Friends and family have paid tribute to a Newport-born war hero who died at the age of 86.

Pilot Officer Raymond George Musgrave, pictured, who died of heart failure on March 14, was born in Newport in 1916 and attended Newport Elementary and High School.

He joined the Royal Air Force as a mechanic, aged 17, in 1933, and when the Second World War began, flew on bombing raids over Italian-controlled Libya as an air-gunner.

He became a flight engineer in 1942, and in three tours of operations flew in bombing raids over Libya, Italy, and Germany - though not without incident - on one occasion his aircraft could not fly over the Alps with a disabled engine, and so instead he flew through the mountains to safety, and was lucky to avoid serious injury.

He married Emily Jane Harris, known as "Jeannie", in August 1944, and she spent the next 42 years at his side.

After the end of the war, Mr Musgrave dropped supplies over the Netherlands and flew British prisoners of war home before he left the RAF in 1946. In 13 years' service he had flown in 18 different types of aircraft in 94 sorties.

He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Pathfinder Badge, and in 1945 the London Gazette said: "Pilot Officer Musgrave has continued to show outstanding skill, determination and courage."

Mr Musgrave became a driller in the oil industry and retired to Majorca in 1978. He lost his wife in December 1986, and their ashes are now interred there.

His friend, Squadron Leader Bruce Blanche, said: "'Mus' was modest about his wartime achievements and his decorations. He was a courageous, brave, kind and generous person who loved a party and had a keen sense of fun. He will be sadly missed."

He is survived by his sister, Irene Dodd, his son, Peter and his grandchildren, Charlene, Christopher, and Stephanie-Anne.