10 YEARS AGO From the Evening News February 3, 1999 MORE than 30 residents were evacuated last night as police and bomb squad experts searched a house for explosives.

The Breightmet families were moved out as police called in the Army bomb disposal team after a raid on a house in Highwood Close.

As the householders were given refuge in nearby Withins School and sports centre, Army experts examined a device found at the house. A large area around the short cul-de-sac off Newlands Avenue was cordoned off by police as the drama unfolded just before 5pm.

It is understood that police were acting on a tip-off that explosives were being held at the address.

25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News February 2, 1984 THE end of the half-penny will not mean a price rise, Britain’s biggest supermarkets have promised.

The coin is expected to be withdrawn from circulation by the end of the year.

Sir John Sainsbury, chairman of the giant foodstore chain said yesterday: “We will ensure that we round down more prices that we round up, and we are confident that keen ccompetitiion in the food trade will ensure that the public will not lose out by this change.”

50 YEARS AGO From the Evening News February 3, 1959 RESPONDING to half a dozen alarm calls from people living nearby, Bolton Fire Brigade this afternoon tackled a blaze at the old Temple Bleachworks, Halliwell. It was the second fire at the works in a little over two years, the major part of the premises being destroyed by an outbreak on the evening of December 27th, 1956.

To-day’s blaze was confined to a two-storey stone-built structure measuring some 60ft by 30ft. Using four pumps, the firemen had the outbreak under control within minutes, but they were unable to save the slate roof which collapsed, and some of the timber stored in the building.

100 YEARS AGO From the Evening News February 3, 1909 THE stage manager of the Bolton Amateur Dramatic Society, who are producing “The Merchant of Venice” on February 17th to 20th, in the Parish Schools, Churchgate, assure us that all concerned are working strenuously to make the affair a success.