Andrew Jones' tribute to a fictional hero

"Watch out Ginger he's on your tail!" shouted Algy over the sound of the slipstream.

Then suddenly: "Hang on Ginger! I'm coming".

Biggles threw his Sopwith Camel through the sky, latching onto the tail of the Albatross, sweeping it with his Brownings.

The enemy pilot managed to land his plane as smoke poured from its crippled engine and he sprinted to the trenches.

"I think he's pranged his kite" muttered Biggles.

Just then....

Captain W E John's First World War hero James Bigglesworth, nicknamed 'Biggles' was part of a childhood in which the Summers were long and hot and there was always snow in Winter.

Life was uncomplicated for me and Biggles' antics, accompanied by Algernon (Algy) Lacey, Ginger Hebblethwaite and trusty mechanic Flight Sergeant Smyth were so throughly British.

They belonged to a world which never existed but I didn't know better.

I would go on holiday, together with my family, to Borth, Porthmadog or Tenby in a Morris Minor clutching a Biggles book.

At night, using an Ever Ready powered torch, I'd continue his adventures until sleep.

I like to imagine Biggles is still out there somewhere battling the forces of darkness.

I just hope he doesn't prang his kite.