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| Fauld explosion 70th anniversary memorial held | |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| A memorial service is being held to mark the 70th anniversary of an explosion at an underground bomb storage depot which killed 70 people. | |
| On 27 November, 1944, around 4,000 tons of bombs stored at RAF Fauld in Staffordshire exploded. | On 27 November, 1944, around 4,000 tons of bombs stored at RAF Fauld in Staffordshire exploded. |
| The force of the blast left a 400ft (120m)-deep crater in the Staffordshire countryside, which still exists today. | The force of the blast left a 400ft (120m)-deep crater in the Staffordshire countryside, which still exists today. |
| Witnesses and their relatives were due to gather at the Cock Inn, Hanbury, from 09:00 GMT. | |
| The pub had to be rebuilt when a piece of debris was thrown around 3/4 of a mile from the site of the explosion, seriously damaging the building. | The pub had to be rebuilt when a piece of debris was thrown around 3/4 of a mile from the site of the explosion, seriously damaging the building. |
| More than 100 people are due to meet there before walking to the so-called Hanbury Crater, where a memorial to the dead is situated. | More than 100 people are due to meet there before walking to the so-called Hanbury Crater, where a memorial to the dead is situated. |
| A memorial service will also be held at St Werburgh's Church from 19:30 GMT. | A memorial service will also be held at St Werburgh's Church from 19:30 GMT. |
| Journalist Mark Rowe has been researching the explosion for nearly 30 years, and published a book about his findings. | Journalist Mark Rowe has been researching the explosion for nearly 30 years, and published a book about his findings. |
| He said the blast was thought to have been about one-fifth of the force of the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima. | He said the blast was thought to have been about one-fifth of the force of the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima. |
| An RAF inquiry into the explosion, which was only published in 1974, found it was an avoidable accident, Mr Rowe said. | An RAF inquiry into the explosion, which was only published in 1974, found it was an avoidable accident, Mr Rowe said. |
| "The most likely explanation, according to the report, was that someone tried to remove an exploder pocket with a brass chisel," he said. | "The most likely explanation, according to the report, was that someone tried to remove an exploder pocket with a brass chisel," he said. |
| "That caused a spark which set off the reaction." | "That caused a spark which set off the reaction." |
| Of the 70 people killed, he said, 18 were never found. The largest loss of life occurred not at the RAF base, but at a nearby plaster board factory. | Of the 70 people killed, he said, 18 were never found. The largest loss of life occurred not at the RAF base, but at a nearby plaster board factory. |
| The Fordes and Sons site was swamped by a "tidal wave" of sludge which engulfed it when a reservoir burst its banks in the explosion. | The Fordes and Sons site was swamped by a "tidal wave" of sludge which engulfed it when a reservoir burst its banks in the explosion. |