Daily Mirror April 11th 1973

A JINX was always hanging over the ” hen party” special, the husband of one passenger claimed last night. Abridge villager Eddie Hopkins said: Originally, the flight was to have taken place last week But there was some confusion and it was postponed.” He added: ” I thought it was jinxed from the start.” 

His wife, Brenda, the mother of four school-age children, was one of the organisers of Axbridge Ladies’ Guild’s trip. Mr. Hopkins added “Some of the people who had booked could not make today’s flight and their places were taken by others.” Last night, Mr. Hopkins was still waiting for news of her. 

In the Abridge village square, the Lamb hotel failed to open on time for the first time in George Fowler’s twenty-three years as landlord. He was too shattered by the knowledge that his wife Queenie was also one of the passengers. George Bradley, 59, who runs the general store in Abridge Square, said last night: I was the last man to see the party off. “ They climbed into the coaches outside my shop and I watched them go. I know them all personally. Many of them are my customers.” He added: “My wife Lillian called off going a day or two ago. I think she had a premonition.” 

QUEEN’S MESSAGE

The Queen last sent a message of night sympathy deepest 72 to the relatives of the dead and to the injured.