IT was a blast from the past when Paul Wheatley spotted himself as Joseph in Harwood Meadows Primary School 1978 Nativity production.

The photograph featured in The Bolton News' Looking Back section on Monday and was seen by Joanne Yeardon nee Ellison, who played an angel, from her home in Brisbane, Australia.

Joanne messaged Paul, who has worked as a secondary school teacher in London for the last 20 years.

"It was quite a blast from the past," said Paul. "My mum has still got the original photograph.

"I remember Harwood Meadows very, very very well. It was a very small school. We had just moved back into the building because it had burned down the previous year."

The Nativity featured the school's five-year-olds in Year One who were organised by their teacher Mrs Adamson and music teacher Mrs Holt.

Paul is still in touch with several of his fellow pupils in the picture including Noel Banfield, Susan Hawkins, Victoria Haslam, Rachel Porter, Gary Seddon and Michael Shaw.

"Michael's sheep fell off the stage and he was absolutely mortified," said Paul.