A SHARP-EYED serviceman at RAF Leuchars who averted an incident involving the safety of a Tornado fighter and its crew has received an award.

The alertness of SAC Stuart Beattie in spotting a tiny locking stud on the ground has seen him given a Flight Safety Commendation.

SAC Beattie was preparing an aircraft for painting in the surface finishing centre and noticed the metal object, no more than 10mm long, on the paint-bay floor.

He did not recognise the item but realised that it may have come from an aircraft and an investigation was carried out.

A spokesman at the base said yesterday that the locking stud had come from the previous aircraft in the paint bay and had the discovery not been made it was quite likely something would have occurred on the aircraft’s next flight.

The part secures a slat which extends the airflow on take off, and if the pilot had been unable to retract the slat once airborne there could have been a serious problem with stability and trimming the jet.