PICTURE PAST: April 18, 1969 – RNLI lifeboat ‘severely damaged’ in storm

Published: 3:00 PM April 20, 2019 Updated: 11:07 PM October 27, 2020

Pictured with their special decorated Easter eggs are pupils of Kewstoke Primary School. Picture: WESTON MERCURY - Credit: Archant

Fierce gales and heavy seas forced one of Weston’s lifeboats from its moorings and battered it against the rocks. The story appeared in the Weston Mercury and Somerset Herald 50 years ago.

Pictured with their special decorated Easter eggs are pupils of Kewstoke Primary School. Picture: WESTON MERCURY - Credit: Archant

A young pilot avoided serious injuries after his glider crashed in a field.

The glider crash-landed in Compton Bishop and was badly damaged.

However, the junior technician, B Longbottom, of RAF Locking, escaped without any injuries.

He had been taking part in activities organised by the Mendip Gliding Club, which was based at the RAF station.

Fine performances in music and singing have crowned the three-day music section of the 22nd Junior Arts Festival at Weston. Andrew Ford (Weston) who gained two cups. Picture: WESTON MERCURY - Credit: Archant

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The aircraft, an Olympia 2B glider, was owned by the RAF and an investigation had been opened following the incident.

– A late-night scuffle between a policeman and two youths led to a court appearance for a 20-year-old man.

He denied assaulting the officer but was later found guilty by magistrates.

The police constable said he had been on duty when he saw two youths approaching him, singing loudly.

Fine performances in music and singing have crowned the three-day music section of the 22nd Junior Arts Festival at Weston. Competitors line-up at Knighstone Island. Picture: WESTON MERCURY - Credit: Archant

He asked them twice to be quieter when one ‘threw his arm around his neck and tried to pull him to the ground’.

– Bad weather tore a RNLI lifeboat from its moorings as it was battered against rocks below the Kewstoke toll road.

The Rachel and Mary Evans lifeboat, which was on loan to Weston RNLI from Barry, had been moored below the lifeboat house.

It drifted onto the rocks when a metal link snapped in the heavy main mooring and the vessel suffered serious damage, despite the gallant effort from two lifeboatmen.

Weston beat Bridgwater to win the Baker trophy. Weston's Phil Anderson gets the ball away to Rod Crocker during presure before the Bridgwater posts. Picture: WESTON MERCURY - Credit: Archant

The boat had been standing in while Weston’s own lifeboat was undergoing a routine overhaul.

A second new inshore rescue boat was provided for Weston and the craft came from the RNLI depot in the Isle of Wight.

– A man who escaped custody in Birmingham a week prior was found in Weston.

Officers pounced on a holiday flat in the early hours of the morning.

The Weston lifeboat Rachel and Mary Evans being battered by heavy seas as she lies on the rocks near the Old Pier. Picture: WESTON MERCURY - Credit: Archant

The man had escaped while being taken from court to prison.

Since his escape, he had shaved off his beard and his hair had been cut in the ‘short back and sides’ style.

He was one of three men charged with stealing and burglary.

– A campaign was launched to call for a new school building to be built in Locking.

The Weston lifeboat Rachel and Mary Evans being battered by heavy seas as she lies on the rocks near the Old Pier. Picture: WESTON MERCURY - Credit: Archant

Locking Parish Council wrote to the Minister of Education to request a rethink.