Martin Gosling’s speedy flying has won him the British Air Racing Championship title for the second year in a row.

The 70-year-old farmer from Wickham St Pauls near Halstead followed up winning the Royal Aero Club Records Racing and Rally Association’s top award – the Jubilee Trophy – last year by holding on to the prestigious trophy.

Gosling (pictured) attended the RAF Club in London with his wife, Annette, to collect his award from Andrew Haines, the chief executive of the Civil Aviation Authority, at a reception for the annual awards for aviation achievements.

The Air Racing Championship is a points-based series of racing events in the UK and Europe, with pilots earning points during the season. Races are carried out under the auspices of the Royal Aero Club and are handicapped so they are open to all aircraft that can maintain a flat out speed in excess of 100mph in level flight and for pilots who have a minimum of 100 hours total time in command.

Racers compete for prestigious awards such as the Kings Cup and the Schneider Trophy, with overall points adding up for the British Championship title. Courses are typically 100 to 120 miles in length over four or five laps and a handicapping system is related to the maximum speed of each aircraft, with the slowest starting first and fastest last.

Results are dependent upon pilot skill with accurate track-keeping and clean turns being the key to success.