Bond's View to a Thrill crane back in action for Shropshire housing group

The 85ft blue crane helping to build a development for Wrekin Housing Trust is pretty much like any other.

The towering structure was central to arguably the greatest James Bond stunt of all time – Daniel Craig's death-defying leap from the crane in the 2006 blockbuster Casino Royale.

The moment was one of the most breathtaking in 007 history – and fans duly voted it their favourite stunt in 2008. "It's been wonderful working with a crane that has a connection to James Bond," says Colin Ward, trust clerk for Wrekin Housing Trust, which is based in Telford.

The scene defined Craig, whose father lives in north Shropshire, as the action hero that millions of Bond fans have come to love.

Once the excitement of filming was over, the crane went back into service.

And now it is helping to create Wrekin Housing Trust's latest development, flats being built just across the Shropshire border in Wombourne.

The crane is being used in the building of 52 apartments for the over-55s in Planks Lane, which are due to open next month in Wombourne, over the Shropshire border in South Staffordshire.

"You get fantastic views of Wombourne from the top and it's exciting for people when they hear it played a part in such a famous opening scene," Mr Ward added.

In the scene, Bond chases villain Mollaka into a building site and grapples with him on the crane 200ft in the air.

As Mollaka – played by free runner Sebastien Foucan – escapes, Bond spectacularly leaps from one level of the crane to another before leaping on to the roof of a nearby building.

The crane scene pipped the classic downhill ski chase in The Spy Who Loved Me, which ended with Roger Moore floating to safety under a Union Jack parachute, into second place.