'There were footprints all over my back' - Summerland survivor recalls horrifying night

A survivor of the Summerland disaster has recalled the moment she was trampled escaping the fire - recounting the "sheer panic" of those around her.

Maggie Clarke has spoken about her memories for the first time in 50 years, after working on the Isle of Man and regularly visiting the Summerland resort.

She says she remembers being "trampled", leaving her with "footprints all over my back" as guests and workers tried to escape the burning building in panic.

The fire started at around 7:30pm on 2 August 1973, by three boys from Liverpool who were smoking and threw the cigarette on a disused kiosk which set alight.

"I got up into Summerland, whoever was on the door said there's a small fire at the back, we're not letting anymore in, just stand over there," Maggie recalls.

"I just stood there just looking around and watching and seeing that pillar of smoke getting bigger and bigger, until it erupted into a sheet of black smoke that took over the whole back wall and you could just hear this silence for a split second, and as that happened everybody started to move towards the door."

One of the main problems cited in the public inquiry was the delay in evacuation and the lack of fire escapes, which Maggie says was clear as people tried to escape the blaze.

She continued: "As you looked round, it burst into flames and that's when the sheer panic started as everybody made their way.

"From what I could see, it was like everybody was making their way through the one exit, and before I could even turn around to get out, I actually got trampled and went down round about there.

"The only way I could move was to actually crawl out, but as I was getting myself out, I actually saw a lady go through the closed glass doors.

"I will ways remember her white cardigan and floral print dress, and as she went through it, she was covered in blood.

"It was a surreal moment, because you were actually trying to get yourself out and I remember thinking for a split second, is this what it feels like to be dead?"

The building was made of a flammable materials which meant everything quickly set alight. It was estimated the roof burnt out in just 10 minutes.

"You didn't know where you were or what was actually happening, you were just keeping inching your way out...as you're getting up, people are trying to get back in, somebody next to me was grabbing people to try and get more people out," she said.

Maggie was then swept up towards the bridge away from the resort, which is when the whole site went up in flames.

"It was about 10 o'clock before I got home - I remember looking up and not realising how big it was, I remember thinking when I get back to the hotel to tell people Summerland was on fire because you didn't understand just how big it was," she added.

"I remember getting back to the hotel, they could see the footprints all over my back.

"Up to then I didn't realise what had been happening to me, until they said there's footprints all over your coat.

"Even to this day, I can't quite believe it's happened."

Recalling her memories of the Island's "esteemed leisure complex" Maggie says she was always there.

"It was such a fun place, there was something different on everyday and every night. It would never get boring...if I was free, I was up at Summerland," she said.

The leisure centre brought holiday makers from across the UK to the Isle of Man - leaving the Island buzzing with tourists.

Maggie continued: "You couldn't move on the promenade, the beaches were packed, not only was Summerland busy and packed the other entertainment complexes...there was something going on everywhere."

On the day of the disaster, Maggie was doing her day job at a hotel down the road before she got ready to head up to the leisure centre.

Describing the moments before she arrived, she said: "As I was walking up, I could see this small pillar of smoke, but didn't think much of it, you're used to seeing gorse fires, so you didn't pay any attention to it as such."

Like many of the survivors Maggie wants there to be greater recognition for the disaster.

Shortly before the anniversary, the Isle of Man's Chief Minister publicly apologised for the 'pain and suffering' felt by the survivors, but people like Maggie want a permanent memorial at the site.

"I suppose there was a bit of anger, you knew the three kids got the blame, but kids will be kids," she said.

"They've had to live with that for 50 years, but when you find out afterwards that there was so much that could have been done to prevent it, that's where the anger comes in."

This is the first time Maggie has publicly spoken about the night.

"There was nobody to talk to, the people you knew who had been there that night had all gone back across," she said.

"As we now seem to realise there was nobody to talk to, there was no support. Nobody to who you could sort of say 'Hey, I was in Summerland'.

"I think with something like this it's only someone that has been there that can understand what went on that night, nobody had that opportunity to talk about it or relate to it."

The site of the disaster still remains on the Isle of Man's coastline, and Maggie thinks it should be made into the memorial site for the 50 people who lost their lives.

"You've got the scar of it sitting up there it reminds you even now that what happened on that site.

"My feeling is the memorial site should be on that site because that's where it happened not down the road.

"Every now and then you do feel as you need to go up there, it doesn't feel respectful the way it looks now to the people that lost their lives there."

A fire at the high rise housing block in London, echoed a lot of what happened on the Isle of Man and many survivors say it was the same including Maggie.

"When I was watching the news when Grenfell went up, that's exactly the way Summerland went up and you think actually what's changed 50 years on? It makes you realise the same neglect is still going on," she said.

"For the for the sake of money, greed and making a fast buck, lives are more important than that. That's why people still need to be aware it's still going on."

50 years on, Maggie and other survivors, family members and friends are gathering to remember the victims and what happened on that night

"I'm only just starting to face what I should have faced 50 years ago, it's been locked away for 50 years and it's been a bit overwhelming this week to actually show up and think you did actually go through this," she said.