A PHOTOGRAPHIC record of a bygone era of aviation has been saved for posterity thanks to a chance find during a clearout at Manchester Airport.

A stash of more than 100 photographs charting the development of the airport over the last 40 years has been rescued from the skip.

The old albums, thought to have been compiled by a plane-spotting enthusiast, were discovered as operations controller Simon Payne and colleagues cleared out a former British Airways dispatch office.

The albums had been lying in dust for years and yielded their treasure when they were opened by Simon and his staff.

Simon, 57, said: "The glue had come away and the photographs fell out.

"It was obvious to me as a plane enthusiast myself that they were part of a collection which had been very carefully compiled."

The fading colour snaps show planes from airlines of yesteryear such as Dan-Air, Wardair, Laker and Orion as well as various stages of the airport's expansion.

They show the old Pier A, demolished to make way for British Airways Terminal 3, and former aviation hangars, knocked down to build the second runway.

Important

Simon, who has worked at the airport for 34 years, added: " I saw a photo of the old Laker Skytrain and realised that the pictures could be important. They have faded over the years but still show how the airport has grown and how the aircraft have changed.

"It was quite exciting to see these aircraft from 40 years ago. It was obvious that they were the work of a serious plane spotter who carefully put them into albums to keep them safe.

"We have no idea who that person was, but the work is an incredible part of the airport's history.

"They were only just saved from being thrown out with the rubbish from the old office."

The albums were taken up to the British Airways office where senior officials realised their importance.

They will now be split between the company's and the airport's archive departments.

Andrew Cornish, managing director of operational services at the airport, said: "Manchester Airport has been an important part of the North West's success over many years and our history is intertwined with the local community.

"It's great to discover this treasure trove of historical material and we are grateful that it will be donated to the airport's archive where it can be preserved for future generations."

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