25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, March 2, 1976

RESIDENTS of Sharples, Astley Bridge, have won the first round of their fight to stop house building on "the last open space" near their homes. A scheme to build houses on eight acres of fields at Sharples Hall Farm, off Andrew Lane, has been thrown out by Bolton Planning Committee.

FIVE days a week, a party of 30 unemployed teenagers travels to Rivington to carry our conservation work on the surrounding moorland. The work is tough, ranging from pulling down miles of rusty iron fencing to clearing blocked drains and laying new pipes.

But the teenagers, all boys apart from an attractive 18-years-old brunette, don't mind hard work. They all agree - it is better than being on the dole.

50 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, March 2, 1951

BOLTON Health Committee is to seek the backing of the Association of Municipal Corporations in pressing the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for the abolition of pig bins in Bolton. It considers that the pig bins constitute a grave danger to public health, particularly in the summer months. When Counc. Walsh asked what would happen to the waste food if pig bins were abolished, he was told by Counc Mrs Heywood that the housewives would burn it - to help out the fuel ration.

SPEAKING in the House of Commons today, the President of the Board of Trade, Mr Harold Wilson, gave a warning of the serious effect that raw material shortages would have on the Lancashire textile industry. The effect on the rayon industry, he said, would mean a cut of as much as 40 per cent in total output.

125 YEARS AGO From the Evening News, March 2, 1876

WE are glad to make the announcement that at the meeting of the Infirmary Subscribers , held this morning, the important step was taken of deciding at once to proceed with the movement for the erection of a new Infirmary.

The handsome donation of £5,000 to which we have previously referred, the name of the donor of which remains undisclosed, was this morning followed by another equally munificent offer of £5,000 from the firm of Messrs Musgrave and Sons.

The latter donation has the pleasing features about it that it is a memorial gift, intended to commemorate respect for their father, the late Mr Musgrave; and it is also placed unconditionally at the disposal of the Committee for the erection of a new Institution.

A resolution was adopted declaring that the time has now arrived for a new building to be erected, and instructing the Infirmary Committee to take proceedings forthwith for carrying out the object. The public may therefore look forward ere long to Bolton possessing an Infirmary that will be worthy of and adequate to the needs of the town.