AN ASTLEY man was the first pilot to fly an airplane out of Manchester Airport's new multi-million pound runway.

Simon Hurt, aged 32, who was brought up in Astley, was chosen because of his local roots to fly the Emirates airbus A330-200 plane from Manchester to Dubai on Monday.

It was the first commercial flight to take off from the new £172 million Runway Two, which caused a storm of controversy when environmental protesters climbed trees in a bid to stop its construction.

His proud parents Brian, 59, and Malveen, 58, still live in Sandy Lane in Astley, along with his sister Rebecca, 29.

Speaking from his home in Dubai, Simon said the seven hour long flight went without a hitch: "It went very smoothly. It was a great flight, very exciting.

"The passengers caught something of the occasion of the day. They were given a champagne reception before hand and they were aware of the press on the runway."

And Mr Hurt, who was first officer on the day, said it was a "great privilege" to have been selected to fly the plane.

Emirates had outbid other airlines for the honour of flying the first plane out of the 3,048-metre runway. The airline paid £23,000 for the privilege and the money was given to charity. Mr Hurt said: "It was a fantastic honour. I was very lucky to have been chosen -- I think it was by virtue of being from Leigh. It has created a lot of local interest which has made it more special."

On Monday the celebrations started as soon as the 280 passengers arrived at the airport's Terminal Three.

The check-in was decked out in balloons and streamers -- and at the departure gate each passenger received an engraved metal "ticket" as a memento.

Air traffic control gave the plane clearance for take-off at 2.12pm.

Simon now lives in exotic Dubai where he says "the sun never stops shining," with 31-year-old wife Emma, a schoolteacher he met while they were both pupils at Fred Longworth High School.

The proud Tyldesley school has even put his picture up of Simon as a jet pilot -- the only one from the school -- as an inspiration to other pupils.

His job calls for him to take flights all over the world -- to destinations such as Paris, Rome, Karachi, Manila and Frankfurt -- but he still manages to fly home about twice a month.

It is a far cry from his teenage years when he was a member of the Leigh Air Training Corps and he used to help clean up planes at Barton aerodrome.

Simon said: "Some people did try to put me off wanting to become a pilot. I was told only one in 4,000 of people who want to be a pilot makes it. I just said no I'm sorry but that's what I want to do."

Simon excelled in subjects like maths, physics and science. And the Royal Air Force put him through university -- he studied aeronautical engineering at Loughborough. He went into the RAF as a pilot after university and then later became a commercial flyer. His dad, Brian, is thrilled with his son's success.

Brian, who was an electrical engineer but who now works in recruitment, said: "He must be a well respected pilot among his colleagues to have been chosen for this special flight. "

Brian said his son had always wanted to be a pilot ever since he was 14.

"At first I wanted to talk him out of it -- I wanted him to go into my field of engineering. When he was 16 he joined the Air Training Corps which is connected to the Royal Air Force. It's a bit like boys brigade -- instead of going to a youth club he would go there. He did things like refuel planes at the weekend. And if he went often enough the pilots would take him on flights with them. At the age of 18 he got his private pilots licence."

Brian added before Simon went into civil aviation three years ago, he spent eight years in the RAF spending time based in Texas and also making it into the exclusive Harrier Squadron at Wittering, near Peterborough.

The proud parents have just come home after a trip to Dubai to see Simon who celebrated his 32nd birthday last week. Brian added: "He's achieved all his ambitions I'm very proud."