I RESEARCH both military and civil aircraft crashes in County Durham including Teesdale and Weardale and I am in the process of writing a book.

Can readers remember a light aircraft which made a forced landing on the Demesnes at Barnard Castle sometime in the 1950s?

This incident is not to be confused with another aircraft which landed here in 1917.

Also in 1956 an RAF Scottish Aviation Pioneer aircraft crashed at Boldron and the four aircrew were all okay.

During the First World War did an aircraft crash in a tree near Winston? Also two Meteor jet fighters had a mid-air collision and crashed near Stanhope and in 1941 a RAF Hurricane fighter made a forced landing near Wearhead. Any local aircraft crash photographs or newspaper cuttings would be copied and returned.

Please contact Philip Smith on 0191 4883654 after 3pm or write to13 Sunnidale, Fellside Park, Whickham, Newcastle-uponTyne, NE16 5TT or e-mail philip.smith322@btinternet.com. I am the founder member of the 55 Aircraft Accidents Research Group.

Philip Smith, Newcastle