LIVERPOOL John Lennon Airport has celebrated a milestone with the 50th anniversary of the opening of the airport’s runway.

Whilst the airport itself opened in 1933, the runway used today was officially opened by the Duke of Edinburgh on May 7, 1966.

The runway underwent a £22m major refurbishing and upgrading in 2007.

More than 3.5 million landings and take-offs have used the runway over the past 50 years including one of the world’s largest aircraft, the Russian Antonov 124, the world’s fastest commercial airliner, Concorde and the much loved display team The Red Arrows.

Today’s runway is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with an average of 170 take offs or landings every day and only closes on Christmas Day.

Helping to celebrating the anniversary were Carol Dutton, HR director and Gary Collins, one of the airport’s rescue and firefighting service crew managers, both born the year the runway opened.

Staff from Halton work at the airport and thousands of families jet off on their holidays from Liverpool.

Robin Tudor, LJLA head of PR said: “The runway is perhaps our most important asset and deserves to be celebrated.

“Millions of passengers will have started or ended their journeys on it and we look forward to welcoming all sorts of aircraft using it over the next 50 years.”