The incredible story of how a wartime RAF pilot survived falling from his aircraft without a parachute has been told by his son on the Antiques Roadshow.
Squadron Leader Barry Douetil fell through the Perspex canopy of his cockpit when his Lancaster bomber flipped over at 20,000ft after being hit by enemy fire. He reached for his ripcord for his parachute but discovered it was not there. For five minutes he was in freefall until he was caught in the beam of a German searchlight. The beam revealed that the unopened parachute was several feet above his head attached by