OVER the last three weeks I have been using pictures on Tuesdays of the local cadets, Sea, Army and Air.

Mrs J. Woodward, of Church Road, Bolton, was particularly pleased to see the page on November 14 of the Army cadets, because her son, Thomas, was on two of the pictures.

"Tom went into the Army at 17, went through the ranks and finished up as a Sergeant Major," she writes.

"At 18 he went to Hong Kong for two years (went as a boy, came back as a man!). He also did three tours of Northern Ireland, and spent his 21st birthday on Falls Road. He was also in Ireland when his first daughter Eleanor was born in 1972, so he has seen quite a lot in his travels.

"Also, one of the other boys pictured, Robert Hallett, went to Australia a few years ago, but we have lost touch with him."

Mrs Woodward concludes: "Hope you don't mind me writing to you, but I was 'chuffed' when I saw the pictures." I don't mind at all, Mrs Woodward; I know that the pages of the cadets brought back memories to a lot of readers which, after all, is one of the reasons for this page!