Tom Mountney, 19, won the ride with the RAF display team after coming top in a gruelling eight-month training programme.

The student from Wolverhampton is to become one of the youngest people in the world ever to fly with the team.

Although he will be a passenger on the flight from RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire on Monday, he has already flown solo himself.

He has shown great determination, team spirit and motivation, and thoroughly deserves this

Group Captain Mike Cross

Tom has spent a total of 80 hours in the air since joining the Air Training Corps in 1997.

He was picked out as the best of a group of air cadets.

He said: "Being an air cadet has helped me to realise my aims in life.

"I am looking forward to flying with the Red Arrows and I think it will be useful experience for the future. I definitely want to join the RAF now."

Group Captain Mike Cross said: "Tom is a credit to the Air Training Corps.

"He has shown great determination, team spirit and motivation, and thoroughly deserves his flight with the Red Arrows."