From the Evening News,1993: A PRIVATE security company is patrolling a Bolton housing estate.

The uniformed guard is on the Somerton Road estate at Breightmet to protect 400 homes.

It is the first time private security guards have been employed on the streets of Bolton, and it has been arranged by local householders (paying £3.95 a month) to combat the rising tide of burglaries and car crime.

25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, February 3, 1978

A DEMAND for urgent action on a new hospital complex for Bolton, on the General Hospital site, to solve the crisis-hit health service in the town is to be made by the Bolton Community Health Council.

THE all-party pensioner' group of MPs is to ask the Prime Minister to scrap television licences, because this would solve problems of special concessions on TV licences for pensioners, particular where elderly people lived in the same house as younger members of the family.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, February 3, 1953

THE death toll in the Canvey Island floods, where it was reported yesterday that about 100 bodies had been found and that between 400 and 500 people were missing, may prove to be as low as 30.

This would make the total of known dead in the floods about 237.

Thousands of people have been forced to flee their homes.

Through the streets of Benfleet, across the iron bridge from the island, are throngs of stunned men with bedding over their shoulders, and women pathetically clutching a few packets of food hastily snatched from their abandoned homes.

Holland's death toll from the North Sea floods -- the worst in 400 years -- crept towards the 1,000 mark today.

100 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News, February 3, 1903

THE cry of children is still heard in our midst, and by the aid of many generous friends the Queen-st. Mission has been able to respond with liberal supplies of food, clogs, and tickets for coke.

Last week, 1,500 free meals were supplied to hungry children from all parts of the town and representing all denominations, while a large number of applications for children's clogs, and for food and fuel, were received and dealt with.

Since last October, 850 pairs of clogs have been supplied on loan to barefooted children to enable them to attend school.

The return of wintry weather greatly intensifies the need for this provision for destitute children, and funds are earnestly appealed for in aid of it.