BOLTON has played its part in helping BBC Radio 1 celebrate a big birthday.

On Saturday Sara Cox hit the airwaves as part of the station’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

Speaking to Tony Blackburn – the first voice of Radio 1 – and Nick Grimshaw, she reminisced on her years as breakfast host.

She said: “It was amazing, it was a rollercoaster few years.

“It was full on and it was exciting. it was one of the best and biggest times of my life.”

The Little Lever DJ took over the primetime show from 2000 to 2004 and now presents on BBC Radio 2.

Another Boltonian to influence the national station was Keith Bateson from Astley Bridge.

The 77-year-old was one of the first producers when the show was launched back in September 1967, working on the David Symonds Show.

He said: “Radio 1 was amazing. It has come a long way.

“We started the Radio 1 Club which was the forerunner of the Radio 1 Roadshow.

“It went on the road with a special from Brighton. We had a big van with all the equipment. Halfway through someone asked for it to be moved, so to do it they pulled the plug out!

“There was five minutes radio silence and absolute panic!”