WHEN I printed a photograph of Cheadle Square on March 14, it was of particular interest to reader Marie Boardman, because, she writes "it is a wonderful portrait of my mother Annie Russell (nee Hanley) and her sister Mary on one of their regular shopping tri+ps, accompanied by their brother Mark's daughter Elizabeth.

At the time we, their own children (Mark, Marie and Joyce) would all be at school so they obviously borrowed their niece for this trip!"

She goes on: "The publication of this picture has prompted me to write to you. I have been tempted to do so several times over the past couple of weeks, particularly in relation to the Norton's pie debate.

"My mother originally worked at Smokey Joe's coffee bar where she was famously propositioned by Josef Locke, who, when asked by my mother what he would like, replied 'You, on a butty'.

"Because of her association with the Nortons, she was asked later to work in their cafe in the Market Hall. She was an excellent cook, and her speciality was plate pies.

"My father died when I was aged 10. I remember leaving the house at 7.15am to go to daily mass at 7.30 at St Mary's Church, and then going to the Market Hall, where my mother started work at 8am.

"She would make my breakfast in the cafe before she began her baking, then I would walk up Bridge Street to St Mary's School for 9am.

"Gerrard and Eileen Norton were very kind to my mother, a young widow with two children, and I know that she loved working for them.

"When she left their employment some years later, she went to work as a cleaner at the town hall, and again, recent stories featured in Looking Back brought back memories of the great fire which devastated the Albert Halls. I remember her being called into work on the Sunday and her returning many hours later - tired, weary, and smelling of smoke.

"I could go on for ages with many memories starting from my grandmother's house in Green Street where I was born in 1953 and covering my childhood around the Waterloo Street area (and Bobbylegs Park) up to the 1970s.

"I am now a headteacher in a primary school, and I give thanks every day for my Bolton roots and for my wonderful Mum, who worked so hard for me and my brother. "Sadly, she developed Alzheimer's Disease and died in 1996. She would have been thrilled to see the photograph printed, and my Auntie Mary is delighted to have a happy memory of shopping with her big sister."