A BOOK offering a fresh perspective on the death of speed ace Donald Campbell on Coniston officially launches today.

‘Donald Campbell and the Final Record Attempt’ includes new material and unseen photographs and aims to dispel the myths surrounding the events before and after the 46-year-old’s ill-fated record attempt in January 1967.

Its creators claim to have pinned down the cause through painstaking scientific research and analysis.

Campbell’s Bluebird K7 - travelling at more than 300mph - flipped 50ft into the air and somersaulted, killing him instantly.

Campbell’s daughter, Gina, will today unveil the book at the village’s Ruskin Museum alongside its Cumbrian-born author Neil Sheppard, who will sign copies.

“Donald Campbell was the last of the great swashbuckling British speed record-breakers and, in the eyes of many, the best there ever was,” said Mr Sheppard.

“His death was as shocking as it was public.”

With others, Mr Sheppard carried out detailed studies into the accident in the hope of laying to rest speculation that Campbell was wreckless in not waiting to refuel after his first run.

“He knew this would be his riskiest record attempt to date but he did not make his return run too soon, he did not run into any obstacle, or adverse water conditions and he certainly did not have a death wish,” explained the author.

He described Campbell as a ‘brave individual’ who planned the attempt in detail.

“He was very optimistic of success and it nearly came off,” said Mr Sheppard.

“The basic fact is Bluebird just went too fast.”

Life-long Bluebird fan Mr Sheppard, 45, met fellow enthusiast Dr Keith Mitchell through the Bluebird project website - www.bluebirdk7.com - and together they set about getting to the bottom of what happened.

A breakthrough came when they discovered colour film footage of the crash and digitally created more than 4,000 frames of the high speed runs, examining them in precise detail.

Mr Sheppard added: “Campbell thought he was well within the limits of Bluebird.

“He at no point thought that at a speed of just over 300mph, the boat would take off.

“I think the reason the interest remains is the feeling that the accident and Campbell's death was never properly explained.”

Bluebird K7 is being rebuilt by Bill Smith, the diver and engineer who found the sunken wreck in March 2001.

Once restored, it will go on display in the Ruskin Museum.

Campbell’s body was buried at Coniston cemetery on September 12, 2001.

He remains the only person to set both world land and water speed records in the same year, 1964.

The book goes on sale on October 24.