THE Hindenburg was a large German commercial passenger carrying rigid airship and was the longest class of flying machine.

It flew from March 1936 until it was destroyed by fire 14 months later on May 6, 1937 at the end of the first North American transatlantic journey of its second season of service.

The people who died were those who leapt out of the ship as it descended into flames. Escaping hydrogen travels upwards. A dog that stayed aboard until the ship reached the ground walked away unharmed.

The Hindenburg made ten round trips to the United States in 1936 in its first and only full year of service. I understand that some of the flights passed close to St Helens skies. I appreciate with cloud it may have been difficult to spot but at least one sighting comes from Sutton Manor.

Some St Helens residents in their mid 80s may remember seeing it, or having family or friends who may have. I'm curious as to where you where when you saw it and roughly in what part of the sky it was, eg, was it Billinge or Fiddlers Ferry.

I remember seeing a Lancaster Bomber flying near the Junction station in 1980 during the Rocket 150 celebrations. In 1983, while working in a tall building in Manchester, I remember looking out of the window and seeing a Jumbo Jet carrying a space shuttle. I could also see St Helens from that window.

What unforgettable scenes have you seen in our skies?