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'I bought a helicopter for people to sleep in'

BBC Man in a red check shirt and woman in a purple coat standing in front of a grey helicopter with curtains at the doors and a carpetBBC
Mike and Caroline Thomas bought a Lynx helicopter for their guests to sleep in

The owners of a guest house in Cornwall are offering people the chance to sleep in the back of a helicopter.

The cockpit of the decommissioned Lynx helicopter has been preserved as it was during service.

But the back of the aircraft has been converted into a bedroom, complete with curtains, carpet and a double bed.

Owners Mike and Caroline Thomas said they decided to buy the Royal Navy aircraft as extra sleeping space for customers at their guest house in Lizard Village.

Helicopter in a field
The aircraft was used by 815 Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton

Mr Thomas said he had paid around £25,000 for the fuselage and added the rotors to make the helicopter experience "more authentic" .

"When it arrived and was lifted into our garden the engine and gearbox had already been removed," he said.

"After that I had to remove the fuel tanks and some other equipment to make space for the sleeping compartment - I got busy with my angle grinder."

"The fuselage only has enough room for a bed really, so guests use a nearby toilet and shower facilities and have breakfast in the main guesthouse."

He said guests could also relax in the old crew seats set around a fire pit in the evenings.

Handwritten helicopter log entry with words highlighted about a surrender
An extract from the logbook of the Lynx

The aircraft was formerly used by 815 squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron).

Mr Thomas said: "It would have served on the back of frigates and destroyers, hunting submarines, border force control, that kind of thing."

Guests can read extracts from the aircraft's handwritten logbook.

'Bit of a landmark'

Helicopter flight deck
The cockpit looks almost the same as it would have in service

The seats of the aircraft have been removed to make way for the sleeping area but the cockpit is almost fully intact.

"I've seen some guests sit in the cockpit seats reading a book on a rainy day," said Mr Thomas.

He said the aircraft had become "a bit of a landmark" in Lizard village.

"People often say 'just look for the helicopter'," he said. "It's certainly raised a few eyebrows and provided a bit of mild amusement."