A WITNESS has been found for the first time to describe how he saw a German aircraft being shot down in the region 66 years ago.

Air historian John Yarker was "absolutely thrilled" to learn he can now record a first-hand account of the Messerschmitt fighter-bomber crashing and exploding at Broomielaw, near Barn-ard Castle, County Durham.

He has already researched every detail of how it was attacked by an RAF Spitfire in a dogfight that started over Darlington on August 15, 1940.

He has just been put in contact with 80-year-old Wilson Taylor, of High Heaton, Newcastle, who was a teenager on holiday in Teesdale when he saw the plane with its crew of three plunging out of the sky.

Mr Yarker said: "I have spent a long time piecing together every scrap of information about the dogfight, so it is wonderful to come across a witness at last.

"It is like a dream come true for me - finding the final piece of a jigsaw."

Mr Taylor wrote to Debra Baldwin, governor of Deerbolt Young Offenders' Institution, at Barnard Castle, asking if he could attend the annual Aviation Day, to be held there this year on Wednesday, July 5, to honour the many airmen killed in crashes in the area.

She passed his letter to Mr Yarker, a retired prison officer who organises the event.

He phoned Mr Taylor to invite him and his wife, Maureen, to attend, and was amazed to hear he had seen the dogfight. Mr Taylor, a retired picture framer, said last night: "I saw the German plane being attacked and coming down in smoke and flames.

"I then saw two of the crew being taken to a police station.

"The third was injured and taken for treatment. I will tell Mr Yarker all about it on the big day.

"I was so inspired that I joined the Air Training Corps at the age of 15, then joined the RAF and trained as a pilot as soon as I was old enough. I got my wings just as the war was ending, so I never flew in combat."

The Spitfire was piloted by George Bennions, who later lived at Catterick, North Yorkshire, but who died three years ago.

The Messerschmitt was one of a large number sent by Hitler from Norway to attack the North-East and coastal shipping while the larger part of the Battle of Britain was being fought in the South.

Mr Yarker said: "Our Aviation Day will be all the more special now that Mr Taylor will be with us to give his memories of the dramatic action. I had given up all hope of finding an eyewitness."