PRANKSTERS had fun with a gnome at Bolton School in July, 1968.

The little chap was decked out in a school cap and tie before being placed on a ledge high above the archway entrance to the Boys' Division.

This picture shows the delicate operation needed to remove the ornamental gnome and return it to the ground.

Boys at the school also lit a bonfire in the quad and daubed school statues with clay to celebrate the end of the school year.

You may remember that in June I mentioned in the "50 Years Ago" section on this page that somebody had flown the Jolly Roger pirate flag from the school flagstaff.

It had to be removed by the School Sergeant, Mr H. Best.

The Headmaster, Mr F. R. Poskitt, told the Evening News at the time: "Whoever is responsible for putting up the flag certainly made a very good job of it.

"It is not a practice to be encouraged, but provided that no accident occurs I see no harm in it.

"I am happy to inform everyone that although the flag might be a little unorthodox in design, at least the School was still sailing under its true colours of black and white.

"The mutiny has now been quelled and order has been restored."

Splendid stuff.

My attempt to flush out the perpetrators of the Jolly Roger stunt failed totally.

Is anybody owning up to the gnome outrage 14 years later?

Pictures

Left - GNOME RETRIEVAL: The tiny "schoolboy" was about to be lifted up by rope.

Right - SCHOOL TIES: A close-up of the gnome after its dramatic rescue.