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A white knuckle ride in the blue yonder!
Crowds lined the streets and beach as daredevil pilots raced through Lancashire's skies.
The thrilling Aero GP came to Britain for the first time with the world's best pilots tackling daring stunts thousands of feet above Blackpool.
Britain's Mark Jefferies took the overall title – but the Evening Post's picture editor IAIN LYNN got a bird's eye view of the action too.
Here is his account of an afternoon in the fast lane:
I am about to travel the length of Lancashire's most famous landmark in under 12 seconds.
And if that is not exciting enough, I will also be performing aerobatic manoeuvres, high above Blackpool's Golden Mile, which would make the Red Arrows proud.
My aircraft for this afternoon of madness is a Russian Sukhoi. It looks unnervingly flimsy, but apparently for good reason.
It has a 400hp nine cylinder engine, not a twirled round rubber band (I checked this carefully before boarding), and during the Aero GP it races at breakneck speed against six other similar aircraft, often with wings only inches apart.
My pilot for the day is Andy Bickmore, a former mechanic.
He explains that normal people will pass out when pulling 3G during a manoeuvre but, while he can endure an unsustained 4-7G from experience, the aircraft is capable of plus or minus 23G.
The blood has already drained from my face.
So it's up, up and away from Blackpool Airport and before I know it, I'm sweeping majestically over the resort.
As the tower glides into view, Andy pulls the stick hard left and we lurch into the kind of spin usually reserved for my laundry. I just hang on for dear life – breathless, speechless and helpless!
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Weather for Preston
Tuesday 07 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: -6 C to 4 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: -2 C to 2 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: South east
