One moment Jim O’Neill was enjoying the glorious view from his Cessna plane at 15,000ft. The next, he couldn’t see a thing. Rubbing his eyes, the solo pilot thought his sight had been temporarily hampered by the bright sunshine. Then he suddenly realised that he had gone blind.

Helpless at the controls, Jim, 65, immediately radioed in a mayday alert and an RAF plane was scrambled. It reached him in minutes and, flying alongside the stricken plane, the crew shepherded him to a nearby airport with instructions over the radio.

Ordering him to turn left and right, go lower or straighten up, Mr O’Neill finally made an emergency landing at the fourth attempt. Miraculously, he escaped without a scratch.

It is thought Mr O’Neill had a stroke mid-flight and blood at the back of his head put pressure on his optic nerves, immediately blinding him.

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