A woman who watched on in ‘disbelief’ as the Summerland disaster unfolded has reflected on the horrific events that she witnessed.

On August 2, 1973, a fire broke out at the site - at the time the largest indoor entertainment complex in Europe - which was located on Douglas Promenade.

The blaze, which was sparked by three young boys illicitly smoking cigarettes, ripped through the venue in minutes.

The fire eventually claimed the lives of 50 people.

Among the dead were many UK holidaymakers visiting the Isle of Man during its tourism heyday.

Around 80 other people were injured in the blaze.

Inquests into the deaths of the people who lost their lives in the tragedy were later ruled to be misadventure - verdicts which have been strongly disputed by campaign groups as well as friends and relatives of the deceased.

Today marks the 51st anniversary of the tragedy that left a permanent scar on the history of the island.

And although the tragic events of that night happened more than five decades ago, they remain hauntingly vivid in the mind of Tina Brennen.

Mrs Brennen and her husband could do nothing but watch as the blaze tore through the complex.

She later became a dedicated campaigner with the Justice For Summerland Campaign Group, a pressure group which has worked to overturn the death by misadventure verdicts delivered during the inquests.

Tina, who lived near Summerland at the time, recalls the night with vivid detail. ‘My husband and I were just about to settle down and watch Top of the Pops, which people might remember aired on Thursday evenings at 7:30,’ she began.

‘We saw a plume of smoke rising above the chimney tops because we lived just off Royal Avenue behind Port Jack.

‘Initially, we thought it was a chimney fire, but we quickly realised, especially after my husband went over to check, that Summerland was on fire.’

Tina went on to describe her shock as she watched the disaster unfold from the cliffs above, which lay level with the rooftop.

‘I stood there in total disbelief, watching what was happening,’ she said.

‘It was something you couldn’t even imagine in your wildest nightmares. The speed of the fire was absolutely crazy.

‘It jumped from panel to panel across the roofs and up the sides. In the span of half an hour, there was no saving that building.’

Reflecting on the heroic efforts of the fire department, Tina shared a particularly striking memory.

‘Even the fire department said afterwards that they didn’t save Summerland; they just had to let it burn because it was too ferocious.

‘It was like a tsunami of fire.

‘I remember a local fireman who bravely climbed up a ladder and stood in front of the wall of fire with a hose.

‘The heat was so intense that the water evaporated into steam before it even reached the flames.’ Tina and about a dozen others stood on a piece of scrubland (which is now where the statue of motorcyclist Steve Hislop is situated) watching in horror.

‘A fireman eventually came up and told us we had to move away because there were tanks at the back, and if they exploded, we would be in direct line of the blast.

‘We had to leave, but it left us in total shock and disbelief.’

She reflected on the significance of Summerland to the local community.

‘Summerland was our pride and joy. There was nothing like it in the whole of the UK or even Europe; it was the first of its kind. To see it go up in flames and to know, as I stood there, that people were likely trapped inside was heartbreaking.

‘The speed of the fire would have taken many by surprise, and ultimately, it claimed 50 lives that night.

‘And when you witness something like that, which is so horrific, you don’t forget it’.

As the anniversary of the tragedy is marked, Tina’s recollections serve as a poignant reminder of the night that changed the Isle of Man forever.

Her efforts with the Justice For Summerland Campaign Group aim to ensure that the memories of those lost and the lessons learned from the disaster are never forgotten.

This evening, campaigners will be holding a commemoration at the Summerland site at 7pm.

However a Douglas Council-led ceremony is scheduled to take place tonight at the Kaye Memorial Gardens at 6.45pm to mark the 51st anniversary.