James Bond stunt pilot Tony Smith has denied being an "aerial menace" to residents living near his North Yorkshire aerodrome.

Mr Smith, who flew up cliff faces in the Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies, says flight paths and operational hours at Breighton aerodrome, near Selby, are tightly controlled - and suggested the RAF might be to blame.

He spoke out after Keith Nolan, who lives three miles away at South Duffield, wrote in frustration to the Evening Press about private aircraft performing noisy aerobatics near his home.

Mr Nolan, 54, an engineering safety officer, said the roar of aircraft engines can be so loud it is sometimes impossible to have a conversation outdoors.

His attempts to curb the fliers' hours have been fruitless, despite approaches to environmental health officers and a former Member of Parliament.

"If we were being plagued by noisy motorcycles or other land-based sources of nuisances then action could be taken," he said.

"But it appears nothing can be done to stop these aerial menaces polluting our environment with the noise of their anti-social activities."

Today, Mr Smith, owner of the Real Aeroplane Company, which restores and maintains vintage and classic aircraft, said his flying was permitted only between 9am and 8pm and aircraft approaching Breighton kept away from villages.

"We take our neighbours very seriously and like to think we have enormous amounts of support for what is a very unusual type of unit.

"We are dedicated to repairing and maintaining historical aeroplanes. It is not a bunch of rich boys playing with planes. "We are not into knocking the RAF but the University Air Squadron operates from Church Fenton and are doing continual aerobatics throughout the week and weekend.

"Our circuits are north and south and not four or five miles west, like North Duffield; really it is 'not guilty'."

But Flight Lieutenant Philip Inman, community relations officer for RAF Linton-on-Ouse and Church Fenton, strongly refuted allegations that the University Air Squadron was to blame.

He said: "Breighton is an active civilian airfield and we avoid it, and anything within a two-mile radius, like the plague.

"We never normally fly below 2,000ft anyway. And if there is any need for tactical movements or low flying, we would go elsewhere to lesser inhabited areas. It's definitely not us."

A Selby District Council spokesman said complaints about aircraft noise were outside environmental health legislation because they do not arise from fixed premises.

Mr Nolan would have to apply for an injunction against the alleged source of the problem, or seek damages, he said.

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