Charity flight microlight pilot killed

Martin Bromage, 49, born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, took off yesterday morning but contact with him was lost over the Channel.

He was to due complete the 11,000-mile journey in six weeks to raise 150,000 for war charity Help For Heroes.

A spokesman for Dover Coastguard confirmed that his body was found by a small French patrol boat just after 10pm last night.

The tree surgeon, who hoped to visit 18 different countries during his odyssey, was discovered two miles from Boulogne.

Bad weather conditions had prevented the sending of a helicopter, the Coastguard added.

His family has been informed.

The father of two set off from Gloucestershire Airport on his lone flight to Sydney at 10am on Monday. He was expected at Le Touquet, on the French coast by mid afternoon. But a team monitoring his progress lost touch with him.

Mr Bromage, who lived in Churcham, near Gloucester, was carrying a liferaft and lifejacket.

On his website, www.flytoaus.com, set up to promote the “epic” adventure, Mr Bromage made no secret of the risks he faced.

He expected to face “incredibly hostile terrain with daunting sea crossings and testing meteorological conditions”.

He also wrote on the site that he had been around the British Isles four times by microlight.

Mr Bromage was trying to turn back to the UK after weather conditions prevented him landing in France, the Coastguard revealed.