TWO Canadian water bombers landed at St Athan on the weekend - thanks to Iron Maiden star Bruce Dickinson!

Their arrival was down to lead singer Bruce, who runs the aircraft maintenance company Cardiff Aviation Limited based at St Athan.

It all came about due to the latest series of reality TV series Ice Pilots NWT, which focuses on the Canadian airline Buffalo Airways, and which is currently being filmed.

Mikey McBryan, who runs Buffalo Airways, invited Bruce - who was on tour with the band in North America - to visit the airline when the tour reached Edmonton in Canada.

During his visit Bruce, a commercial airline pilot and established aviation entrepreneur, struck up a good relationship with Mikey.

So when Mikey mentioned that the airline had two water bombers in Turkey which were due to be stored in Europe for a short period of time, Bruce suggested St Athan - and the Canadair CL-215s landed on Saturday (October 6).

The airline specialises in cargo shipments, fire suppression and passenger travel in the Northwestern Territories of Canada.