THIS week, it will be 25 years since the gala red carpet opening of Bolton’s multiplex cinema at Middlebrook.

Chris Womald has got in touch with some photographs and memories of the occasion.

He said: “As newly crowned World School Brass Band Champions in Holland just five months earlier in July 1997, I was charged with the task of arranging and conducting all of the music for the whole night, to play as the stars arrived in their limousine.

“Coronation Street music, Emmerdale, Eastenders, various film music, Warner Brothers fanfares, everything, to be played by my Smithills School Senior Brass Band and I outside, right at the front entrance, as the stars arrived.

“It was cold!

“Bolton Wanderers captain Gudni Bergsson attended in person, together with most of the first team star players.

“The main star of the opening was Dame Edna Everage and together with actress Shirley Anne Field (now 84) and Rik Mayall from Blackadder and Bolton steeplejack Fred Dibnah - both of whom are no longer alive.

“The night was packed with local and London celebrities attending Bolton. Will Mellor was already a TV star and he attended the MiddleBrook cinema red carpet opening night too.

“Sadly all of our multiple world and national champion Smithills bands for over 20 years no longer exist.

“I retired from teaching after 35 years in 2017 together with many other senior colleagues on the same day and within weeks, all of my school bands had folded.

“After decades of Bolton/Smithills ruling the world musically and playing over 30 times at the Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall in London and countless times on TV with me between 1990 and 2017, Smithills no longer has these amazing bands.”

n Did you attend the gala opening 25 years ago? Have you got some photos of the occasion? Email your memories tol robert.kelly@nqnw.co.uk.