THE RAF has conducted a special flypast over Ceredigion to celebrate a World War Two veteran's 103rd birthday.

John Martin, originally from London, but now lives in Tanygroes, miraculously escaped a burning Lancaster bomber over the skies of Berlin in 1944 before being captured and held as a prisoner of war.

To mark his 103rd birthday, two hawk jets from RAF Valley on Anglesey flew over his home in the Teifi Valley, where friends and family had gathered to celebrate the special day.

Speaking of his survival over the skies of Germany and capture, John said: "I was literally blown out of the Lancaster and the first thing I knew when I regained consciousness was seeing a huge piece of aircraft coming by.

"I was very lucky that didn't hit me."

Four crew members died in the incident and John was quickly picked up by a Luftwaffe searchlight unit.

On 16 April 1945, John was in Stalag 357 at Follingbostel not far from Hannover in North-Western Germany when the Royal Irish Hussars entered the camp and he and his fellow PoWs were liberated.