Preparing to become the fastest man on water: Never-seen-before photos show Donald Campbell during trial runs before setting 202mph water speed record in the iconic Bluebird

It is almost 70 years since Donald Campbell became the fastest man on water in his iconic hydroplane Bluebird.

The daredevil first broke the water speed record by smashing the 200mph barrier in front of crowds on the shores of Ullswater, in the Lake District, on July 23, 1955.

As it emerged that Bluebird is finally returning to Cumbria to be put on public display, the Mail has unearthed a set of never-before-seen photographs of Campbell's preparations and trial runs for the historic record attempt.

The evocative black and white pictures show a casual-looking Campbell, smoking and talking to his team in his workshop, before donning his trademark water suit and leather, Spitfire-type cap under his helmet and getting into Bluebird for a practice run. 

His wife, Dorothy, and mother, Lady Campbell, widow of land speed record holder Sir Malcolm, can also be seen watching from a jetty, along with the crowds on the shoreline.

The images were taken by press photographer Peter Price, but for some reason – perhaps because Campbell broke the record shortly afterwards - were never published. 

It is almost 70 years since Donald Campbell became the fastest man on water in his iconic hydroplane Bluebird

The daredevil first broke the water speed record by smashing the 200mph barrier in front of crowds on the shores of Ullswater, in the Lake District, on July 23, 1955

As it emerged that Bluebird is finally returning to Cumbria to be put on public display, the Mail has unearthed a set of never-before-seen photographs of Campbell's preparations and trial runs for the historic record attempt

Instead they were filed away and have spent the past seven decades gathering dust in Price's archives until they were finally uncovered by his son, Andrew, 55, also a freelance photographer, earlier this month.

He told the Mail: 'I lost my father in January 2020 at the age of 87 and since then I've been painstakingly going through his archives, box by box. 

I uncovered a set of old, large format black and white negatives with a hand-written note attached that said, 'Donald Campbell early attempt Ullswater,' and immediately thought to myself, 'Wow, what've we got here?'

READ MORE: Record-breaking hydroplane Bluebird K7 will return to Lake District to go on display in a museum following long-running dispute 

Donald Campbell's Bluebird hydroplane at speed on Coniston Water in 1997

'I knew that my father followed Donald Campbell and his record attempts over the years but assumed, like most of his pictures, that they had all been sold or syndicated through photographic agencies, so it was a very pleasant surprise to find them hidden away after all these years.

'For me, the most intriguing pictures in the set are the poignant portraits of Campbell, who my dad captured smoking and chatting tactics with his team in the workshop with Bluebird in the background. 

'They offer a real insight into Campbell's preparations and reveal exactly what was happening behind the scenes on what ended up being such an iconic day.

'I have no idea why these images were filed away and not sold or syndicated, but they are a piece of history and my hope is that they can be put on public display, perhaps with Bluebird at the Ruskin Museum, or somewhere that people can remember Campbell as the great speed ace and record breaker that he was.'

According to a report published in the Daily Mail on July 25, 1955, two days after the 202mph record-breaking run, Campbell's wife had 'cried' with relief afterwards.

Mrs Campbell also revealed that the record attempt wasn't scheduled for that day but only went ahead at the last minute because conditions on the lake were so good.

'It was so unexpected that we had to cancel hairdressing appointments,' she told the Mail.

Recalling the moment she realised her husband was the fastest man on water, Mrs Campbell, who wore earrings with bluebirds on them for the record attempt, added: 'Oh, what a happy moment it was. I cried that night. It was probably relief.'

Donald Campbell in the cockpit of his jet-powered hydroplane, Bluebird

Donald Campbell in the workshop looking pensive before a run on Ullswater

Donald Campbell with his Spitfire type hat in his Bluebird K7 on Ullswater ready to go for a run along the lake

Picture shows Donald during an early attempt of a water speed record

Donald Campbell friends and family watch during an early attempt of a water speed record, on Ullswater

Campbell set seven more water speed records in Bluebird K7 before his final attempt in January 1967, which cost him his life. The vessel famously flipped when he tried to top the 300mph barrier on Coniston Water, with catastrophic results.

The wreck and Campbell's body were salvaged in 2001, but the debris ended up at the centre of a dispute between his family - who wanted to hand it to a museum - and Bill Smith, the engineer behind its recovery, who wanted to restore the Bluebird.

The dispute was due to go to the High Court, but earlier this month the Campbell family announced they had come to an agreement and the boat will be given to the Ruskin Museum in Coniston.

Campbell's daughter Gina said: 'I will now be able to go to my grave having fulfilled my promise to return Bluebird to where it belongs.'

Mr Price, who began his photography career as an apprentice on the Daily Mail, worked for more than 70 years in the newspaper and television industry, eventually setting up a freelance photography agency in Chester, Cheshire, which his son still runs.

Over his career he covered many of the biggest news stories of the time, including the Munich air disaster, the Moors murders, the Toxteth riots and the miners' strikes, and photographed hundreds of celebrities, politicians, members of the Royal Family, and pop stars, from The Beatles and Diana Ross to Sir Stanley Matthews and George Best.