Astonishing moment powerboat racer cheats death at 130mph in spectacular crash Keith Whittle had just set a new record for Formula 2 class in 200hp boat But his boat flipped one and a half times through the air in Lake District Hundreds of spectators watched on Friday as Whittle escaped unscathed Donald Campbell lost control of his Bluebird on same lake stretch in 1967 These dramatic images show how a powerboat racer cheated death when he crashed at more than 130mph on the same lake where Bluebird speed ace Donald Campbell was killed. Adrenaline junkie Keith Whittle had just set a new record for the Formula 2 class in his 200hp boat named Pepstar when he spectacularly flipped on Coniston Water in the Lake District. His boat somersaulted one a half times through the air before landing top-down on the water, in an accident witnessed by hundreds of spectators on Friday. Mr Whittle escaped unscathed but shaken Dangerous: Adrenaline junkie Keith Whittle had just set a new record for the Formula 2 class in his 200hp boat named Pepstar when he spectacularly flipped on Coniston Water in the Lake District Going up: His boat somersaulted one a half times through the air before landing top-down on the water Flipping over: The shocking accident was witnessed by hundreds of spectators in the Lake District on Friday Upside down: Mr Whittle was taking part in the Coniston Records Week and had reached 132mph - smashing the previous best in his of 124mph It happened on the same stretch of Coniston that claimed the life of speed record ace Donald Campbell, who lost control of his Bluebird at more than 300mph in January 1967. He already held the water speed record of 276mph and was trying to beat it. His boat was named after the car in which his father Sir Malcolm Campbell had set what was then a land speed record of 146mph in 1924. Mr Whittle was taking part in the Coniston Records Week and had reached 132mph - smashing the previous best in his of 124mph. Martin Campbell, who witnessed the crash, said: "Your initial response is hoping the driver gets out and he did but it is still quite shocking when it happens. Survival: Medics looked over Mr Whittle following his accident in the boat, but 'he was fine, just a bit stiff' Damage: Mr Whittle's Formula 2 class boat is pictured here after being recovered from the lake on Friday On the lake you have several boats with divers on board and as soon as a boat goes over it is full throttle over to them. Okay: Mr Whittle escaped unscathed but shaken Most drivers carry oxygen but Keith didn't need it, he managed to get out straight away. It all happened in an instance and he was a bit shaken up. Medical staff checked him out and he was fine, just a bit stiff. They are there to set records and know the risks involved but everything worked out okay. Coniston Power Boat Records Week is the only event in the Powerboat Racing Calendar to bring together all classes of boat. Jim Noone, chief technical measurer, added: "Keith was trying hard for the record and when you're right on the edge these things can happen. But the safety element has advanced in the past ten years and crashes like this are very survivable. He was a bit shaken and a bit cold but other than that he was fine. The water conditions were perfect and there were nine records set through the week and Keith had at least two of them. The high speed runs are always exciting and you have a mixture of relief and elation - it was the last run of the week and certainly the most dramatic. Decades ago: The accident happened on the same stretch of Coniston that claimed the life of speed record ace Donald Campbell (pictured) Other crash: Mr Campbell lost control of his Bluebird at more than 300mph in January 1967 and died Recovered: The remains of Donald Campbell's speedboat Bluebird were brought to the surface of Coniston Water in March 2011 - 34 years after he crashed while in pursuit of the world water speed record