Mum Jean Hinchliffe had a special delivery when her pilot son dropped in for a visit during her tea break.

Sgt Steve 'Wilf' Williamson delivered chocolates and flowers in his Gazelle helicopter to celebrate yesterday's reunion with his mother after two years' absence.

It was when the 35-year-old Royal Marine was asked to fly a colleague from his own base at RAF Yeovilton to RAF Odiham, near Basingstoke, that he knew he would be only a stone's throw from RAF Benson, near Wallingford, where mum Jean works as a cleaner.

Steve with mum JeanHe said: "I rang her up and told her 'I'm coming to see you'."

Jean, of Fane Drive, Berinsfield, said: "I watched him land and thought to myself 'nice bit of parking, son'. He landed right on the spot."

It was a homecoming in more ways than one. Sgt Williamson, an ex-pupil of Berinsfield School, began his military training as a young lad with 966 Wallingford Squadron Air Training Corps.

His service with the Royal Marines has since taken him all round the world.

"My most dramatic memories are of the burning oil fires during the Gulf War and flying through the mountains of Norway," he said.

His last posting has been with the Royal Navy 847 Squadron at RAF Yeovilton, Somerset.

The surprise visit to RAF Benson was the first time Jean, 59, had seen him in a helicopter.

It could also be the last, because at the end of this month he is turning his back on the military life after 18 years to become an airline pilot with British Midland.

Sgt Williamson, who lives in Poole, Dorset, will soon be flying Airbus planes out of Heathrow to Europe.

After refuelling his Gazelle, he lifted off again for the half-hour flight back to RAF Odiham, and mum went back to her dusters in the Officers' Mess, clutching her gifts.

She would not say if the chocolates were Milk Tray.