A World War Two Spitfire pilot who died defending his country has been honoured at Priestthorpe Primary School, Bingley.

A memorial plaque to commemorate the bravery of former pupil Sergeant Pilot James Hopewell was unveiled in a ceremony at the school yesterday by Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Stanley King.

Mr Hopewell joined the RAF before the outbreak of the war as an aircraft hand serving in the Middle East.

He then applied for pilot training and, on qualifying, joined 616 Squadron of Spitfires at Leconfield in the East Riding in July 1940 at the start of the Battle of Britain.

On August 15, 1940, he shot down his first enemy plane - a Junkers 88 - in the only major air battle fought over Yorkshire when 60 Ju88s were intercepted by 616 and 73 Squadrons heading for the coast.

He then shot down a Messerschmitt Bf109 on August 30, a Dornier 215 on September 1, and a Messerschmitt Bf110 on September 2.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal on June 24, 1941, for his valour.

He was killed in a mystery accident on January 21, 1942, aged 27, when he was flying an American Boston Havoc twin-engine fighter. He was buried in Bingley Cemetery.

The idea of commemorating Mr Hopewell's bravery came from Harry Richardson who married his war widow, Irene, in 1961.

He said: "Irene told me that he burned to death in a Boston Havoc after running out of fuel and crashing. It's still a mystery how he died because there was no log of his activity."

Mr Richardson's brother Geoff lives in Bingley and saw an article in the Telegraph & Argus two years ago regarding World War Two heroes and set the wheels in motion for him to be honoured.

Councillor King said: "It is always appropriate for Battle of Britain heroes to be commemorated and honoured because they saved us from slaughter, persecution and slavery. Let us salute their memory whenever we can."