A PILOT who saved his life and that of a glider pilot he was towing has been praised by air safety chiefs.

Robert Cassidy, 55, of Cleadon Close, Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, was runner-up in the 2002 Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) General Aviation Safety Awards.

Mr Cassidy, a hospital radiographer who has had a pilot's licence for 15 years, was flying a PA-25 Pawnee light aircraft at about 400ft over Northumberland last June when the engine failed.

He released the glider he was towing at the right moment and managed to glide his plane back in to land at Milfield Aerodrome, near Wooler, North Northumberland.

Both men made it back to the ground safely.

Mr Cassidy said: "I was very pleased to be put forward for this award.

"The CAA are very specific about rewarding skills and aircraftsmanship."

He said that what happened was no great deal and that any pilot with reasonable skills would have done what he did.

The awards recognise pilots who have averted a serious or possibly fatal accident with "exceptional feats of airmanship".