THREE generations of a Grappenhall family shared in the spirit of the legendary Dan Dare cartoons at a Manchester exhibition.

David Waring and son Scott took David's 86-year-old father Arthur, a lifelong Dan Dare fan, on a surprise visit to the exhibition at The Museum of Science and Industry.

David Waring said that he was delighted to take his dad to the display.

He added: "I was an avid reader of the Eagle, particularly liking technical subjects with cut-away drawings.

"As I entered my teens I became too old for other comics, orders for which were cancelled, but Eagle continued.

"Eventually seeking maturity, I announced that Eagle should also cease, but it didn't and it was months later that I found out that my father was still reading it and could not bear to cancel it."