Norman set to take to the skies to celebrate his 100th

Norman MacFarlane has been promised a flight in an open-cockpit plane to celebrate his 100th birthday.

He and his son will try again at Goodwood on July 26 after their bid a week before was ruled out because of strong winds.

Mr MacFarlane said: "It's been years since I was in an open-air cockpit.

"I've flown in plenty of planes since those days but never in an open cockpit. If you're flying in a cabin, you may as well be on a train as a plane."

The joy of feeling the air on his face was a common experience for Mr MacFarlane in the 1930s.

He was an engineer for the flying circus of the famous pilot, Sir Alan Cobham.

The show's aerial exploits were enjoyed all around the world. Wherever the planes went, so did Mr MacFarlane.

He went on to work for Imperial Airways and again travelled the globe ensuring its fleet of planes was air-worthy.

He later spent time servicing jet engines as that form of transport took off.

It is one of nature's aviators to whom Mr MacFarlane attributes his long life. He has kept bees for the past ten years after a spell with some hives during the second world war.

He has four hives with some 30,000-40,000 bees each.