HISTORY was made today (September 7) when the world's two remaining Lancaster bombers flew over the Lake District in front of hundreds of eager onlookers.

Visitors piled onto the lawns at Brockhole on the shores of Windermere and were treated to the historical spectacle - applauding as the pair performed their show-stopping fly-past.

The dramatic fly-by was organised by Robert Johnstone to mark the 100th birthday of his late father Archie Johnstone - a Second World War bomb aimer who died in April this year.

Mr Johnstone said: "It is just wonderful to acknowledge what dad and everyone else did, and to remind the younger generation what people went through."

Penrith born Archie, who died in April at 99 years old and lived in the Lake District for most of his life, was a constable in Windermere before being called up to bomber command.

The navigator and bomb aimer trained in South Africa before joining the Dambusters' legendary 617 squadron who took out the feared and till then unbeatable Tirpitz battleship in a daring raid over Norwegian fjords in 1944.

"This would have been dad's 100th birthday, he was keen on going to reunions and was an enthusiast and we arranged a fly-past for his 98th over his care home," added Mr Johnstone.

Brockhole played host to hundreds of families who were able to get into the 1940s spirit with the aid of a brass band, a re-enactment society and a Second World War military vehicle.