Journalist recalls Summerland tragedy

Tomorrow will mark the 40th anniversary of the Summerland disaster in which 50 people died.

The leisure complex caught fire on August 2, 1973 while 3,000 holidaymakers and locals were inside.

Poor structural design and the largely plastic interiors were cited for causing the fire's rapid spread.

One man who remembers the day vividly is local journalist Terry Cringle.

He was one of only two freelance reporters, feeding the world's media with updates for a solid 48 hours.

Speaking at the Summerland site he recounted one memory that he says will stay with him for the rest of his life: