THE RAF war veteran from Chaddesley Corbett, who was not allowed to sit in a Spitfire at a museum “due to health and safety reasons” has been given VIP access to his beloved West Bromwich Albion.

Eric Carter, 91, was the guest of honour at the FA Cup tie between the Baggies and Norwich City on Saturday, January 28.

He was invited to sit in the press box to watch the game, which Norwich won 2-1 and also met West Brom manager Roy Hodgson.

Mr Carter said: “The day went down very well indeed. The only bad part was that the Albion lost.

“West Brom did very well. It was only in the last second that Norwich scored and I think a draw would have been a more reasonable result.”

The lifelong football fan, who saw West Brom win the FA Cup in 1931 against Birmingham City at Wembley, said he had never before visited The Hawthorns in such style.

Mr Carter talked to the manager about his life in the RAF and was also able to sit in on the pre-match press conference.

“It was a red letter day for me,” he said, “Everybody was very helpful. Roy was super and I managed to have my photo taken with him.”

The veteran has made several guest appearances since hitting national news headlines when he was invited to look at a Spitfire, the type he had flown during the Second World War, at the Pottery Museum and Art Gallery in Stoke.

When he suggested sitting inside the plane’s cockpit, he was told by museum officials he would not be able to.

He has been invited back to the museum, where he will see the Lord Mayor and will visit Tranwell Airfield to meet RAF trainees later this year.