THE first Tucano trainer has taken to the skies again at a North Yorkshire RAF base after the aircraft were grounded for safety checks.

The Station Commander at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, Group Captain Ken Cornfield, himself flew the first Tucano to be allowed back into service.

And last night he wowed guests marking the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Britain at a cocktail party in the officers' mess with a flypast in the aircraft.

All 65 of the aircraft at Linton-on-Ouse were grounded following an incident just over a week ago when a Tucano carrying an instructor and a trainee was forced to land at the base near York due to a problem with a rudder.

A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman said Group Captain Cornfield's flight was "good news", adding: "That's the first one back on line, it's the start of the repair jobs."

She could not say when the rest of the craft would be able to fly again. "It's all coming back on line slowly," she said. "It's a gradual process, but they are working on more than one at once."