A decorated Second World War veteran has recalled stories from some of his 50 missions against Nazi Germany as he celebrates his 101st birthday.

Flt Lt Colin Bell, from Tunbridge Wells celebrated his birthday and was congratulated by MPs, the Prime Minister and the whole House of Commons for reaching the incredible landmark.

Flt Lt Colin Bell talks to KMTV about his wartime experiences

Mr Bell was invited to a parliament session days after his birthday where the Prime Minister wished him a happy birthday and thanked him for his services to his country following a speech by Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clarke.

Born March 5, 1921, the former pilot spoke of some of the heroic acts which saw him awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

He went to America on the eve of Pearl Harbour to learn to fly but by the time he got to the States the coastal bombing had wiped out the Pacific fleet in Hawaii.

Mr Bell said: "I was retained in America as a flying instructor for American cadets.

"I said to my station commander 'it's going to be the blind leading the blind' and he said 'I don’t care'. In the morning you’ll go out and you’ll have six American cadets and you’ll be responsible for them.

"He opened the door and threw me out into the night."

Spending two-and-a-half years across the pond, Mr Bell returned to Blighty where he began to fly his beloved Mosquito bomber for the RAF's pathfinders.

The plane, famously made from wood, was flown through some of his more strenuous flying campaigns.

He said: "I knew I was going to get involved in some hairy activity but I was very fortunate I flew the best aircraft in bomber command.

"If you had to fight in a war you couldn’t be in a better aircraft than a Mosquito."

He flew the aircraft in 50 missions, 13 of which were over Berlin, during the war.

He said: "They made certain that as you came in, went over and went out you took a pasting; it was very hairy.

"I remember on one particular occasion due to my inexperience I allowed myself to get bracketed by anti-aircraft fire

"The shell landed right underneath the aircraft and lifted it up and stopped both engines."