Gloster Meteor F. Mk.8 WH383 and WH384 of No.610 (County of Chester) Auxiliary Squadron RAuxAF, flew into high ground at Edgworth near Bolton on the 14th November 1953

 

Anthony Basil Mercer	Flight Lieutenant	Pilot (WH384)	Killed
Arthur Michael Fletcher	Flying Officer	Pilot (WH383)	Killed

 

The two jet aircraft, lead by F/Lt Mercer, a resident of Bolton, had taken off from Hooton Park near Ellesmere Port (now mostly covered by the Vauxhall car plant) on a training flight, the two aircraft were next heard passing over Edgworth which was followed shortly afterwards by a loud explosion.  The pair of aircraft had struck a stone wall near the top of a steep slope and disintegrated spreading wreckage over a wide area while carrying a descent through cloud.  The local newspaper initially reported only a single plane had crashed due to the wreckage from both being mixed together, though this was quickly revised.