Leeds pilot survives Spitfire crash - pulled from wreckage by youths

This image from the pages of the Yorkshire Evening Post in April 1949 shows the wreckage of a Spitfire. The UK’s most famous war-time plane crash landed in a field outside Yeadon.

Miraculously, it’s pilot, John Mudd, 23, of Netherfield Road, Guiseley, escaped with just a head injury. According to the report, he was pulled free of the wreckage by three youths moments before the plane burst into flames. He was rushed to Otley County Hospital, where his condition was said to be “improving” on April 29.

In other news, there was a dearth of cigarettes and sweets, including chocolate, in Leeds. This was blamed, in the main, on greed.

The YEP reported that quantities were so scarce that some shops had resorted to limiting customers to a quarter of a pound each. One shop owner said: “I would not have believed that people could have been so greedy. One woman asked for 6lb of chocolate and sweets. When people do that, you cannot expect supplies to last.” Fresh stocks were not due in until the following week.

And finally, Joan Anne Thompson, pictured above aged 14, of Wykebeck Mount, Selby Road, was in the running to become Leeds Children’s Day Queen for 1949 - she was pictured with a prize she won 12 years earlier: the YEP silver spoon for the Children’s Day ‘Healthy Children’ award.

According to the article, she had long held an ambition to become ‘queen’ and was chosen to represent the east of the city.

She was described as having “twinkling blue eyes and a sparkling personality”. She said at the time: “It’s wonderful, wonderful; grandpa will be pleased.”

Just three weeks earlier, she had played the role of impish Puck in a youth club play performed for the mayoress.