A pilot flying a restored Bleriot XI monoplane flew over the English Channel today to commemorate the centenary of the first cross-Channel flight.

Pioneering Frenchman Louis Bleriot flew without instruments or a compass from the Sangatte cliffs near Calais to Dover Castle in Kent on July 25, 1909.

The recreation of Bleriot's epic flight exactly 100 years ago was successfully completed just before 9am this morning by another French pilot, Edmond Salis.

Mr Salis was seen passing over the British coastline by Dover Coastguard watching in their observation room, before landing at the Duke of York's Royal Military School.

His crossing comes ahead of Mikael Carlson from Sweden, due to attempt the flight in his original Bleriot XI later today accompanied by three replica Bleriot planes.

Bleriot's original 1909 flight, which took just over half an hour, won the inventor and aircraft designer a £1,000 cash prize from the Daily Mail and a place in the history books.

Following the feat, retailer and aviation enthusiast Harry Gordon Selfridge organised for Bleriot's monoplane to be displayed in his newly opened Selfridges store in Oxford Street, where it was seen by 150,000 people over four days.

Mr Carlson's Bleriot XI will go on public display at the London shop on Monday until August 2 to mark the centenary.

The cross-Channel flights are part of a weekend of events in Dover to mark the aviation milestone.

Mr Carlson was expected to arrive at the Duke of York's Royal Military School this afternoon, which will be followed by a flypast over Dover by the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, The Red Arrows and their French counterparts La Patrouille de France.

French, British and Belgian microlights are also expected to arrive in Dover after crossing the Channel.

The first day of the centenary celebrations will be rounded off with a firework display across Dover Harbour.

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