A SALISBURY inventor who built who his own Iron Man-inspired flying suit has made his mark in the pages of the Guinness World Records.

Dubbed the ‘real life Iron Man’ Richard Browning has broken the record for the fastest speed in a body-controlled jet engine power suit.

Wearing the $450,000 suit and using thrusters attached to his arms and back, Mr Browning reached 32.02mph and created a new record, which he himself hopes to ‘smash’ in the future.

The 38-year-old took to the air at Lagoona Park in Reading, Berkshire, on Tuesday to try to beat the 30mph benchmark set by Guinness World Records.

Looking like something out of a science fiction movie, he slowly rose into the air and hovered two metres off the ground.

His first two attempts were unsuccessful, as he was unable to get enough momentum.

But on his third and final try he managed to get up to speed – before mistiming a turn and dropping into a lake.

Mr Browning said: "I am delighted we have set the record, and I have no doubt that this is just the beginning.

"I really think we can go on and smash it. I have every confidence we can beat it.

"The suit could actually reach several hundred miles per hour, but the difficulty is being able to reach higher speeds safely and in a straight line.

"I’m very proud indeed to be part of Guinness World Records Day, it is a pleasure and a privilege to have our unique creation recognised and celebrated all around the world."

Mr Browning’s Iron Man suit is made up of six kerosene-fuelled micro gas turbines, which each have 22 kg of thrust.

The Royal Marines reservist, from Harnham, said he has long been fascinated by the possibilities of human flight propulsion and worked on his flight suit for three years before debuting it in April.

He was inspired by his father, an aeronautical engineer who worked at helicopter manufacturer Westland but wanted to be an inventor.