FORTY years ago this year Christchurch witnessed one of its darkest days when thousands saw two helicopters collide in mid-air, crashing to the ground.

One pilot, from Salisbury, died instantly. Almost miraculously, the other pilot crawled from the machine, suffering only minor injuries, before it burst into flames.

The tragedy happened on August 23, 1969, when the Army’s Blue Eagles stunt display team was completing its final display of the day.

One person who remembers it vividly is Tim Grant, who was 16 at the time – one helicopter hit the roof of his family’s home.

That day his dad had bought him a BSA Bantam 125cc motorbike and he had taken it out for a spin.

After returning, he and his 14-year-old brother Jon (who has since, sadly, died) went for a walk to watch the air display.

They had an ice cream – a real treat at the time – before Jon went off to find some friends and Tim headed for home.

“I could hear the helicopters and watched from the front garden as they flew over in their display act and then I went back inside,” he recalled.

“A short while later there was a ‘bang’ and then a crash as one hit our roof and dropped into our yard in the back.

“I was stunned and my father ran out of the front of the house. Mum was shocked and we saw a pilot staggering across the road that runs past the house.

“My father grabbed him and helped him back towards the front door.

“At this time we didn’t know what had happened.

“My mum realised something was wrong and she discovered the helicopter was in our yard and burning fiercely.

“An ambulance arrived and my dad helped the pilot to it, unaware of the discovery mum and I had made.

“Fire and police were now on the scene and we had to leave for our safety.

“Jon heard the noise of the crash as well and had seen the smoke from the regatta but only on nearing the house did he realise what had happened.

“We waited at a friend’s house, perhaps 100 yards down the road, drinking tea until we were allowed to return to our own home.”

Tim’s new motorbike had been burnt out and destroyed with the helicopter.

Another witness, who was 12 at the time, said the other helicopter came near the corner of Princess Avenue and Whitehall.

“Another few seconds and they would have come down on the crowd,” he said.

Afterwards, Jon joined the Army. Tim, after five years in the RAF as a gunner, joined the North Yorkshire Fire Service and later the Oxfordshire Fire Service.

Subsequently, Tim, who has been married to his wife Lindsey for 30 years and has two daughters and a granddaughter, joined the Highways Agency as a traffic officer and currently lives in Worcester.