From the Evening News, July 28, 1976

25 YEARS AGO

EDGWORTH cricketer Steve Simpson yesterday added his own crazy claim to fame. Steve, aged 29, of High Street, Chapeltown, finished his marathon loo-sitting vigil after clocking up more than 60 hours, "glued" to a lavatory seat inside a tent at Edgworth. He said that it was tiredness, rather than soreness, which forced him to end his world record attempt. Steve has raised about £350 for Edgworth Cricket Club to help equip a new pavilion.

LORD Feather - who as Vic Feather was general secretary of the TUC for four years - died in a London hospital early today. He was 68.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, July 28, 1951

KATHLEEN Mayoh, the 18-years-old Farnworth girl who began her Channel swim attempt from France yesterday, gave up 4 miles off St Margaret's Bay between Dover and Deal, after she had been swimming for 15 hours 20 minutes.

Her navigator, Bob Davidson, an ex-naval officer, ordered her from the water because of rough seas, which made it difficult for the rowing boat to stay near her.

"Don't make me give up. I can see the Dover cliffs ahead", Kathleen pleaded, and tried to swim away from the boat. For 20 minutes she battled on before she agreed to climb aboard.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, July 28, 1876

A VERY severe thunderstorm, accompanied by rain and hailstone, broke over Horwich and the neighbourhood on Sunday afternoon, commencing about two o'clock and lasted about an hour. At Blackrod the lightning struck a cottage, descending the chimney, and going out at the door. No-one was in the house at the time, and no damage was done, but quantities of soot and dust fell down the chimney flue into the house. Hailstones as large as peas fell in Horwich.

AT the Borough Court on Saturday, Thomas Nugent, piecer, 71 Brick-street, was charged with stealing five pigeons from a cote in Brick-street, the property of John Raby. Prisoner subsequently sold one of the pigeons and was apprehended. Seven days' imprisonment.