NOT content with gaining his pilot's licence after retiring, 71-year-old Brian Berry has just finished building his own microlight aircraft at his home in Whitefield.

Since April, Brian has spent much of his time in his workshop at his home in Hardmans Road: 612 hours in fact!

Brian, well known in the Prestwich and Whitefield area for his plumbing and heating business, said: "The average time to build something like this is 500 hours, but I took a little longer. I've had no problems at all, it's been perfect really."

Brian was diagnosed with MS three years ago, which is why the project took him longer to complete. The illness has affected the lower part of his body and he has a weakness in his left arm.

Despite still being able to drive, and fly, Brian uses crutches to walk any distance and did a lot of the construction work while seated. He said: "I don't think having MS has made me any more determined. I have got it and I have to live with it and fight it."

But Brian is certainly determined. After raising seven children with his wife, Ann, and devoting 40 years to his own business, he wanted to learn to fly.

His son-in-law was keen on flying and together with four other people, they shared a plane as a syndicate.

But Brian soon got restless. He said: "I wanted my own plane. I went to look at a microlight and was taken up for the first flight. I was so impressed that I bought it.

"Flying was something I dismissed years ago as I could not afford it. It is not a cheap hobby," he added, "We were bringing up a family and our money went into the business."

As an ex-motorcyclist, Brian has always been interested in engines. He has enjoyed every minute of his project, but his greatest love is flying. He said, "I haven't flown for a while as I have been working on the microlight, but I am looking forward to taking it up."

The microlight, which is 19 feet long and has a wing span of 38 feet, has been hangered at an airfield in Huddersfield.

There it will be test flown and has to receive an air worthiness certificate before Brian can take over the controls. In fact the whole project has been subject to a series of stringent tests by the British Microlight Aircraft Association (BMAA), on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Red tape aside, Brian is raring to go. He said: "I am looking forward to getting some flying in and I want to go and visit my daughter in Belgium!"

Many wives would be concerned about their husbands flying to Belgium at 4,000 feet, but not Ann.

She regularly flies with Brian and has every confidence in him.

They laughed together when he recounted the time he had a near-miss with a Hercules at Morecambe Bay. Brian said: "I was flying at just 1,000 feet when a big transporter flew underneath me!"