Mr Bean in plane rescue

Atkinson, 46, took command of the Cessna light aircraft when the pilot suddenly keeled over as they flew at 16,000 feet above a game park in Kenya, according to a report in Saturday's editions of The Sun. Rowan and his wife Sunetra, 39, desperately tried to revive the flier while their children Ben, 8, and Lily, 6, watched in terror.

The actor - who has never flown a plane before - took charge from the co-pilot's seat as the Cessna lurched from side to side and started to nosedive. An excruciatingly long five minutes later the pilot came round, almost as quickly as he had passed out. Incredibly, he had no idea he had fainted, apparently through dehydration. He took over the controls and went on to land safely.

(dpa)