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The eerie world of Foulness

 

I was joined today by David Henningham who has recently written a book set on Foulness Island in 1957, at the height of the Cold War.

At that time the island was used by the military for weapons testing, as indeed remains the case today.

Now just in case you don’t know, that covering an area of just over 9 square miles, Foulness is the largest island in Essex and the fourth largest in England.

But because it has been owned by the Ministry of Defence, or their predecessors since 1922 and due on-going military activity, access to the island by non-residents is subject to stringent restrictions and even if that were not the case, local geography means that its not an easy place to visit.

One means of access is the Broomway, an ancient track, which starts at Wakering Stairs, and runs for about 6 miles (9.7 km) along the Maplin Sands, some 440 yards (400 m) from the present shoreline, but can be extremely dangerous especially in misty weather, as the incoming tide floods across the sands at high speed, and the water forms whirlpools because of flows from the River Crouch and River Roach. Under such conditions, the direction of the shore can’t be determined.

The seaward side of the track was defined by bunches of twigs and sticks, shaped like upside-down besom brooms or fire-brooms, which are buried in the sands.

Six headways run from the track to the shore, giving access to local farms.

The book that David has written revolves around James, a corporal with the Intelligence Corps, who’s instructed to camouflage a part of the military installation on the island. He quickly becomes embroiled in petty disputes with a number of people, and a cache of papers and artefacts will soon divert his attention to the Cold War installations along with the nuclear components that were being developed there at the time.

You can get more information about the book and/or pledge an order by going to https://unbound.com/books/foulness

Listen here to what David revealed about the book and the island: –

In the second hour of today’s programme we heard about a very cheeky car thief.

The vehicle’s owner parked up whilst she nipped into a grocery story, leaving the car unlocked with the engine still running and her 4-year old child still inside!

Almost immediately a guy leapt into the vehicle and drove off – however on realising that the child was sitting in the back seat he returned to the store where he berated the woman for leaving her child unattended and threatened to call the police, before once again driving off – this time without the child.

The vehicle was recovered a few hours later but police are still searching for the thief!

Right, well hopefully I’ll see you again tomorrow,
Scott

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The eerie world of Foulness

 

I was joined today by David Henningham who has recently written a book set on Foulness Island in 1957, at the height of the Cold War.

At that time the island was used by the military for weapons testing, as indeed remains the case today.

Now just in case you don’t know, that covering an area of just over 9 square miles, Foulness is the largest island in Essex and the fourth largest in England.

But because it has been owned by the Ministry of Defence, or their predecessors since 1922 and due on-going military activity, access to the island by non-residents is subject to stringent restrictions and even if that were not the case, local geography means that its not an easy place to visit.

One means of access is the Broomway, an ancient track, which starts at Wakering Stairs, and runs for about 6 miles (9.7 km) along the Maplin Sands, some 440 yards (400 m) from the present shoreline, but can be extremely dangerous especially in misty weather, as the incoming tide floods across the sands at high speed, and the water forms whirlpools because of flows from the River Crouch and River Roach. Under such conditions, the direction of the shore can’t be determined.

The seaward side of the track was defined by bunches of twigs and sticks, shaped like upside-down besom brooms or fire-brooms, which are buried in the sands.

Six headways run from the track to the shore, giving access to local farms.

The book that David has written revolves around James, a corporal with the Intelligence Corps, who’s instructed to camouflage a part of the military installation on the island. He quickly becomes embroiled in petty disputes with a number of people, and a cache of papers and artefacts will soon divert his attention to the Cold War installations along with the nuclear components that were being developed there at the time.

You can get more information about the book and/or pledge an order by going to https://unbound.com/books/foulness

Listen here to what David revealed about the book and the island: –

In the second hour of today’s programme we heard about a very cheeky car thief.

The vehicle’s owner parked up whilst she nipped into a grocery story, leaving the car unlocked with the engine still running and her 4-year old child still inside!

Almost immediately a guy leapt into the vehicle and drove off – however on realising that the child was sitting in the back seat he returned to the store where he berated the woman for leaving her child unattended and threatened to call the police, before once again driving off – this time without the child.

The vehicle was recovered a few hours later but police are still searching for the thief!

Right, well hopefully I’ll see you again tomorrow,
Scott

Subscribe to our newsletter!
One a month, no spam, honest

Now on air
Coming up
More from One 2 Three
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More from Phoenix FM


The eerie world of Foulness

 

I was joined today by David Henningham who has recently written a book set on Foulness Island in 1957, at the height of the Cold War.

