Donald Campbell's daughter remembers speed ace 50 years on from lake crash death

The daughter of speed hero Donald Campbell has laid flowers on Coniston Water to mark the 50th anniversary of his death.

Campbell died on January 4 1967 aged 45 when his jet-powered boat, Bluebird K7, flipped into the air and disintegrated as he attempted a new water speed record on the lake in Cumbria.

He broke eight world speed records on water and on land in the 1950s and 1960s and remains the only person to set both world land and water speed records in the same year.

In his fatal record attempt, the son of Sir Malcolm Campbell, who himself held land and water speed records, had set himself a target of reaching 300mph (480kph) on Coniston Water.

He was posthumously awarded the Queen's Commendation for Brave Conduct.

In 2001 Campbell's body - with his race suit intact - and the wreckage of Bluebird were recovered from the depths of the lake and he was buried later that year in the village of Coniston.

On Wednesday morning, Gina Campbell was among a small party who travelled by boat to the site of the crash and laid flowers on the lake at the exact time of the tragedy.

During the journey she clutched her father's teddy bear mascot, Mr Whoppit, which was found among the wreckage.

A public remembrance service will take place later at his memorial on the village green before more wreaths are laid at Coniston Cemetery.

It is hoped that Bluebird will be restored by next year and will take to Coniston Water again before it finds a permanent home in the village's Ruskin Museum.