FIVE years of training have paid off for a former Tavistock College pupil who has been awarded his Navy flyer's 'wings'.

Scott Eastwood was presented with his aircrew qualification badge at a ceremony at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose in Cornwall.

Scott is now a Leading Aircrewman serving with the Fleet Air Arm at Culdrose.

The award is the culmination of almost five years' training in which he and other student aircrew were pushed to the limit of their abilities in order to prove that they have the capacity to operate one of the world's most advanced helicopters.

Selected for the Merlin Mk1 maritime patrol helicopter, Scott has for the last 13 months been learning to operate the aircraft in wartime environments from both ships and shore bases as well as completing many synthetic sorties in fully dynamic simulators.

He will join the Merlin force for operations in one of the three front-line squadrons where they will put their training into practice supporting military operations worldwide.

Vice-Admiral Richard Ibbotson, Deputy Commander-in- Chief of the Royal Navy, presented Scott with his flying badge at 824 Naval Air Squadron during a parade in front of family, friends and fellow-aviators.