THE record breaker Donald Campbell is often remembered for the dramatic manner of his death, when his Bluebird boat crashed on Coniston Water.

However, when his daughter, some of his original team members, and fans, gathered at Coniston's Ruskin Museum they were celebrating what would have been his 86th birthday.

Around 90 people attended the birthday party when an unusual book was launched about the speed ace.

The hardback book, Leo Villa's Bluebird Album, is packed full of colour photographs taken by the chief engineer to both Campbell and his record-breaking father, Sir Malcolm. Images of Donald Campbell's era are more often black and white.

In addition, almost 30 of the pictures can be viewed in 3D by using the glasses supplied with the book.

The birthday' and book launch event raised around £500 from a raffle, donations and the sale of prints, towards the museum's £750,000 appeal to extend the building and construct a display for Bluebird, which is being rebuilt to her 1967 condition.

The book, which costs £45, is published by Transport Bookman Publications, ISBN 0 85184 071 X.

For full story see March 30 Westmorland Gazette.