At 17 most people are grappling with learning to drive a car but one former Bradford schoolboy has been busy taking to the skies above Yorkshire.

Jonny Lee, of Eldwick, near Bingley, has proved the sky is the limit, gaining his pilot’s licence shortly before his 18th birthday.

The former Woodhouse Grove pupil took his first solo flight at just 16 after taking lessons at Multiflight’s flying school at Leeds-Bradford International Airport.

One of the youngest pilots in the country, Jonny sat seven written exams and completed more than 55 hours on a Robin HR200 light aircraft to gain the licence.

He now hopes to become a long-haul airline pilot once he has passed a series of commercial flying exams at Bristol Ground School.

Jonny, who also enjoys football, squash and tennis, said: “I used to fly by plane a lot to go on holiday. When I went to Spain a few years ago I thought it would be good to fly one of these. I like the freedom of being up in the air by yourself.

“I found my driving test harder than my flying test. There are only 10,000 people in the UK that can fly a plane so I’m fairly unique.

“Most people learning seem to be in their late 20s.

“It’s good being able to see the cars going really slow when I’m flying in a straight line.”

Jonny, who has worked at La Stazione coffee shop in Ilkley for the past 18 months to fund his flying lessons, has also completed cross-country flights to Durham and Humberside and is planning a flight to Jersey.

His first flying lesson was a 16th birthday present from his parents, who drove him to the airport.

Asked whether his parents were ever nervous about him flying, Jonny added: “My mum and grandma are.

“My friends don’t really believe me when I tell them what I’m doing.”