months of training at the prestigious Oxford Aviation Academy, Ryan graduated with flying colours in February.

And despite being told he faced a likely two-year wait for a job he got offered two within weeks of graduating, with Jet2.com also keen to sign him up.

But Ryan, from Bromborough, had already accepted the job with Ryanair when he received the second offer.

He said: “It’s exciting because not everyone gets the opportunity of two jobs straight out from graduating so it was a surprise to be offered both and have to turn down one.”

Ryan will start at Ryanair in September and hopes to be flying passengers by Christmas.

Keen to return to the skies he said: “I’m looking forward to the thrill of it, to be at the controls in a jet.

“I think the first flight I do will be the best bit – being able to say your office is the cockpit and going across Europe every day.”

Obsessed with planes from an early age, the former Wirral Grammar School student spent his childhood playing with model planes and begging parents to take him to the viewing lounge at Manchester Airport.

Delighted with his son’s efforts, proud dad Alan said: “It’s been a long journey and an expensive one. We are very proud because it’s something he’s wanted to do since he was four or five years old and he’s stuck with it so fair play to him – he’s got his reward.

“He was always playing with model planes and wanting to go to airports so it’s a natural progression.”