THESE boys escaped injury when a tree fell into a telephone box.

This happened in February, 1988, in Ainsworth Avenue, Horwich where five teenagers had been huddled in a telephone box when a tree crashed down.

Luckily two of the youngsters were able to crawl to safety but the others were left “helpless and screaming” until firemen cut them free our story at the time revealed.

The teenagers were John Cooper, aged 13 of Brunswick Avenue, Wayne Close, aged 13, of Ainsworth Avenue, Shaun Dixon, aged 17 of Brazley Avenue, Maxine Crowther, aged 15, of Catherine Street. All of them were from Horwich.

Also involved in the dramatic escape was Samantha Grundy, aged 15 of Shrewsbury Road in Heaton, Bolton.

John and Wayne were the two who managed to crawl free from the box.

Our photograph shows Wayne Close, left, and John Cooper who were two of the teenagers in the phone box when the tree fell.

Quite how five youngsters managed to get in a telephone box remains a mystery.