A BATTLE of Britain hero has died a week before his 95th birthday.

Frank Lanning, from Cockerton Green, Darlington, was an air gunner during the Second World War and won the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for shooting down two German bombers in one night.

In 1990, he told The Northern Echo that he had joined the RAF in 1939, because he wanted "to have a go at the enemy".

At 33, he was too old to be a pilot, so instead became an air gunner on Defiants with 141 squadron. He became known to his colleagues as Grandpa.

He broke his back in an accident, which probably saved his life, as, while he was in hospital, half of his squadron were wiped out in a single day.

His most memorable night was in May 1941, when he brought down two bombers.

He was flying patrols on the North-East coast when he hit a Heinkel 111, which crashed at Morpeth, Northumberland.

The same day, he hit a Junkers 88, which came down on Holy Island after Mr Lanning's machine gun fire tore through the petrol feed pipe.

In the 1990 interview, Mr Lanning said: "They were exciting times and I have to say I enjoyed it, although it was sad to lose friends.

"There were times when you were nervous - but I'm from London and seeing it burning was a terrible sight."

After going to St Paul's School, London, Mr Lanning studied languages in Switzerland, where he met his wife Lisa, who he married in 1929.

After the war, Mr Lanning joined the Control Commission, set up to run Germany. He was then with the diplomatic service before returning to London to work in publishing.

He retired at 70, when he moved to Darlington to be near daughter, Joan Owston, who lives at Bedale, North Yorkshire. He was a member of various RAF associations.

He and his wife lived in Cockerton until two years ago, when Mrs Lanning's ill-health saw them move to Rydal Nursing Home in Darlington. She died soon afterwards.

Mr Lanning lived at the home until his death, on Thursday. He had two grand-daughters and a great-grand-daughter.

His funeral will be tomorrow, at 11.15am, at Darlington Crematorium.