Racing glider makes emergency landing in Courteenhall field – and stays for curry

Graham Cadd, who works on the farm at Courteenhall Estate, helped to rescue a glider which made an emergency landing in one of the estate’s fields yesterday – and then shared his supper with him.

Graham was on his way home from work when he spotted the grounded glider in Bluebell Field in Blisworth, Northamptonshire.

The glider was one of a number following a racing circuit from Cotswold Gliding Club. Several had to land on farm land in the county.

Graham said: “Gliders use currents of rising air called thermals to stay airborne. The glider pilot, Tim Barnes, who landed on the estate, said he had run out of thermals and had to bring the glider down.

“He had a three hour wait before the trailer could come and pick him up, so I invited him back for a cup of tea. I’m on a bit of a diet at the moment so my wife, Angela, gave him half my dinner as well – a lovely home-made curry, which he was pretty chuffed about!

“After dinner, we took Tim back to the field and helped him to dismantle the glider and pack it away in the trailer, ready for a three-hour drive back to Stroud.”

Matt Page, Competition Director of Cotswold Gliding Club, said: “We sent a number of gliders on a route through Northamptonshire yesterday. Unfortunately, the weather deteriorated and a number of gliders were forced to land on local airfields and agricultural land.

“Tim received some brilliant hospitality from the team at Courteenhall Estate, including a really lovely curry from Graham and Angela.”