ACTRESS Shirley Anne Field made an emotional return to Bolton yesterday to share her experiences growing up in Edgworth Children’s Home and was the guest of honour at an event to celebrate the 140th anniversary of the National Children’s Home charity.

Shirley Anne lived at the home with her brother after being evacuated from London during the Second World War.

And although she says the home “gave her a childhood”, she admitted it was difficult for her to come back.

“I couldn’t sleep last night,” she said. “Every time I get on the train to come back to Bolton it takes me back to being four years old. But when I get here I love the people and I’m so pleased to be back.”

The 71-year-old actress, who starred in films including Saturday Night and Sunday Morning and My Beautiful Laundrette, says she first caught the acting bug while at the home.

She said: “A teacher, Mr Bareham, who was a former Bolton Wanderers player, gave me the lead role in a play called The Monkey’s Paw. I was 13 and I quietened a roomful of ruffians with that performance. That was when I decided I wanted to be an actress.”

She shared fond memories of other teachers, including Thomas Cowell, who trained a group of the girls to be the Lancashire rounders champions, and Sister Nancy, who dressed the girls in white dresses, some of which dated back to the early 1800s, for their Sunday walk to church.

“She told us to be proud that we were wearing white for Jesus,” Shirley said, “and we were proud. I think we brought joy to the people we passed as well, walking in crocodile in our odd collection of dresses and bonnets.”

The event took place at Bolton Museum, which holds an archive of material relating to the children’s home.

It was also attended by the Mayor and Mayoress of Bolton, Cllr Norman Critchley and his wife Delyse, and writer and ex-staff member Anita Forth who has published a book about its history, titled Edgworth to Crowthorn: The Story of a Lancashire Children’s Home. Anita also helped to collect the material for the Edgworth Children’s Home archive in the Bolton History Centre at the museum.

The home was the first to be set up by the National Children’s Home charity, now known as Action for Children, outside London.

It was built in 1872 on land gifted by local benefactor James Barlow and the children and staff quarried the stone and helped to build it themselves.

Anita said: “We thought it was very important to keep a record of the history of the home. It means a great deal to everyone to have this archive here.”

Shirley Anne said: “It was a marvellous organisation.

“They didn’t have a lot of money, but they gave me the education to help me deal with the life I’ve had.

“There were many children who were not wanted, but by being there we felt that we were.”