An airman who trained wartime pilots over the White Cliffs of Dover has had his ashes scattered there.

Dermot Reynolds taught airmen the skill of flying low when returning home but pulling upwards in time to avoid crashing into the cliffs in bad weather.

His son Craig, a policeman in Florida,, last Thursday scattered the ashes near the White Cliffs Visitors Centre at Langdon.

He was on a sloped step and safely away from the sheer cliff edge.

Other family members at the ceremony included Dermot's daughter Gail Baylis, of Ashford, nephews Paul, Haydn and Dominic Reynolds from London and Berkshire, and niece Nat Reynolds of Wiltshire.

Dermot's surviving brothers and sisters, Morgan, 87, Doris, 89, and Pat, 93, from Surrey, Sussex and Lincolnshire, were too unwell to attend.

Paul said: "Until Dermot came along there was simply basic, off-the-shelf training.

"But pilots returning to Britain had to fly low to avoid being seen by enemy planes and also avoid hitting the cliffs.

"This would be during poor visibility, usually caused by drizzle or mist.

"Dermot gave them specialist navigation training and he probably saved many lives. He was one of World War Two's many unsung heroes.

"It was his wish to have his ashes scattered here."

Dermot Reynolds was born in England on July 1, 1923 and started aviation training at the age of 18.

He was sent to Oklahoma in the USA to train and became the fastest to qualify in the history of his school.

His high levels of skills meant that he was soon promoted to become an advanced flying instructor.

He was soon afterwards used to mentor pilots in the airfields of Kent and Sussex.

Dermot spent most of his adult life in America.

He died in Titusville, Florida, on November 21 last year, aged 94.