A LOOK back at the Radcliffe Times newspaper that was published on October 18, 1968, reveals a baby's lucky escape after a runaway lorry tore into two houses.

And also a kind-hearted grandfather who returns to work to help his grandson with a home building project.

BURIED under tons of bricks for almost 15 minutes, a 10-month-old baby amazingly escaped with only slight injuries when the front ground floor wall of his home in Seymour Street was ripped out by a runaway lorry on Monday.

Baby Grant Barker was asleep in his pram near the window of his home when a nine ton driverless lorry carrying a 10 ton load of bricks smashed into the front of the house.

On a delivery of bricks to the nearby St Thomas's development area, the lorry began to career backwards down the steep street after it had been parked and crashed into the houses with the force of a giant battering ram.

Kathleen Barker, the baby's mother, was just entering the front room from the kitchen when the wall burst in and tons of bricks buried the baby in its pram.

Neighbours and workmen from the adjoining building site rushed to dig out the child.

For 15 minutes, the five men, including Owen Boyle and John Morris, hurled aside the debris with their bare hands until Grant was released.

Grant was taken to Bury General Hospital by ambulance for treatment for the cuts and for shock. Mrs Barker was also treated for shock. Next door neighbour Norman Harrop, aged 68, was also taken and treated for shock. Fortunately at the time of the smash, which caused the collapse of part of his front wall, he was visiting a friend at the time.

After receiving treatment, all were allowed to leave hospital.

Mr and Mrs Barker and their son will stay with a family member until they move into a council house, probably at the weekend.

During the afternoon, corporation workmen and firemen boarded up the fronts of the houses and made them safe. Only ground floor front rooms were damaged.

AT 84 years young, a Radcliffe man who for 50 years was a master builder by trade and has now been retired fro almost 20 years, has come out of his retirement to help his grandson by building an extension to his bungalow.

About a month ago Richard Spencer who lives in Lowton Street, started work on a conservatory extension at the home of his grandson Brian Lansdale in Grindsbrook Road on the one condition that Mr Lansdale would be his labourer.

Mr Lansdale drew up the plans for the extension.

The pair have worked together in the evenings and at the weekends. And now the structural work is near completion.