RAF Tornado pilots have told how flying the jets back home to the UK was an "emotional" and "sad" day.

Eight of the jets which were stationed at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, were flown back to their home base at RAF Marham in Norfolk for the last time earlier this month.

The jets, nicknamed Tonkas, were greeted by RAF personnel and their friends and families.

Flight Lieutenant Nathan Shawyer, who was the last ever pilot to be trained for Tornado jet operations, said it was a "privilege" to be part of the team who flew the jets back home.

"To have the honour of flying it back today and have that reception back here at Marham was just brilliant." He said.

Flight Lieutenant Chris Stradling was also amongst the air crew on the day and told how it had been his childhood dream to fly Tornado.

RAF Tornado fly pass over Valley
RAF Tornado fly pass over Valley

He said: "We got a really good send off from the personnel at Cyprus. It has been a real emotional day. A really sad day for the Op and a sad day for Tornado really. I've wanted to join the Air Force since I was a kid and I have had posters of the Tornado on my bedroom walls probably before it even took to the air so it has always been an ambition of mine to join the Air Force and I always wanted to fly Tornado. That was my dream."

Following almost 40 years of Royal Air Force service, the warplane is undertaking a series of finale flypasts around the UK - with hundreds turning out to see them over MOD Sealand and RAF Valley on Tuesday.

Fly-pasts will also be taking place over the next two days , passing several RAF bases across the country with special significance to the life of the aircraft.

Today, a formation of jets will fly over stations including RAF Honington, RAF Benson and MOD St Athan in south Wales.

The route on the last day (Thursday) will see the jets go over Leuchars Station, RAF Tain and RAF Lossiemouth.

Boss of IX(B)Sqaudron Wing Commander James Heeps has taken part in the flyovers.

He said: “It is a great privilege to be part of a national event that allows the public to say farewell to a brilliant aircraft that has been the cornerstone of our operations for so many years. It’s also a sad occasion because it will mean that from the end of next month the Tornado will never fly again.”

First entering service in 1979, the fast jets has been used in operations across the world, most recently bombarding IS to push the terrorist group back through Syria and Iraq.

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Another of the formation aircrew who had recently returned from operations will be Wing Commander Matt Bressani, the boss of 31 Squadron, the other remaining Tornado formation.

"The national response to the Tornado farewell campaign and the reception we received when we returned from operations earlier this month shows what a special place this aircraft has in the nation’s heart.” He said.

The Tornadoes will be replaced by the RAF’s new fleet of F-35 Lightning jets with the Tornado being officially retired from service at the end of March. But they will be used for training purposes over the UK in the intervening period.