IN THE true spirit of Christmas many BEN readers contacted Marie Grady with offers of a lift to drive her across the Pennines to see her husband, Raymond, who is in a Halifax hospital.

We are not surprised. The kindness and generosity of Bolton folk is well documented. Such compassion must have helped Mrs Grady at what is a worrying time for her.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.