Legal papers served to get Donald Campbell's Bluebird back to Cumbria

The Ruskin Museum has issued legal proceedings against Mr William Hammerton (Bill) Smith and The Bluebird Project to gain possession of Donald Campbell’s Bluebird K7.

The museum and Bill Smith have been engaged in a long-running tug-of-war over the vessel in which water-speed record-breaker Donald Campbell died at Coniston Water in 1967.

It was gifted to the museum by the Campbell family in 2006, and then handed over to Mr Smith on the understanding that, once restored, it would be returned to Coniston.

But Bluebird K7 remains in the North East.

The row centres around the conditions for Bluebird being returned to the museum after Mr Smith's team on Tyneside has restored it.

Sealed legal papers have been served on both parties on Thursday 23 February 2023.

Deputy Chairman of the Ruskin Museum Jeff Carroll said: "It is with regret that we have had to take this action to gain physical possession of Donald Campbell’s record-breaking boat which was gifted to the museum by the Campbell family in 2006.

"We have taken this action with the blessing and full support of the Campbell Family Heritage Trust.

"This action comes only after several years of trying to persuade Mr Smith and his organisation to honour the original agreement and allow K7 to be brought back to Coniston so that she can be displayed in the bespoke Bluebird Wing of the museum which cost in excess of £750,00 to build and equip."

Mr Carroll continued: "The Ruskin Museum would have preferred that this matter be resolved without the need to resort to Litigation however we have been left with no choice but to issue in order to find a resolution for all.

He added: "We have not taken this decision lightly and it is very much a last resort to assert our legal rights.

"We have an obligation to the many people and organisations who contributed to the Bluebird Wing; to those who wish see Bluebird K7 in Coniston; to those who donated in good faith to the restoration project; to those who granted planning permission for the Bluebird Wing, and to the Campbell family who gifted the boat to us and wish to see her reside in her spiritual home, as close as possible to her brave pilot."

ITV Granada has been in touch with The Bluebird Project for comment.

What is Bluebird K7?

Bluebird K7 is a jet engined hydroplane which Britain's Donald Campbell set seven world water speed records between 1955 and 1967.

K7 was considered revolutionary when launched in January 1955.

Campbell and K7 were responsible for adding almost 100 miles per hour to the water speed world record, taking it from existing mark of 178 miles per hour to just over 276 miles per hour.

Donald Campbell died when his much modified Bluebird K7 flipped over and crashed on Lake Coniston as he tried to raise the record to over 300 miles per hour on 4 January 1967.

The wreckage was recovered from Lake Coniston in March 2001.

Donald Campbell's body was recovered 28 May 2001 and later that year he was given a funeral service at St Andrews Church in Coniston.