At that time the island was used by the military for weapons testing, as indeed remains the case today.

Now just in case you don’t know, that covering an area of just over 9 square miles, Foulness is the largest island in Essex and the fourth largest in England.

But because it has been owned by the Ministry of Defence, or their predecessors since 1922 and due on-going military activity, access to the island by non-residents is subject to stringent restrictions and even if that were not the case, local geography means that its not an easy place to visit.

One means of access is the Broomway, an ancient track, which starts at Wakering Stairs, and runs for about 6 miles (9.7 km) along the Maplin Sands, some 440 yards (400 m) from the present shoreline, but can be extremely dangerous especially in misty weather, as the incoming tide floods across the sands at high speed, and the water forms whirlpools because of flows from the River Crouch and River Roach. Under such conditions, the direction of the shore can’t be determined.

The seaward side of the track was defined by bunches of twigs and sticks, shaped like upside-down besom brooms or fire-brooms, which are buried in the sands.

Six headways run from the track to the shore, giving access to local farms.

The book that David has written revolves around James, a corporal with the Intelligence Corps, who’s instructed to camouflage a part of the military installation on the island. He quickly becomes embroiled in petty disputes with a number of people, and a cache of papers and artefacts will soon divert his attention to the Cold War installations along with the nuclear components that were being developed there at the time.

You can get more information about the book and/or pledge an order by going to https://unbound.com/books/foulness

Listen here to what David revealed about the book and the island: –

In the second hour of today’s programme we heard about a very cheeky car thief.

The vehicle’s owner parked up whilst she nipped into a grocery story, leaving the car unlocked with the engine still running and her 4-year old child still inside!

Almost immediately a guy leapt into the vehicle and drove off – however on realising that the child was sitting in the back seat he returned to the store where he berated the woman for leaving her child unattended and threatened to call the police, before once again driving off – this time without the child.

The vehicle was recovered a few hours later but police are still searching for the thief!

Right, well hopefully I’ll see you again tomorrow,
Scott

Subscribe to our newsletter!
One a month, no spam, honest

Now on air
Coming up
More from One 2 Three
More from
More from Phoenix FM


The eerie world of Foulness

 

I was joined today by David Henningham who has recently written a book set on Foulness Island in 1957, at the height of the Cold War.

At that time the island was used by the military for weapons testing, as indeed remains the case today.

Now just in case you don’t know, that covering an area of just over 9 square miles, Foulness is the largest island in Essex and the fourth largest in England.

But because it has been owned by the Ministry of Defence, or their predecessors since 1922 and due on-going military activity, access to the island by non-residents is subject to stringent restrictions and even if that were not the case, local geography means that its not an easy place to visit.

One means of access is the Broomway, an ancient track, which starts at Wakering Stairs, and runs for about 6 miles (9.7 km) along the Maplin Sands, some 440 yards (400 m) from the present shoreline, but can be extremely dangerous especially in misty weather, as the incoming tide floods across the sands at high speed, and the water forms whirlpools because of flows from the River Crouch and River Roach. Under such conditions, the direction of the shore can’t be determined.

The seaward side of the track was defined by bunches of twigs and sticks, shaped like upside-down besom brooms or fire-brooms, which are buried in the sands.

Six headways run from the track to the shore, giving access to local farms.

The book that David has written revolves around James, a corporal with the Intelligence Corps, who’s instructed to camouflage a part of the military installation on the island. He quickly becomes embroiled in petty disputes with a number of people, and a cache of papers and artefacts will soon divert his attention to the Cold War installations along with the nuclear components that were being developed there at the time.

You can get more information about the book and/or pledge an order by going to https://unbound.com/books/foulness

Listen here to what David revealed about the book and the island: –

In the second hour of today’s programme we heard about a very cheeky car thief.

The vehicle’s owner parked up whilst she nipped into a grocery story, leaving the car unlocked with the engine still running and her 4-year old child still inside!

Almost immediately a guy leapt into the vehicle and drove off – however on realising that the child was sitting in the back seat he returned to the store where he berated the woman for leaving her child unattended and threatened to call the police, before once again driving off – this time without the child.

The vehicle was recovered a few hours later but police are still searching for the thief!

Right, well hopefully I’ll see you again tomorrow,
Scott

Subscribe to our newsletter!
One a month, no spam, honest

Now on air
Coming up
More from One 2 Three
More from
More from Phoenix FM