25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, June 7, 1976

HERE comes the Evening News at the gallop . . .

For residents in far-flung corners of Horwich are getting their newspapers delivered by pony express, When 13-years-old riding enthusiast Jane Gibson, of Bottom-o'th'-Moor, got a paper round she found the houses were too widely scattered to cover on foot. So it seemed sound horse sense to saddle up her bay gelding pony Trip and hit the paper trail in style.

BOLTON is riddled with drug abuse, a councillor said yesterday. It was time the town's drug problem was brought into the open, said Counc. Kevan Hornby. "Up to now, it is always a problem we have swept under the carpet, he said, supporting a motion put forward by former councillor Ken Brown calling on the social services committee to stage a "drugs symposium" in Bolton.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

June 7, 1951

SIR,- I welcome the Football League's ban on the broadcasting of matches. It is a progressive move.

We were rapidly approaching the day when all football supporters would become people sitting in their carpet-slippers in front of radio and television screens. The ban will make these armchair sports fans get out of doors and show a little more and show a little more enthusiasm for the teams they profess to support.

H. Greenhalgh, 495 Manchester-rd., Westhoughton.

COUNTER espionage squads of French police today scoured Paris for two missing British Foreign Office officials - Mr Guy Burgess and Mr Donald McLean. The two men have been missing from their homes since May 25th, and nothing is known of their whereabouts since they went to France a few days ago.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

June 7, 1876

AT half past ten on Monday night, at the York Theatre, as the closing scene in a version of "Bleak house" called "Poor Jo" was proceeding, and just as the little crossing sweeper's life was beginning to flicker, the gas supplying the circular pendant in the centre of the theatre was suddenly turned off, and the upper circle and gallery were left in total darkness.

A shout from the crowd in the gallery, "Turn the gas off; we are smothering", caused great confusion, and on its being repeated a rush was made to the doors, and immediately the dress and upper circles and gallery were almost entirely deserted.

The alarm turned out to be groundless. Part of the company returned; and after Mr Lander, the manager of the company, had apologised on behalf of some one in charge of the gas, and for whom he was not responsible, the performance proceeded.

LAST evening a stone was thrown at a railway train from a bridge at Farnworth. The glass in the elevated part of the guard's van was broken, and the guard narrowly escaped being injured. The practice of throwing stones at railway trains has been carried on for some time. For the purpose of catching offenders, Mr Inspector Wilkinson, of the Farnworth Police, has placed detectives on points of the railway between Great Lever and Stoneclough, and he, having given previous warning, is determined upon assisting the railway company to put down the evil. It is hoped that those interested will take warning by the information we convey, for the punishment of the offence extends from two years' imprisonment to transportation for life.