SEVENTY years ago it blazed a trail high in the sky, played a crucial role in winning the Battle of Britain and was immortalised in history.

But the giant Spitfire that has been created in North Yorkshire will never leave the ground – and later this year will disappear forever.

Farmer Tom Pearcy has cut the shape of the enormous fighter in his maize field near York to create a maze that will be open for visitors all summer.

More than 1,000ft in length, it is 30 times the size of the real thing and has been carved out of more than one million living maize plants.

The huge design also features the words “Never Forget 1940-2010” in 40fthigh letters and a Union flag.

Incorporating ten kilometres of pathways, York Maze is the largest maize maze in Europe and one of the largest in the world.

Yesterday, Yorkshire’s last surviving Battle of Britain veteran, Flight Lieutenant Terry Clark, was guest of honour at a ceremony to unveil the maze, marking the 70th anniversary of the battle, and flew over it in a helicopter.

“The maze is a wonderful idea as a tribute to the aircrews and it is fitting that it can be seen so well from the air,” he said.

The York Maze has become an annual attraction for York and previous designs have included a Viking longship, Star Trek’s starship Enterprise, the Statue of Liberty and James Bond.

It opens to the public next Saturday and will be open every day until September 5.

For more details, visit yorkmaze.co.uk