Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Oh... it's a plane.
A week ago, few of us could have predicted that our news agenda would be full of stories of a volcanic ash cloud causing travel chaos across much of Europe. Today, it's a story that's starting to feel all too familiar.
This morning, the Breakfast Phone-in had a panel of experts on to answer listeners' questions about volcanoes, airplanes, travel insurance and how long they could expect their mothers-in-law to be stuck abroad.
Great. My mother-in-law is stuck in States. Oh thank you so much Iceland. - Kev (Kent)
On 5 live Connect, many listeners have been getting in touch to say how much they enjoy seeing a bright blue sky without any planes or vapour trails. Here's a message that Sue left on Connect:
Perfect peace without planes overhead from Heathrow and City airports. - Sue (Bow)
Well all that ended this morning during Victoria Derbyshire's programme. After speaking to an expert about how long the UK's airspace would be closed, listeners started getting in touch in droves saying they could see planes in the sky again. And then the pictures started coming in...
Our text console began filling up with mobile phone photos of planes, like the ones above courtesy of Adrian in Fleetwood, Manda in Essex and Marian on the M25.
And then there was this comedy entry from Andy in Newcastle.
As Victoria talked about the photos on air, we published them on 5 live Connect and mentions of them started appearing on Twitter. Here's a tweet from Sarah:
Its all about mystery planes on @bbc5live this morning. Listeners are sending in pics like some UFO spotting frenzy. #ashtag
Well it wasn't quite UFOs but it's funny to think that planes flying over the UK could get people so excited. It also shows how well the Connect page can work when we let the listeners decide what to talk about. Thanks to everyone who got involved for making a radio chat about an ash cloud into an interactive experience with great photos that would have been incredibly dull on any other day. Well except Andy's - that one was funny.
Aaron Eccles is a senior producer at 5 live.
- You can see all the photos sent into 5 live Connect here.
- Listen back to the Breakfast Phone-in podcast with a series of experts on the ash cloud.
Comment number 1.
At 16:48 20th Apr 2010, carrie wrote:Careful, this blog could mutate in to a - UK News Messageboard.
Living under the City and Heathrow approaches I can tell you it has been idyllic for the last few days, still only seen the Air Ambulance though, so long may the skies remain quiet.
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Comment number 2.
At 00:21 22nd Apr 2010, Steve Bowbrick wrote:carrie, Carol Ann Duffy wrote a lovely poem about this strange interlude for Radio 4's Today on Monday. I thought it really expressed the strangeness and peace of the planeless period. And on Saturday, Alain de Botton wrote a fascinating essay about 'a world without planes,' informed by his time as 'writer-in-residence' for Heathrow Airport. Fascinating.
Steve Bowbrick, blogs editor
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Comment number 3.
At 07:46 22nd Apr 2010, carrie wrote:Like all good things, it has come to an end, but I do agree about the poem. Best wishes, Carrie
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Comment number 4.
At 08:56 22nd Apr 2010, Tempus Fugit wrote:The ash cloud wasn't low enough to stop the Chinooks shaking the ground as they thumped overhead to and from our local RM camp!
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