CHAMPAGNE and a luxury car marked the retirement of a long-serving officer at a North Yorkshire airbase.

Warrant Officer Fred Dawson has retired following 36 years of service with the Royal Air Force, based at RAF Linton-on-Ouse.

To mark his final day of service, W Off Dawson was taken for a flight over the Lake District in one of the base’s two-seat Tucano aircraft, before champagne was served on landing by members of Number 72 (Reserve) Squadron, and a special journey for the RAF policeman was announced.

A spokesman for the base said: “Having changed back into his RAF blues, Fred was indulged in his passion for supercars courtesy of Stephen Ward, from Greenway Garage, who provided a superb Aston Martin Vanquish complete with special ‘SWO 07’ number plates for a farewell tour of RAF Linton-on-Ouse.”

The Aston Martin was also given a blue-light escort by the RAF Police.

Staff then watched the traditional removal of Warrant Officer Dawson’s hat, cane and rank slides outside the main Ggate of the base, and his transition from RAF policeman to civilian was marked with the presentation of a bowler hat and umbrella.