A Hereford teenager has become a licensed helicopter pilot aged 17 - the youngest a person can obtain such a licence in the UK.

Oliver Bythell passed his pilot's test in March, just three weeks after his seventeenth birthday, and now is the proud owner of a Private Pilot License after more than a year of training.

The student, who is currently studying for his A-Levels at Hereford Sixth Form College, was trained by Tiger Helicopters based at Shobdon airfield.

The sixth-former said: "I don't know anyone else this age training to be a helicopter pilot. The people I trained with said I might be one of the youngest in the country."

In the UK youngsters can take helicopter lessons from aged 14 and fly alone from 16, but they cannot obtain a private licence until they reach 17.

Before taking his test Oliver had to study for a number of ground skills exams in topics such as air law, navigation and the principles of flight.

Oliver said it took 'lots of dedication, time and hard work' to juggle pilot training with his college work studying for A-Levels in Physics, Chemistry and English Language.

His training also involved undertaking a solo flight, which saw Oliver fly from Shobdon to airfields in Gloucestershire and Wolverhampton.

Oliver described the feeling of flying a helicopter as 'freeing and exhilarating' and aspires to join the Armed Forces after his studies to train as a helicopter pilot.

The budding pilot praised his fellow trainees for the support they had given him at Shobdon and thanked his instructor John Croft.

He added: "They are great."