News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A British Airways pilot has spoken of her delight at colleagues’ “overwhelming” support after announcing her change from man to woman.

Captain Cat Burton, 62, who has 40 years’ flying experience, announced her gender transition to colleagues on an online forum.

Cat said: “It has had 10,000 views and we only have 3,700 pilots. There have been over 300 messages and every one of them has been supportive.”

She said a couple of the messages had been “leg pulls”.

But Cat said: “They have been laughing with me, not at me. Laughing at trans people is not acceptable.

"It has been truly good-natured banter, overwhelmingly supportive. They had me in tears several times.”

Cat said she had “dabbled in cross gender matters” as a ­teenager but “pushed it in a box at the back of my brain”.

She said: “Locking that box in my teens was a mistake. For most of my adult life I have been part of a person.

“I’m still the same person – however, that person has got more to them. More rounded and integrated.”

Friends learned of her transition from Vance to Cat on Facebook, when she declared: “Welcome to the new me!”

Cat said she had been completely open and honest with all her pals. She said: “I’ve not lost a single friend – society is moving so quickly.”

BA bosses have also been supportive. A spokesman said: “We support Captain Burton and look forward to welcoming her back to work.”

Last month we told how boxing promoter Frank Maloney, 61, was planning to transition and was living as a woman, Kellie.

Cat said: “What matters is what’s between my ears and that tells me I’m a woman and I will live the rest of my life as

a woman.”