From the Evening News, January 8, 1993: UNION officials claimed today that a further 90 jobs are set to go at the Hawker Siddley Dynamics factory in Farnworth. The Gladstone Road works had its workforce cut from 263 to 166 following 97 job losses last June.

SHOPPERS were today urged to haggle, haggle, and haggle again to save pounds in the High Street. The advice came after one anonymous shopper got £356 knocked off his bills in a shopping spree trial organised by the Consumers' Association magazine, Which? The editor, Sue Leggate, said: "You are perfectly within your rights to bargain, so go for it."

25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

January 7, 1978

A DERELICT silent cinema is to receive a new lease of life when it opens its doors as an entertainment centre for Little Lever. For five years, owner of the building, Mr Joe Wray, of Crowthorne Farm, Edgworth, and about a dozen young people, have poured their time and money into creating the community youth and sports centre out of the former Corona cinema, built 64 years ago.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

January 8, 1953

THE North-western divisional headquarters of the National Coal Board today issued its first reply to complaints about damage done by the mining subsidence in Hulton Ward. The Board, while saying it will honour its legal obligations to repair property affected by subsidence, warns that the effect of mining might be felt in St Helens-rd. and Smethurst-lane areas for some 10 years. There are still about 400,000 tons of good quality coal still to be mined from there.

100 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

January 8, 1903

CONSIDERABLE excitement was occasioned in the vicinity of Jubilee Bridge, between Ladybridge and Lostock, about noon today, by a sad tragedy, which came as a painful shock to the residents in the district.

A man, Alfred Crompton, butcher, of Stafford-st., took his life in a very determined fashion. It appears that the deceased man was seen passing Deane Clough at about a quarter to eleven this morning. Some time later he was noticed on the side of Middlebrook at Jubilee Bridge by an old man. He was then seen walking about with his throat gashed.

Naturally alarmed at this spectacle, the old man hurried away for a policeman, who found the man lying face downwards in the water, which is about eighteen inches deep at this spot.

On the bank of the brook were blood stains. Deceased is between 38 and 40 years of age, and had a pipe, 1d and a ring in his possession. He was well-dressed, his underwear being good, and he also wore a new pair of boots. He was, however, without hat or cap.