10 years ago from the Evening News March 21, 1995:One of the largest hauls of super-strength cannabis ever seized in Greater Manchester has been discovered growing in a shed at a Walkden council house.

Drugs squad officers found 39 skunk weed plants - five times stronger than normal cannabis - under cultivation in the shed at the neat semi.

MORE than 1,000 spectators watched 100 stock cars battle it out for three hours when stock and banger car racing was re-introduced at the Bolton Greyhound Stadium on Manchester Road.

Mr Steve Rees of Bolton Stock Cars described the first of 23 meetings as 'a big success". But loud bangs from the Chinese-made thunderclaps were so loud that people miles away from the stadium rang the police to ask whether World War Three had started.

25 YEARS AGO From the Evening News March 21, 1980

BOLTON'S larger-than-life steeplejack, Fred Dibnah, was not the only one who climbed right to the top when his amazing lifestyle was filmed for television.

Last night the half-hour programme about Fred won a TV prize as the best documentary of last year.

BUS inspectors have been placed on a special security alert over a notorious "drunks run" near Bolton town centre.

The action follows complaints from passengers and drivers on the afternoon run to and from the centre and Swan Lane/Great Lever.

50 YEARS AGO From the Evening News March 21, 1955

ABOUT 230 young men from Bolton, who have their 18th birthday between April 1 and June 30 this year, are due to register for National Service on Saturday.

It is estimated in the country as a whole that about 198,000 men in the National Service field will be required to enter the Forces in the coming year.

About 7,500 will go into the navy, 130,500 into the army and the remaining 60,000 into the RAF.

THE Rosemere Amateur Operatic Society's production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe is in the charge of Mr PA James, who, in accordance with tradition, also takes the conductor's baton.

This production is fortunate in a number of its principal voices, and Catherine Madden's contralto continues to be one of the society's major assets.

100 YEARS AGO From the Evening News March 21, 1905

THE old people of Belmont and district were entertained to tea on Saturday in the Congregational School.

The day being beautiful, there were very few absent.

Mr and Mrs Henry Deakin have generously given this treat now for over 20 years and the aged residents look forward to it with great pleasure.

TOMORROW will be the first anniversary of the opening of the electric railway between Liverpool and Southport.

This was the first main line in the kingdom to be worked by electricity and the result has fully justified the enterprise of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Company in taking so important a step.