At school when the news spread about utd plane crash. Fettling my motorbike on the drive when the Pope was shot. Same for 9/11, a neighbour shouted I should put the tele on, kept wondering how a plane could be so far off course, but the second one made it obvious it was not an accident. Was on the way home after a night-shift, called to buy a newspaper and a guy was explaining to the newsagent that it was obvious that Diana had been murdered because she was going to marry a muslim....thought they were discussing a film or a book.
Pre mobile phones and the internet and multi television channels, most people found out about events through the press whilst on the bus or train or over a bowl of cereal, the planes crashing in Stockport and Shadowmoss,
fell into that category, Pauldens burning down as well although it was obvious a massive fire was going on as ash was falling in south manchester. The bomb in Manchester is a blank , remember the picture of the postbox still standing amid the carnage but that's all. Was flying a model plane when the Cuban missile crisis was kicking off, mate of mine cycled to the field and said Cuba had declared war on America....