Calling all remote plane enthusiasts

But for John Bates it is the thrill of flying a remote control aircraft which he hopes will occupy his twilight years.

The semi-retired social worker is now seeking other enthusiasts with which to form a club in the borough.

"It all started because I was interested in joining a club so I had a look around but the nearest was on the other side of Clent," he explained.

"There was nothing in Halesowen or Sandwell. I thought there has got to be some interest in it so why don't I start one up.

"Hopefully I will be able to find a field somewhere where we could gather and I have already been making some enquiries."

John, from West Bromwich, has always been fascinated by aircrafts and said he cannot resist aviation documentaries on TV.

But what he wants is to be outside flying the planes having largely been restricted to a simulator on his computer.

The 68-year-old believes many people are too afraid to give it a go.

He said: "The biggest barrier to many people starting is that they are afraid of crashing.

"But you speak to people in the shops who have been doing this for years and you find they all crash their planes so you just need to have your wits about you.

"And there is a switch on the control where if you get into trouble the plane basically lands itself."

He also believes it does not have to be an expensive hobby.

He added: "You can buy and set up a plane and controller for around £150. Obviously there are some people who want to construct their own plane and then costs can start to rise.

"The one I purchased is a 'bind-n-fly' model where you just have to put the pieces together and you are ready to go."

John said a club would probably meet up on a Saturday or Sunday. Anyone interested can contact him on 07775740231.