A BUSINESSMAN and journalist from Grays was handed a lifetime achievement award in the International Aerospace Media awards recently.

Alan Peaford MBE, 61, from Lodge Lane, was presented with the award at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London recetnly by aviation legend Lt-Col Marc “Turbo” Grune.

The Luftwaffe Typhoon squadron leader last year smashed the Guinness world record for the number of flat spins carried out in a single aircraft manoeuvre with 85 complete spins.

The lifetime award is judged by international leaders in the aviation industry and had a nominated shortlist featuring journalists and broadcasters from around the world.

Mr Peaford, who is managing director of Aerocomm Ltd, said: “I was surprised and delighted to be nominated and stunned to win.”

He was credited by the judges with “changing the face of daily newspapers” for his work over 20 years as consultant editor to the Flightglobal network. He is also a regular broadcaster with BBC World and Al Jazeera TV and acts as editor-in-chief for specialist magazines and programmes for the Middle East and Africa for the Times Group.

In Janaury 2013, Mr Peaford was honoured by the Queen for his work with the Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Foundation, a charity he set up in 1987.