Paraglider survives cliff crash

A novice paraglider had a miraculous escape after smashing into the side of the cliffs near Saltburn on Thursday afternoon. The 46 year old, from Malton, is a member of two gliding clubs in the region. He had only just passed his Club Pilot’s Licence and has had only an hour’s air time since passing. Despite the conditions being perfect for gliding the pilot got too close to the ridge and hit it at about 20mph. Several other paragliders were in the air at the time and watched in horror as he hit Huntcliff. They called the emergency services. Humber Coastgaurd called in an RAF Helicopter from Boulmer because of the difficulty in getting the casualty from half way down the cliff to the cliff top to the ambulance.The injured pilot was winched to safety by a search and rescue RAF Sea King helicopter and was airlifted to James Cook University Hospital where he was admitted for observation but his injuries are not believed to be serious.
The incident took place just 300 yards from the Ship Inn and the area was sealed off while the crash was investigated. The incident has been referred to the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association which oversees pilot and instructor training standards.

Craft Show returns after 50 years

This month Saltburn held it's first craft and produce show for over 50 years. The event was last held in 1953 and this month the organisers saw their hard work pay off when the Saltburn Craft and Produce Show was reborn. Mystery surrounds why the show ceased but with the efforts of volunteers and support from the community, the event was successfully re-launched on Saturday 18th August in the Emmanuel Church hall.
Helping in the celebrations was mine-clearing expert David Alderson, who lost a leg following an explosion in Lebanon, when he went to the aid of a shepherd who had become stranded in an unmarked minefield.
Saltburn-born Mr Alderson, whose heroic efforts made national headlines and won him a bravery medal from the Royal Humane Society, told the crowd: "I was very pleased to be asked to come and open this show, as it has not been held on a yearly basis since 1953. As you can see around the room, there is a lot of good stuff that local people produce - so enjoy it."

Methodist Church gets £63,000 Lottery Grant

Saltburn Methodist Church, with its tower and distinctive eight-sided spire, was built in 1905 at a cost of £6,600, helped by £1,000 from the 20th Century Fund for Church Building. More than a century later, the Milton Street building’s future is again dependent on grant funding. In 2005 the building was inspected and concern was expressed that the lighning conductor might be broken. It was discovered that the lightning conductor was OK but there were serious reservations about the tower and spire. The brickwork needed repairs and there was a lot of metal corrosion. The Church is a listed building so money had to be found to pay for the repairs. The 85 church members set themselves the task of raising £109,000 to carry out the work on the spire as well as the additional pointing and guttering repairs. This time some of the cash is coming from the Heritage Lottery Fund. With the grant offer of £63,000 and nearly £40,000 they have raised themselves, they are just a few thousand short of the figure needed to pay for the crucial repairs. The Church members feel that the The Heritage Lottery grant is absolutely vital as once given Lottery fund approval, other trusts tend to be more willing to give money. It is hoped the work can begin later this year.

Tracking Saltburn's Industrial Heritage

Maritime archaeologists and volunteers want to uncover more of Teesside's history during the next phase of survey work below Saltburn Cliffs. The surveyors will spend a week recording rutways - ruts cut into the bedrock - believed to be associated with the alum and ironstone industries between the 17th and 19th Centuries.
It is believed the rutways were cut to take the wheels of the Yorkshire carts, which were used to load and unload the ships and boats servicing the industry. The archaeologists and volunteers from Tees Archaeology, the Nautical Archaeology Society North-East and the Teesside Archaeological Society have already recorded a complex network of rutways, including sets of points, where tracks met or crossed.
Rachel Grahame, Tees Archaeology's project officer, said: "More than 100 years of constant coastal erosion has erased many of the rutways. It is important that we record what is left of a fast-disappearing aspect of Saltburn's industrial heritage."
Gary Green, regional co-ordinator of the Nautical Archaeology Society North-East, said: "We have had some excellent results, uncovering an impressive network of rutways stretching round to Skinningrove."

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