AVIATION specialists Flight Precision had a pleasant surprise while carrying out routine work in Portugal when word-of-mouth brought the firm extra work.

The company, based at Teesside International Airport, was working on Lisbon Airport when a plea for help came from an airport on Portugal's Estoril coast.

Andy Radforth, Flight Precision's sales and marketing manger, said: "We had one of our special calibration aircraft due to go to Lisbon Airport as part of normal routine under one of our contracts.

"We were checking that the airport's equipment, needed to guide aircraft to and from the runways, was calibrated to the tightest standards.

"It seems the people at Lisbon mentioned to colleagues working just along the coast at Cascais Airport that we were going to be in the area.

"The Cascais people knew that a calibration check at their airport was due and since we were in the area they decided to call us."

Flight Precision, which calibrates equipment to guide pilots in to land at airports, had its calibration plane in the air heading for Cascais before the ink was dry on the contract.

Mr Radforth said: "The operation went very well and we would like to think that we have a potential new long-term customer."