Disabled flier's salute to Spitfire crash pilot

A man with cerebral palsy has taken to the skies in memory of a pilot who died in a Spitfire crash.

Mark Morris, 45, from Grantham, is the first recipient of the Mark Long Scholarship, which gives people with disabilities the opportunity to learn to fly.

Sqn Ldr Mark Long was killed when his plane, which belonged to the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF), crashed in a field near RAF Coningsby, Lincolnshire, on 25 May 2024.

His widow Beth said: "it's really lovely when you can do something so positive, that's come out of something so negative."

Mr Morris has completed a three-week course at Sherburn Aero Club, near Leeds, and described the experience as "an honour".

"Mark was a talented pilot, everybody respected him," he said. "Everyone I know who knew him has said he was an exceptional, brilliant man."

Learning to fly had been "really challenging and daunting", but became "more fun" as the weeks went on, he added.

Mrs Long spent a "really lovely" day with Mr Morris at the airfield.

She said it was exciting to hear him over the radio while flying the plane and to "see his big smile" after getting out of the cockpit.

Mr Morris's scholarship was paid for through donations and fundraising organised by the Long family.

Next year's scholarship is already fully funded and is intended to form part of a wider Mark Long Trust, Mrs Long said.

It is hoped that the trust will run several scholarships each year, invest in modifying aircraft and promote aviation for all.

The family are working alongside Flying Scholarships for Disabled People (FSDP), which has helped more than 400 people.

Sqn Ldr Mark Sugden, the commanding officer of the BBMF and chairman of the trust, said he thought Sqn Ldr Long would be "bowled over" by the success of the scholarship.

"I think he'd be so proud of us – and seeing what an impact it's had to someone like Mark [Morris]."

Mrs Long said the past year had "been a blur".

"It's been emotional – it's been quite tough," she added. "But we have come out with this really positive legacy of the Mark Long Trust, that we know is going to change people's lives for many years to come."

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