Cumbrian cricketing legend Ben Stokes has been knighted - by England’s Barmy Army.

The national team’s supporters’ club arranged for a plane to fly over Edgbaston on the second morning of the Ashes.

It trailed a banner that read ‘Arise Sir Ben Stokes - Barmy Army’.

The supporters’ club nominated day two of the first Specsavers Test as ‘Ben Stokes Day’ in honour of the player whose man-of-the-match performance in last month’s World Cup final saw England lift the trophy for the first time.

The light aircraft circled the ground for several minutes before moving on.

Stokes, 28, was not in the middle to witness it, with Rory Burns and captain Joe Root batting at the time.

As well as paying for the fly over, the Barmy Army also distributed cardboard masks bearing the Durham all-rounder’s face.

Born in Christchurch, New Zealand, Stokes moved to Cumbria with his parents at the age of 12, where he learnt cricket and began playing for Cockermouth.

His talent led to a meteoric rise.

Stokes holds the record for England’s fastest ever Test double-century and for the most runs scored by an individual batsman in the morning session of a Test match.

In 2017 he became the highest-paid overseas player in the history of the Indian Premier League, with a contract worth £1.7m.

Stokes has not forgotten his roots.

He spent last Saturday back at Cockermouth Cricket Club where he chatted to former team-mates and fans, posing for photographs and signing autographs.

He was made a life member of the club, and said:

“This is where I grew up and spent most of my time in the nets all summer.

“Cockermouth is where I learnt to play the game and if it wasn’t for the club I probably wouldn’t be here speaking to you like this.

“I’ll never forget where everything started, and that’s here.”