A SECOND World World War pilot has been remembered 70 years after his heroic actions saved the lives of hundreds of people.

At 8.49pm on January 13, 1945, as his burning plane plummeted to the ground, Canadian Pilot Officer William McMullen faced a life-changing decision: parachute to safety along with his crew, or stay with the stricken craft and steer it away from Darlington and the hundreds of residents below.

After ordering his crew to bale out, McMullen stayed at the controls and guided the plane into fields on the edge of the town, close to what is now McMullen Road. He died instantly.

A ceremony to remember McMullen and the sacrifice he made was held on Tuesday, beside the field in which he lost his life.

Dignitaries and members of military groups gathered to pay their respects, including the mayor of Darlington, Councillor Gerald Lee, who laid a wreath at 8.49pm.

He said: “Anybody who gives his life for others needs to be remembered.

“He had an option – either to crash the aircraft in Darlington or move to the countryside and he chose the latter and lost his own life.

“Such people are an example for the rest of us, a wonderful example for that matter.

“It is an honour and a privilege for me as mayor to be there to do justice to this great man who had his whole life ahead of him.”

McMullen was stationed at RAF Goosepool during the war, now Durham Tees Valley Airport, and was returning from a training mission when the oil feed pipe of his Lancaster bomber ruptured, setting fire to one of the engines.

After several unsuccessful attempts to extinguish the fire, McMullen ordered his crew to bale out while he remained at the controls, trying desperately to make it back to base.

Retired teacher, Howard Wilson, pays a silent tribute at the scene where he died every year on January 13.

“It is very significant to the town because he sacrificed his life to try and get the plane back to safety. His daughter was left without a father from the age of six,” he said.

“He flew over the town so he didn’t crash into the houses, which could have resulted in hundreds of deaths.

“I hope we continue to remember him.”