A HAMPSHIRE schoolgirl has become one of the youngest people in the country to fly solo in a glider.

Zoe Mallam, a Wyvern College pupil, flies with the Portsmouth Naval Gliding Centre, and on her 14th birthday last month took a 40 minute solo flight with tricky conditions over Daedalus airfield.

She first became interested in flying in 2012, and now flies every weekend, crediting her great-grandfather for inspiring her interest.

He designed the fuselage for the Spitfire and now Zoe’s ambition is to race competitively in a high performance glider, known as a Sailplane.

She is training for a bronze badge and cross-country flying.