A group of plane enthusiasts from a dementia specialist care village embarked on a 50-mile round trip to Manchester Airport.

The group from Belong Atherton care village spent the day planespotting with cameras, aircraft details, and flight plans in hand.

Their day out included lunch at a restaurant with a direct view of the runway.

Margaret Gould, a tenant at Belong Atherton, said: "We had a lovely day at the airport.

"We enjoyed watching all the different planes coming in and going out and turned it into a game trying to guess what would come next.

"We also had a meal at the restaurant and reminisced about past holidays.

"It was a lot of fun and we were well looked after."

Most of the group are in their 70s to 90s, having witnessed the revolution in air travel during their adolescence.

For some, the 'glamour and luxury of the golden age of air travel' captivated their imaginations, while for others, it is the engineering feat of aerodynamics that holds their interest.

The trip was part of Belong Atherton's experiences programme, which offers activities for residents and apartment tenants.

Kim Calland, experience coordinator at Belong Atherton, said: "Aeroplanes and travel are popular with our customers, often heard in conversation here at the village, so we decided to make a proper day of it by organising a special trip.

"Air travel has changed so much in our customers’ lifetime, and everyone loved coming together to enjoy their shared interest.

"They truly are some of the most committed spotters – I'd say they’ve certainly ‘earned their wings’ when it comes to their plane knowledge."