A helicopter pilot from Oxenhope who makes a living from ferrying television celebrities around the country, has been fined £600 for not having the proper licence.

Geoffrey Hopkins, who runs the Blackpool Helicentre, flew celebrity chef and author Andrew Nutter in an aircraft which could not be used for transporting the public.

The 50-year-old pilot, of Stone Lane, Oxenhope, pleaded guilty at Blackpool magistrates to being the commander of an aircraft flown for the purpose of public transport without an air operator's certificate. He was also ordered to pay £415 costs for breaching air laws.

The court heard how Hopkins, a pilot for 17 years, came under investigation after he was spotted on television piloting Mr Nutter as part of a Granada TV show called Flying Chef.

The programme involved unsuspecting victims being picked up and flown to the studios to have a special meal made for them.

Hopkins - who has run the helicentre for about seven years - was paid no money by the television company, but got a plug on screen.

Richard Black, prosecuting for the Civil Aviation Authority, said he flew from Blackpool to Hollingwood Lake on June 24 last year.

Hopkins, who held a private pilot's licence, was approached in May by a Granada Television researcher and asked if he would take part in Flying Chef.

He agreed to provide a helicopter which he would pilot, but the aircraft he used did not have an air operator's licence, said Mr Black.

The CAA took the view the helicopter was used as public transport even though no money was paid. The publicity gained was said to be a "valuable consideration.''

Ian Clark, for Hopkins, said: "This was a highly technical breach. There was no suggestion the flight was carried out in anything other than a safe manner.''

The flight was carried out by Hopkins in a personal capacity and he hired the helicopter from the company.

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