Peterborough has had plenty of local characters.

Walter Cornelius may be one of the hardest to invent if you tried.

He was a Latvian refugee who settled in Peterborough after the Second World War, worked at Peterborough Lido, the city's outdoor swimming pool,and became known for extraordinary strength stunts and eventually earned the nickname "the Birdman of Peterborough".

Discover Peterborough's current history profile gives his life as roughly 1923 to 1983 and says he arrived in England in 1948.

His famous "flight" was a charity stunt.

In April 1970, Cornelius launched himself beside the River Nene wearing a pair of huge homemade wings made from canvas and lightweight timber.

He knew the contraption was not going to sustain human flight.

The point was spectacle, publicity and charity fundraising.

He ended up in the river, striking driftwood as he came down, and survived to become part of Peterborough folklore.

That stunt was only one part of the story.

Discover Peterborough describes him as a lifeguard, swimming teacher and strongman associated with Peterborough Lido.

He also appeared on television, including Blue Peter and Opportunity Knocks, and became known for charity performances and feats of strength.

Some of the stories sound like they belong in a comic book.

The Discover Peterborough feature records him skipping with a 48-pound chain, setting himself alight after pouring petrol over himself, breaking walls with his head or hands and pushing a pea along the ground with his nose for charity.

Cornelius was a refugee from Latvia who made Peterborough his home.

He worked at one of the city's best-known leisure landmarks, entertained people, raised money for charity and became memorable enough that decades later the homemade wings are still the image attached to his name.

His homemade wings and landing in the Nene gave Peterborough a story people still retell.

If you remember Cornelius at the Lido or watched one of his performances, tell us where and when.

Those memories could help us explore his story further.

Local history is not only kings, cathedrals and council decisions.

Sometimes it is a Latvian strongman in homemade wings deliberately throwing himself towards a river for charity.

Peterborough has had worse claims to fame.