NEIL Hodgson has vivid memories of a plane crash that took place in Bigrigg over 60 years ago.

It was an exciting day back in June, 1947 for a seven-year-old boy stood idling his time watching a workman when a Miles Martinet twin seater aircraft lost height, skimmed over the rooftops and crashed into a wooded area near St John’s Church.

Neil was only seven, looking forward to his upcoming eighth birthday, when the event occurred. Yet his childhood memory remains undimmed. And it is only recently that he has discovered the full details.

A newspaper report of the time reveals how a routine flight from Silloth RAF station on Thursday, June 19, ended badly when the aircraft, piloted by W/O Arthur Bell, developed engine trouble.

The Whitehaven News headline said it all: Workington Pilot in Plane Crash – Narrow Escape at Bigrigg.

Bell, of Wastwater Avenue, Workington, was accompanied by Cpl Victor King of London and had tried to land the plane in a field opposite St John’s Church, Bigrigg, but a wing-tip touched a tall tree on the boundary of Springfield Park. The plane crashed through the trees and both wings were sheared off. It then burst into flames and parts of the fuselage and wings ended up in the trees.

It was during the school lunch break and Neil was making his way home to Springfield Road for his dinner.

He was distracted by the activity of a joiner, busy at his work installing fencing for the new pre-fabs that were being built opposite and stood a while to watch, as children do.

It was at this point that Neil saw the plane’s unscheduled descent, coming down over the top of the post office (which was then on the corner near to where he lived) and heading for a field.

One part of the blazing craft fell in a thicket on one side of the road while the cockpit and engine hurtled across the road, narrowly missing a van, and crashed into the grass verge where it “blazed fiercely’’.

The van, which belonged to Cumberland War Agricultural Committee, reversed to the scene and the driver took the two airmen to Whitehaven Hospital.

The Whitehaven News account also tells us that a David Hartley, an off-duty bus driver was quickly at the scene. He lived at Fearon Street, Bigrigg, and had been walking along the road when he heard a loud explosion and saw a sheet of flame hurtle across the road, just missing a van.

“I ran back to the burning wreckage and saw one of the airmen helping another man out of it,’’ Mr Hartley had told the News reporter. “I gave a hand and both men were got clear.’’

The airmen were badly cut and had some burns but their injuries did not appear to be too serious, he said.

The Rev J A Shaw, curate of St John’s, had called the Fire Brigade at Whitehaven, which arrived led by Senior Officer Hall.

The fire crew had to contend with two fires, one on either side of the road. In 30 minutes, they had the flames under control and the fires were extinguished after an hour. Neil recalls the pall of black smoke that rose up and the kids all rushing to see the fire engines in action.

“It was beautiful that bit of woodland, the crash destroyed about a 60ft stretch of trees and the plane was torn to bits,’’ said Neil.

“At first we thought it was a fire in Bert Pickthall’s barn. He was licensee of the pub (Old Captain’s House) and there were stables and barns behind it,’’ said Neil.

Keen to get the full story, the reporter had gone to Whitehaven Hospital and was present while the two men were being tended.

W/O Bell, who had been flying for three years, had appeared little affected and Cpl King seemed quite cheerful although he was badly cut and had received severe burns to his hands and face.

Later that day, a salvage crew of RAF men arrived and mounted guard over the wreckage, awaiting the arrival of technical officers whose job it was to try and assess the cause of the accident.

Also later, Neil saw three men in uniform at the telephone kiosk, next to the post office, the final chapter in a thrilling day for a seven-year-old in post-war Britain.

During the war, Bigrigg had formerly been home to an RAF radio beacon on Ivy Hill, which is now the site of the local television transmitter.