JOHN Coates and his family were plane amazed when a wrecked plane was pulled from the sea during their holiday in Crete.

The World War Two Blenheim bomber, thought to have crashed into the water in 1942, was hauled out on to the beach near where the Burnley family were staying for their break.

And John, of Brun Terrace, Brownside, managed to take a few unusual holiday snaps before the plane was carted off to a museum in Athens.

John, his wife, Ann, and children, Nicola and David, spoke to the Citizen when they returned home.

"The plane was split in two," said John. "The Greeks told us that the crew survived the crash, although no-one knew what happened to them afterwards.

"We couldn't really find out much more about it than that, although I believe the plane has Rolls-Royce engines and is interesting historically because of its swivel pistons.

"Some ex-RAF men may be interested in seeing the pictures, so I'll probably take them to servicemen's clubs."

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