TRUCKER Dave Sayers is just plane crazy, quite literally. Since he was just a boy, aircraft have been his great passion.

So when it came to a landmark birthday his wife Diane knew just what he'd like as a really special present.

And on the day he celebrated the big 4-0 he found himself taking the controls of a multi-million pound Tucano simulator.

Dave, from Norton, near Malton, North Yorkshire, is so enthusiastic about planes that whenever possible he tries to take his driving breaks on Bilsdale moor so he can watch Tornadoes and Harriers fly while he eats his sandwiches.

He's a voracious reader of aviation magazines - and one of the happiest days of his life was when, as a farm worker, his tractor was selected by American A-10 tank-buster jets as a practice target.

So Diane contacted RAF Linton-on-Ouse to find out if her husband could see some of his beloved planes close-up as a birthday treat The answer was a prompt yes - but even she didn't imagine the treat pilots had in store for them, and when flight simulator staff asked Dave if he would like to have a go, his reaction was more that of a four-year-old.

"It was fantastic and having a go in the simulator was simply a dream come true," he said. "Being here at Linton has made this my best birthday ever."

A delighted Diane added: "Just looking at his face as he sat in a plane and flew the simulator said it all; I'm so pleased the RAF allowed us to come here.

"We came away with a lovely picture of the two of us by a Tucano - and I've got a feeling it might end up replacing our wedding photo on the mantelpiece."