Shirley Bassey & Night Flying (UK)

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BBC NEWS | UK | England | Bad weather grounds Dame Shirley
Hardly an engine failure?

Bad weather grounds Dame Shirley

Dame Shirley performed on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury

Bad weather forced Dame Shirley Bassey's helicopter to land in a school field in Surrey as she was flying home from the Glastonbury Festival. The singer was on her way to a hotel in Bagshot when the pilot made the unscheduled stop at Collingwood College in Camberley.
College principal Jerry Oddie said appalling weather made the school field the best landing site.
Caretakers had to let Dame Shirley out of the locked grounds.
She then went to the home of a local resident who gave her a cup of tea and a chance to freshen up.
The sun certainly shone for Dame Shirley when she took to that stage


Michael Eavis


A member of the school's ground staff stayed up all night on Sunday to guard the helicopter which took off on Monday, said Mr Oddie.
The helicopter lifted off at about 0830 BST just before exams at the school got under way.
"The weather here was terrible last night and I suppose the pilot took one look at our school field, which is very big, and decided to put down there," said Mr Oddie.
"If we'd known, then we would have put on a better reception."
Caretaker Marion Oliver said a crowd gathered after neighbours heard the helicopter landing.
Marion and Vince Oliver with the helicopter. Picture by Carol Tottle


"I asked her how Glastonbury was and she said it went really well," she said.
"She spoke to a couple of people in the crowd and then had some photos taken."
She said everyone was "buzzing" on Monday morning and wanted to know what had happened.
Michael Eavis, organiser of Glastonbury Festival, said he hoped the ordeal had not put too much of a dampener on Dame Shirley's experience of the music event.
He said: "Dame Shirley's appearance was one of the highlights of the weekend. The sun certainly shone for Dame Shirley when she took to that stage.
"I hope her journey back didn't spoil her enjoyment."