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An example of the aircraft Ian flew for 10 years whilst in the RAF
I hope he doesn't mind, and I don't think he will as this has been published in the newspaper today anyway, but I wanted to let the Bank Top/Wensley Fold community know about the new pastor at Grace Community Church.
Ian and his wife Liz, are two of the humblest and most genuine people I have met in many months. Perhaps it's because of their deep-rooted Christian faith, or maybe they're simply really nice people.
I usually get a good idea what someone is like from their handshake - and I seem to be shaking a lot of hands recently!
Ian has, what I would call, a 'sincere grip', firm, good eye contact, and a relaxed disposition. I suppose those are all important qualities for a faith leader, but he has them in good supply!
Anyway, as you will know from previous posts, Ian was inducted last month as Grace Community Church's new minister.
I'd been in contact with him to see if we could help the church to advertise their events and the things they offer which benefit the whole community.
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One day a couple of weeks ago, he mentioned that he'd been a bit ill (with flu, like the rest of us at that time) but had some additional problems with his leg.
Being the ever-curious journalist, I asked him what was wrong with his leg.
I'm so glad I did as I got to discover something about him that surprised me, as I'm sure it will you.
Ian used to be an Royal Air Force pilot, and only retired from the RAF about 6 months ago.
In 1986, Ian had to make the ultimate choice as a pilot - stay in the plane and definitely die, or engage the ejector seat and most probably die.
Whilst doing some training over the Pennines, his aircraft - a Phantom FGR2 - began pitching uncontrollably from 45 degree nosedive to 35 degree incline and everything inbetween.
I've read the offical RAF Aircraft Accident Report, and while I can't make much sense of all the technical jargon, the basics are clear.
Ian, along with his navigator, Steve Williams, had no chance of recovering the aircraft once the fault had become obvious. They literally had seconds to decide whether to eject or not.
Ian chose to risk an ejection, whilst still travelling at 600mph.
During the ejection, Ian had his left arm shattered by the released canopy, and then broke his right leg on landing.
"It was a real Hollywood moment", Ian told me. "It all seemed to go so slowly and I remember every action clearly despite the actual accident only taking seconds."
I think the best way to describe the attitude of Ian and Liz is to tell you what they did after the accident.
"I called all the Christian churches I knew," said Liz, "because Steve was in such a bad way.
"We started a prayer chain for him and his wife Anne."
Steve, Ian's navigator, had to eject after Ian and because of those extra seconds in the aircraft, Steve actually travelled through the fireball of the crashing jet.
Whilst in hospital Ian requested that they move his bed so that he could 'lay his hands on him'. I'm very skeptical about faith healing, but I do believe that a human touch can be life-saving.
Ian told me this: "When they found Steve in the snow, he was in the recovery position. A photograph was taken of footsteps that went towards him, but none away from him."
Obviosuly Ian attributes that to God, caring for the injured men as they lay helpless on Buckden Pike, in the North Yorkshire Dales.
Despite being in and out of hospital for nearly 10 months, enduring metal plates being inserted into his badly broken arm and I imagine much physiotherapy too, Ian and Liz's concern was for Steve.
He defied the odds and was walking 5 months after the accident.
Whether it was God's work or not, I'll leave you to decide but it's clear that Ian's faith helped him survive the crash and subsequently use his experiences to help others.
I would recommend you visit the church, just to meet these people. Their story is amazing and I'm glad the Lancashire Telegraph has been able to share it with the wider community.
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