A WORKINGTON woman who dreams of flying high has gone one step closer to achieving her ambition.

Danni Parker, 20, of Harrington Road, Workington, has wanted to be a pilot since she was seven-years-old, when she sat in a cockpit during a holiday in Egypt.

She has now become an officially qualified private pilot earlier this month.

Danni said: "I achieved the first milestone on the journey to becoming a commercial airline pilot.

"This has by far been the most challenging adventure yet: nine exams, one cross-country flight, a change of flight schools, a skills test, years of hard work, many late nights, and here we are, I’ve done it.

"Working 30 hours in M&S for one hour in the sky. Thank you to everyone for all the support the last 13 months, so many sacrifices have been made to make this possible.

"Huge shoutout to my instructor Bob Stinger for the support over the years, from the first flight trial when I was aged 13 to the skills test."

Danni was given her first training opportunity as a birthday gift at 13.

After a couple of years her parents suggested that it would be increasingly difficult to keep funding the £300-a-month needed for continued training.

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Danni said: "Mam and Dad, thank you. Thank you for carefully planting that seed in me 7 years ago with the first flight trial.

"Thank you for working 3 jobs when I was just a kid to help fund parts of this crazy dream of mine, without you I wouldn’t know what it feels like to touch the sky."

"This is only just the beginning, I can’t wait for what the world of aviation throws me next.

"The childhood dream of flying commercial airliners around the world feels that little bit closer.

"I'm honestly over the moon. I am just so pleased that I have achieved it, I did my first flight trial on my thirteenth birthday and then I did my first lesson the following year.

"I got a full time job when I left school and decided I would fund it that way - so I'm working 30-35 hours to fund just one hour which is intense."

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