Ely air cadets were celebrating after they were awarded their first-class cadet badges this week.

Ely Standard: Eight members from Ely air cadets received their first-class cadet badges from flying officer, John Donoghue RAFAC. Picture: FACEBOOK/ELY SQUADRONEight members from Ely air cadets received their first-class cadet badges from flying officer, John Donoghue RAFAC. Picture: FACEBOOK/ELY SQUADRON (Image: Archant)

Eight cadets received their first classification badges by flying officer John Donoghue RAFAC, just in time for his team to prepare for this weekend's ATC Sunday church parade in Linton.

An Ely squadron spokesperson said: "Cadets Carter, Sikora, Talbott, Sigrist, Bennett, Smyth A, Smyth P and Foulkes completed their basic training and were all presented with their first-class cadet badges. Congratulations to the newly-qualified cadets."

There was more reason to be cheerful as cadets from the 1094 Ely squadron helped win the Air Training Corps rugby cup.

Six of the winning Central and East Region squad came from the Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire wing, all six earning a place in the national air cadets rugby team, including three from Ely.

Leading cadet Finn Elcombe, Corporal Callum Bond and Flight Sergeant Rory Donoghue will be awarded their Corps Blues when they play for the national team, the first time Ely has received this honour in its history.

1094 (Ely) Squadron Royal Air Force Air Cadets are recruiting and will shortly be holding an open recruiting night for both cadets and adult volunteers.

For more information, visit https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets/want-to-join/.