Spitfire brought back to its former glory by dedicated restoration team

Video report by ITV News Meridian's John Ryall

Aircraft preservation experts based at Rochester Airport are celebrating a remarkable Spitfire restoration.

The plane, built in 1945, was delivered to Medway Aircraft Preservation Society three years ago as little more than a shell.

Now it has been fully restored to become the star attraction at a new warplane museum in Stoke-on-Trent; the birthplace of Spitfire designer Reginald Mitchell.

Stoke City Council asked the small team to restore the plane to 1940s condition, which cost a total of £600,000.

It took the power of social media to find, build and swap parts needed to bring the Spitfire back to life.

Philip Cole from the Medway Aircraft Preservation Society said: "The Spitfire represents an awful lot of sacrifice; making them, flying them. That generation of course is fast disappearing, and if we don't preserve it now, it's only thin aluminium so it will go, it will return to nature."

Thanks to the expertise of Phil Cole and the volunteers, the plane was restored on deadline and delivered back to Stoke in time for Battle of Britain Day.