KEMBLE Airfield bade farewell to a larger than life visitor after a Boeing 747 took to the skies from the Cotswolds airstrip.

The 870,000lb giant has been stored at the former military airbase, near Cirencester, since it first touched down there in October.

Kemble Airfield operations manager Sandra Barnes said: "We had quite a few visitors from the BA aircrews which used to fly that particular craft and wanted to say goodbye. It was an unusual site to see a 747 take off from here."

Kemble is more used to playing host to the likes of micro-lights and single-engine Cessnas than 231-feet-long airliners.

But the long runway means it is used to store larger planes from time to time. The last Jumbo to set down at Kemble never made it off the runway after being broken up for scrap.

But the latest giant airliner to grace the strip looks set to be staying in service. After maintenance work at Heathrow it is expected to take to the skies for a new airline in the Far East.