Museum taking legal action to gain possession of Bluebird
The Ruskin Museum in Coniston is taking legal action to gain possession of Donald Campbell's Bluebird.
The craft set several world water-speed records before it crashed on Coniston Water in 1967.
The family of Donald Campbell gifted Bluebird to the John Ruskin museum at Coniston, which built an £800,000 wing to house the craft.
It's been restored by Bill Smith from Tyneside, since its recovery in 2001. Mr Campbell's family say talks over its possession have broken down.
In a statement the museum said, "It is with profound sadness that the Trustees of the Coniston Institute & Ruskin Museum can confirm they have started the process against Bill Smith and The Directors of The Bluebird Project to gain possession of their property namely the record breaking jet hydroplane Bluebird K7 formerly owned by Donald Campbell CBE.
This action is very much the last resort, with relationships having irretrievably broken down in late 2019, following efforts by The Museum and the Campbell Family Heritage Trust who gifted the boat to The Museum in 2006, to find an amicable solution to the claims made by Mr Smith regarding ownership and his intentions for the boat."
Bluebird lay hidden on the bottom of the Cumbrian lake for 34 years, until it was rediscovered by Bill Smith in 2001.
Mr Smith, who spent years reconstructing the wreckage, believes the Bluebird Project part owns the vessel - he would like to keep the hydroplane in action for the public to see.