FIVE years of dedicated restoration work paid off for aircraft enthusiast Sid Griffiths in 2007.

The former RAF electrician and grandfather-of-six from Westrip waved goodbye to the Meteor jet which he and two friends had painstakingly toiled over during their spare time.

It is now on display at the Aviation museum in Malta.

Before the trip could start work they enlisted the help of the SNJ, by appealing for their assistance finding a workshop in which they could work on the 48 foot plane.

Half a decade on, having made use of an unused buiding at the MoD site in Quedgeley, Mr Griffiths was delighted with the outcome.

“He was also pleased that other international aircraft enthusiasts will be able to see the Meteor – which was originally built in Brockworthl.

“It’s a real sense of achievement and I’m very proud of it,” said Mr Griffiths, 75.

Mr Griffiths, who moved to Stroud to work at the Ritz Cinema which soon after burned down now planned to restore the old cinema projectors for collectors.