BOLTON shoppers defied the IRA last night and turned out in their thousands to shop in the town centre during late night opening.

Only hours after the terrorists bombs injured 64 people and caused £3 million worth of damage in Manchester, the town centre of Bolton was packed with shoppers determined to go about their business as usual. Several big coach companies diverted Christmas shoppers to Bolton to avoid City Centre Manchester. Police say security in Bolton town centre has been stepped up as a result of the bombings.

25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

December 4, 1977

AVERAGE pay rises may soon be heading for 17 per cent rather than the Government's 10 per cent ceiling, a leading firm of stockbrokers forecast today. Inflation is likely to fall to about eight-and-a-half per cent by the middle of next year, they say, but is then set to accelerate to 11 per cent of the year, and continue to rise to about 13 per cent by the middle of 1979.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

December 4, 1952

THANKS to the generosity of Mr and Mrs J.W. Wigglesworth, High View, Chorley New-rd., Bolton, the town is to be provided with an open-air theatre to mark the Coronation. This will be at Moss Bank Park, and will cost £2,500.

SIR,- Returning home on Tuesday night in the fog, I encountered workers leaving a mill and walking four abreast in the roadway. As any motorist knows, on a night like Tuesday, even with headlights on (which is worse for the driver), one cannot see pedestrians until one is right on top of them.

The footpaths were slippery, no doubt, but single file in the road and not four abreast, please. Yours, Motorist.

100 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

December 4, 1902

A SERIOUS collapse of ceiling, involving heavy damage to a valuable collection of china ware, was discovered this morning at the establishment of Mr W. Graham, 71, Deansgate. This occurred on the fourth storey in a room at the rear of the premises which was stocked with toilet china ware to the value of about £100. This was surplus stock which it was hoped to clear off before Christmas.

The room was safe when left on Saturday evening, but this morning it presented an alarming appearance, half of the china being buried beneath a mass of fallen bricks, mortar, laths, plaster, etc, the ceiling having given way.

A portion of it was resting on the half-open door, and half of the toilet ware was found to be more or less broken. For a few days, a slight depression in the wall paper had been noticed in the room, which was recently beautified, but no danger was apprehended, and the discovery naturally occasioned some alarm to Miss Graham and her staff of assistants. The lower portion of the premises is happily in a substantial condition.