Six Miles From Home
This June marks the 50th anniversary of the Stockport air disaster, the fourth worst disaster in British aviation history and an event forever ingrained in the memory of the town of Stockport. Returning holidaymakers to Manchester after a trip to Mallorca, an aircraft owned by British Midland Airways crashed at Hopes Carr, a small patch of open land near the centre of the town. Of the 84 people on board, only 12 survived. A brand new film chronicling the events of that fateful day premieres at Stockport Plaza this Saturday.
Occurring at 10:09am on Sunday 4th June, the crash drew an enormous crowd of around 10,000 Stockport residents, many of whom set about attempting to pull survivors from the wreckage. Within moments, however, the plan was engulfed in flames and no more than the initial 12 could be rescued. That nobody on the ground was harmed - given that the crash occurred in such a densely populated area was nothing short of a miracle.
Credit for this must go to 41-year-old pilot Harry Marlow. Marlow, knowing his plane was in trouble, had already notified air control at Manchester Airport of technical difficulties and requested the flight be met by emergency services. Over Stockport he realised that making the airport was impossible. Missing all the large buildings of Stockport and avoiding the terraced home and flats of some 150,000, Marlow crash landed in what the MEN described as "one tiny wedge of wasteland nestled among the complex densely packed buildings in the centre of Stockport." It was a remarkable feat - another five seconds in the air and the plane would have hit a block of flats. Another fifteen seconds, the Stockport Infirmary.
The heart-wrenching fact that the flight was just six miles from Manchester Airport inspires the title of the emotional new documentary released to coincide with the anniversary. Rather than adopting an "air crash investigation" format, the film approaches the events of the dramatic day from a human perspective. The actions of ordinary Stockport people are recounted through compelling interviews and a wealth of original footage, including actual air traffic control recordings.
 |
| A huge crowd gathered at the crash sight on the morning of Sunday 4th June. (Image: MEN/Daily Mirror) |
Occurring at 10:09am on Sunday 4th June, the crash drew an enormous crowd of around 10,000 Stockport residents, many of whom set about attempting to pull survivors from the wreckage. Within moments, however, the plan was engulfed in flames and no more than the initial 12 could be rescued. That nobody on the ground was harmed - given that the crash occurred in such a densely populated area was nothing short of a miracle.
 |
| The plane came down on a tiny patch of wasteland. (Image: MEN/Daily Mirror) |
Credit for this must go to 41-year-old pilot Harry Marlow. Marlow, knowing his plane was in trouble, had already notified air control at Manchester Airport of technical difficulties and requested the flight be met by emergency services. Over Stockport he realised that making the airport was impossible. Missing all the large buildings of Stockport and avoiding the terraced home and flats of some 150,000, Marlow crash landed in what the MEN described as "one tiny wedge of wasteland nestled among the complex densely packed buildings in the centre of Stockport." It was a remarkable feat - another five seconds in the air and the plane would have hit a block of flats. Another fifteen seconds, the Stockport Infirmary.
 |
| Pilot Harry Marlow and surviving crew member Julia Partleton. (Image: MEN/Daily Mirror) |
The heart-wrenching fact that the flight was just six miles from Manchester Airport inspires the title of the emotional new documentary released to coincide with the anniversary. Rather than adopting an "air crash investigation" format, the film approaches the events of the dramatic day from a human perspective. The actions of ordinary Stockport people are recounted through compelling interviews and a wealth of original footage, including actual air traffic control recordings.
This Saturday's screening at Stockport Plaza promises to be a powerful and unforgettable experience. Tickets can be purchased from Quaytickets here.
Comments
Post a Comment