Bluebird: Ruskin Museum issues legal proceedings against Bill Smith

Bluebird ran on the Isle of Bute in 2018 after being restored by Bill Smith

Legal proceedings have been issued in a row over the ownership of Donald Campbell's record-breaking Bluebird.

Coniston's Ruskin Museum is calling on engineer Bill Smith to return the craft, which he has been restoring in North Tyneside.

His Bluebird Project team was enlisted to repair it in 2006 and has since claimed a stake in its ownership due to that work.

Mr Smith has been approached for comment.

Donald Campbell was killed in January 1967 as he attempted to break the water speed world record, with Bluebird laying at the bottom of Coniston Water until it was raised by Mr Smith in 2001.

The museum was gifted the wreckage five years later by Mr Campbell's daughter, Gina Campbell, on the understanding Mr Smith would restore it.

'No choice'

Museum deputy chairman Jeff Carroll said the proceedings had been issued "with regret" but with the "full support of the Campbell Family Heritage Trust".

"The action only comes after several years of trying to persuade Mr Smith and his organisation to honour the original agreement and allow [Bluebird] 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 £750,000 to build and equip," he said.

"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 [proceedings] in order to find a resolution for all.

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

Mr Smith recovered Bluebird's wreckage in 2001 and was later asked to restore it

Mr Smith has previously said his team had restored about "half a boat" while the other half was built "from scratch".

He had been due to display Bluebird at an event in Elvington, Yorkshire, this weekend and it is unclear whether that appearance will go ahead.

The museum wrote to the organisers in December informing them the display of Bluebird was not permitted.