After a lifetime around planes, sculptor and artist Keith Maddison has been asked by The Northern Echo to create an 8ft bronze statue to honour a Second World War pilot who was award the Victoria Cross. Chris Webbber spoke to him.

THE son of a Second World War RAF rear-gunner, a renowned artist, a member of the Royal Auxiliary Airforce and a North-Easterner - it would be hard to find a better choice to create the sculpture of Andrew Mynarski.

"It is such an honour for me," says Keith Maddison, 53 of Northumberland, "especially as I've known the story of Andrew Mynarski all my life."

Mr Maddison first heard as a child how Andrew Mynarski was awarded the Victoria Cross after he gave his life trying to save his friend.

He heard the story from his father, Jack Maddison, of Usworth, near Washington, Wearside, who was a rear-gunner in the RAF during the Second World War.

Now he says he cannot wait to do his bit to honour Pilot Officer Mynarski, a Canadian, who flew from Middleton St George, now Teesside Airport, on his final flight on June 12, 1944.

Mr Maddison said: "The part of the story where Andrew salutes his friend when both believe they are about to die, that gets you the most.

"What a moment. He'd done everything to rescue his pal from the burning plane, but couldn't. He had to jump knowing they were both going to die. That's why I would like to have a statue showing Andrew saluting. We'll have to see how it looks, but that seems the obvious thing to do."

Mr Maddison was an air cadet from the age of 13. He thought seriously about joining the RAF but his talent as an artist was obvious by the time he left school.

"It was just one of those things that I did not end up joining the RAF, but, if I say so myself, I was already a pretty good artist. In fact, I think I won the art prize every year of my school life."

He went on to gain qualifications and became a sculpture and ceramics teacher for 12 years.

Mr Maddison, who lives with his wife, Christine, near Otterburn, gave up teaching in 1986 to become a full-time sculptor.

He was commissioned to create the statue of Middlesbrough and England hero George Hardwick, and made a statue of a miner at Fishburn village, in County Durham.

He has also created statues of other airmen, including pioneer commercial pilot Ted Fresson at Inverness Airport and Geoffrey de Havilland, founder of the legendary de Havilland Aircraft Company, in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.

However, he says he will be as proud of a sculpture honouring Plt Off Mynarski as he is of any piece of work he has done.

"I cannot tell you how proud I am. I just want to get on and do the best job I possibly can," he said.

The Northern Echo has launched a campaign to raise the £40,000 needed to mark Andrew Mynarski's sacrifice. The Forgotten Hero campaign aims to erect a statue in airman Mynarski's memory at Teesside International Airport. Our campaign has already won widespread support on both sides of the Atlantic, including Prime Minister Tony Blair, the British Legion and the Royal Canadian Air Force.