Selfless Milton Keynes mum sells family home so teenage son can become UK's youngest commercial pilot

Seth Van Beek got his licence to fly passenger airliners after completing 18 months training on an £85,000 course.

He set his sights on being a pilot since the age of eight, and selfless single mum Frances, 42, sold their three-bed home in MK to fund his studies. she then downsized to a small flat.

Seth moved to Greece for the intensive £85,000 flight school course. Though he could have trained in the UK, he said he chose to learn in Greece so he could break the record.

He is now looking for a job and hopes to one day fly for British Airways.

He said: "Flying has always been my dream. There was nothing else that I had ever wanted to do, and there is nothing I would contemplate doing.

"You don't have a single epiphany where you realise that you want to be something or do something, it comes from experience.

"My mum was an avid traveller when she was younger, and when I was a boy she'd take us on holidays to see the world.

In April 2018, after turning 17 on March 4, he began 18 months' training at the prestigious Mediterranean flight academy.

He sat 14 exams, alternating between learning theory and practical flying at Kavala International Airport every three months.

Finance manager Frances said: "When I start to think about everything, I get so overwhelmed.

"I didn't have a proper education, so I have always pushed Seth to make sure that he accomplishes what he really wants.

"For years I have told him that as long as he has faith and believes in himself, he will be able to achieve anything he sets his mind to."