WE love to hear your stories of living in Bolton and the memories you have of years gone by.

David Sharples has recollections of the Breightmet area and surrounding districts and was happy to relate them for our readers to enjoy.

As a youngster he lived in Lever Hall Road in a house which his parents, Harry and Eva bought in the late 1930s. This road runs between Oakenbottom Road and what David describes as "the wonderful Leverhulme Park".

In his toddler days there was still a cotton mill at the bottom of Oakenbottom Road in the area which, he says, is currently being cleared of waste from a recycling firm.

"I remember cotton-flecked workers making their way home. A pal, Bobby, lived in Oakenbottom Road and his father worked at De Havilland.

"Across from the houses was a field which is now a row of bungalows where horses were sometimes grazed in the summer. I remember going to feed them with a sugar butty or a carrot," he says.

Leverhulme Park was, and still is, says David "a real gem".

He adds: "Sometimes my pals and I would watch the bowling matches which included my uncle Harold Holt. Sadly the green is now fenced in thanks to vandalism.

"Leverhulme Park's treat was the small nine hole pitch and put golf course — a regular game with my dad, Harry or with my pals.

"The curved mounds are still visible but the golf course closed years ago," he says.

The grass in the park used to be cut by a horse drawn machine says David and this was still in use in the 1950s. He believes the horse was stabled at Darcy Lever.

A team of park keepers worked through the year based in a little room in a hut.

Another nearby feature, according to David, was the lodge which was possibly a remnant from industry.

"It was a beautiful stretch of water, with water hens and swans.

"A great memory was watching the swans take off or even better landing with great sprays of water. The lodge was filled in many years ago but the damp land allows for an interesting patch of trees."

Leverhulme Park was, and still is, a wonderful place for sport explains David. Although goal posts were a permanent fixture he says the lads used to prefer putting down coats and playing matches with anything from two and 14 and side.

"There I could be Nat Lofthouse. In summer I was Brian Statham. Disputes over whether out were settled by the batsman holding the bat upside down."

Further down the park, he says, just before the running track flowed "the little stream" and it is still there "under Long Lane then winding its way to Bradshaw Brook. I have lots of happy memories of playing in the stream with my pals," he adds.

At 12, through to his mid teens, David says much of the park was shared with Kim, the family dog who had "a poodle head then 57 other doggy varieties," he laughs.

Long walks involved David climbing trees with Kim watching patiently below and river and stream splashing, he says. "Walks with my dad always involved hurling a ball between us and for Kim."

David's parents had long been members of St James' Church. "Eventually my dad became organist.

"I was baptised there. However the church connection involved a weekly battle as I was taken to Sunday School and this was not my favourite part of the week. Eventually my parents gave up and Sunday afternoon involved homework and sport.

"Last Christmas I attended my first carol service in years, there. It was moving to see the unused organ which my father used to play," he says.

Once a year new clothes were provided for the sermons or Whit walks during which David and his friends followed the church band along Blenheim Road and Bury Road.

"I was lucky to attend Crompton Fold Primary School. It was built in the early fifties and it was a modern building with a huge playground and a split level playing field.

"There was also a nursery with a paddling pool."

The school is now named Leverhulme and the area forum meetings are now held there.

"My sister Maureen was in Crompton Fold's first intake after moving from Tonge Fold School. Miss Miller, the head was still there when Maureen began her teaching career there," explains David.

David's mother walked him to school for his first few days but after this he walked to school with his pals.

"I began in Miss Hewitson's class and my last year was in Eric Calderbank's class. Eric Calderbank was strict but with a sense of humour and love of music.

"We kept in touch over the years. Last time we met was when he came to some of the concerts when I sang with Affetside Choir."

For more on David's memories see next week's Looking Back.