Sparks will fly! Watch the stomach-turning skills of the three British pilots who are Europe's first pyrotechnic air display team

These breathtaking pictures show three British pilots in action as Europe's first pyrotechnic air display team - with spectacular sparks trailing from their wings.

The Twister Aerobatics Team resemble 'flying comets' as their wing-mounted pyrotechnics form dramatic shapes in the air.

Peter Wells, Jon Gowdy and Guy Westgate came together after searching for ‘something new’ having flown for years in other teams or individually.

Team leader Mr Wells said: ‘It's just so different and it is amazing to watch - when I first saw it I was stunned.

‘I suppose we look a bit like flying comets.’

Mr Wells flew as a solo glider before meeting Guy Westgate at an air show. Years later they were joined by Jon Gowdy, a British Airways pilot, and began putting together jaw-dropping routines of loop-the-loops and nose-dives, while sparks pour from their aircraft's wing tips.

‘We were all looking for the next thing, something new,’ added Mr Wells, 48.

The Oxford-based team has performed in Dubai, Bahrain, Poland and Italy among other foreign countries, at corporate functions and even weddings.

‘One bride once phoned us after the show in tears saying it was the most incredible thing,’ Mr Wells added.

‘She was so grateful she invited us to her reception.’

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The men fly in Silent Twisters developed and built by Mr Wells after he spotted a prototype in Germany.

‘It takes an awful lot of work,’ he said. ‘Even though we'll all know one display, each pilot might do something slightly differently so it takes a lot of effort because we need to know exactly what we're doing when we're up there.

‘Though it's heavily regulated there isn't really much room for error, once those pyros are on, they're on.’

In accordance with licensing laws the aircraft have to be at least 500ft above ground to perform with the wing-tip pyrotechnics.

But the team doubles this figure when flying above land to be cautious.

‘Above sea we'll fly at 500ft but when over land and particularly crowds you can never be too careful so we fly at 1,000ft.’

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During a display, the second pilot must rely almost entirely on the leader to know where he is going, said Mr Wells, who keeps the planes on his farm near Thane, Oxford.

‘I'm always the leader when I fly so when Guy or Jon is flying behind me they've got to follow exactly what I'm doing,’ he said.

‘If their engine broke or for whatever reason they have to break from the routine it would take their eyes a good 10 seconds to adjust and regain full function.

‘They're in the wake of the brightest lights you can imagine.’

‘We are lucky, we've been able to see some absolutely incredible things because of the team.

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‘We've flown ourselves over the desert in the Middle East and over Mont Blanc in the Alps, it's an amazing way to see the world,’ added Mr Wells whose two children have both shown an interest in taking up flying.

The standard fee for a Twister Aerobatics Team display is £1,500, though prices vary.

For more information visit www.twister-aerobatics.co.uk