AN aircraft enthusiast who built a working replica of a 1930s biplane in his own backyard has won an award for his work.

John Rogerson took four years to lovingly hand-craft the Isaacs Fury in a garden shed at his home in Ferryhill, County Durham.

The plane is a replica of a 1932 Hawker Fury, the forerunner of the famous Hawker Hurricane, and is based on plans drawn up by John Isaacs.

The fuselage for the aircraft was built out of spruce and plywood and is covered with fabric.

The plane's engine came from a crashed helicopter, which Mr Rogerson recovered and refurbished.

The 55-year-old is a former aircraft engineer who has turned plane building into his hobby.

Now a professional dog training and behaviour consultant, he has built one other craft, a two-seater, but the Fury is his pride and joy.

Mr Rogerson flies the plane, which has a wingspan of 21ft, purely for his own enjoyment.

He said: "It has exceeded all my expectations because it is very aerobatic. It's an amazing experience to fly an aircraft like that, especially as every part of it is my own work."

The aircraft was entered into a competition organised by the Popular Flying Association, which oversees the building of all private aircraft in the country, at Fishburn Airfield, in County Durham, at the weekend.

Mr Rogerson's plane, which is stored at Fishburn, beat 108 other entries to win the trophy for the North-East's best home-built aircraft and will now be entered in the national competition next month.

He said: "I'm absolutely delighted to win. The main satisfaction is in watching it fly for the first time, but to get an award from other people who build aircraft and recognise the workmanship that goes into it, is absolutely amazing."

Mr Rogerson belongs to the North-East Strut organisation, a group of like-minded people who build and fly their own planes.

It meets at Fishburn Airfield on the third Wednesday of the month, at 8pm, and anyone interested in learning more about the hobby is welcome to attend.