A PENSIONER has told of her shock at seeing herself in a television documentary on the Second World War.

Joyce Rutherford, 79, of Highclere Drive, Bewdley, was watching a programme on the famous 1943 Dambuster raids on Germany's Rhineland when she spotted herself in a photograph with 200 other people and a Lancaster bomber.

The WAAF veteran, who was personal assistant to the senior medical officer at RAF Scampton, believes she was the only woman to have flown on the aircraft during the war. Joyce Rutherford with her service medal and paybook.

She was 21 and known as Leading Aircraft Woman Joyce Metcalfe when the photograph was taken in June 1945.

She has kept the original with her service medal and pay book.

Mrs Rutherford also danced with 617 Squadron's famous wing commander, Guy Gibson, who led the Dambuster raids and went on to be awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery on the daring raid.

The TV programme was to mark the 60th anniversary of the mission of May 16-17, 1943, which captured the imagination of the British public.

Only eight of the 19 Lancasters returned after flying at a height of just 60ft over the water and using bouncing bombs invented by Barnes Wallis to breach the giant dams.

"I was just sitting reading when I saw them panning to a long photograph of people at Squadron 617," said Mrs Rutherford, who gained a BA Hons in art and design at the age of 71.

"I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked up and saw it.

"It was such a coincidence because I'd been tidying my garage that afternoon and found that photograph."

She added: "The interesting fact about it is that I'm the only woman who flew in the Lancaster Bomber during the war," she added.

"We were offered the opportunity to go on the same six-hour flight as they went on to bomb the dams and the captain told me afterwards that I must be the only woman who had flown it because all the other women were too scared.

"We went all around Germany and Holland."