A FORMER aircraft engineer was on cloud nine when he was awarded his MBE from the Queen.

Frederick Johnson travelled to Buckingham Palace with wife Jean and daughter Suzanne Waring to pick up the honour last month.

Mr Johnson was awarded his MBE for services to the aircraft industry -- which he entered as a young man. And at 70-years-old he is still working.

Mr Johnson, of Blackburn Old Road, in Hoghton, started work for Courtaulds, in Clayton-le-Moors, which became English Electrical and then GEC.

He now works for a company called BHW Components in Wigan as a customer relations manager.