City travel agent to sell space flights

Dream Escape, which offers bespoke travel packages, will sell Virgin Galactic flights, costing £128,000 and also arrange pre-spaceflight experiences in the United States for aspiring astronauts.

Staff from the company, founded in 2005 by David Tobin and Holly Mackie, spent time in London last year receiving training on the venture,

Scots-born David Mackay is to be chief pilot on the SpaceShipTwo aircraft after joining the team as its test pilot.

Virgin chief Sir Richard Branson and his children Sam and Holly will be among the first passengers for the space tourism programme.

A total of 529 tourists have so far signed up for the adventure, including Hollywood actors Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie and at least two Scots have so far paid deposits.