Victims of plane crash remembered

Forty-five people who died when a flying boat crashed on the Isle of Wight 50 years ago are being remembered in a ceremony.

The Aquilla Airlines plane crashed into a disused chalk pit near Chessell on 15 November, 1957.

Forty-three passengers and crew died at the scene and two died later.

The service, at St Mary's Church in Brook, will hear from Dennis Padwick, 93, who was the police inspector on the Isle of Wight at the time of the crash.

"I was aware of the grace of God [which] helped me do something I'd never done before," said Mr Padwick, now 93 years old.

Someone else had to come back three or four times because he couldn't identify his daughter Dennis Padwick, former Isle of Wight police inspector

"I've handled dead bodies before, but nothing like this. It's something I remember vividly.

"Relatives came to identify the bodies, and some of them were in a very distressed state.

"One man had lost his wife, daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter.

"Someone else had to come back three or four times because he couldn't identify his daughter.

"I felt sorrow, but I never felt like crying.

"I had help, inner strength from somewhere, to get through it."

The flying boat was taking 50 passengers and eight crew from Southampton to Las Palmas and Madeira via Lisbon.

It developed engine problems shortly after take-off and crashed at about 2250 GMT.

Three honeymoon couples were among those who died.

Survivors and relatives of those who died are expected to attend the service which is being conducted by the Archdeacon of the Isle of Wight, Ven Caroline Baston.