A former pilot has been reunited with the very same Spitfire he first flew in 50 years ago.

Peter Arnold was treated to a special flight in the skies above Kent taking in landmarks such as Leeds Castle and heading down to the Channel coast in the two-seater plane.

Peter takes to the skies again in his first Spitfire

The 80-year-old recreated a picture taken of him and a colleague five decades ago with the legendary aircraft's current owner and pilot Peter Monk at its base at Biggin Hill.

The pair took off from the former RAF station which now hosts the Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar (BHHH) – the largest collection of Spitfires in the world which works to restore others to bring them back into flying condition.

Peter is a renowned Spitfire historian around the world and has travelled far and wide researching and recovering aircraft for restoration.

He said: "It was fantastic to be reunited with an old friend and it was a wonderful, wonderful experience. She is so light on the controls."

"Many, many thanks to everyone at Biggin Hill Heritage Hangar for making this happen."

When the team at BHHH found out about Peter turning 80 this year and by coincidence had the very Spitfire he first flew, they made contact and felt he had to be offered a flight once more.

Peter, who now lives in Newport Pagnell in Buckinghamshire, was based in Ontario, Canada in 1972 when he first flew TE308, which the BHHH acquired from the USA.

He was followed by photographer Richard Paver in an airvan aircraft to capture the moment on camera.