MY article about the Falcons Dance Band sparked this response from Eric Holt, of Quakerfields, Westhoughton, who tells me "it brought back many happy memories of when dancing was a contact sport and not a solo spasm!

"The Falcons were fantastic. We followed them around to various venues, even travelling from Farnworth to Walkden Town Hall! An added interest was that the drummer, Ken Bowers, was a long-standing friend, and we gained some vicarious pleasure when the band did well. Their playing of Stan Kenton numbers was a revelation, particularly as we were more accustomed to four-piece, strict tempo combos. As much as we enjoyed dancing, when the Falcons were in full flow, the dancing stopped. Thanks for the memories."

Another letter came from Mrs Edna Holgate, of Broadway, Worsley, tells me that her late husband, Max Holgate, played with the Falcons in the 1945 onwards period, and actually played alto-saxophone/clarinet at the Belle Vue Melody Maker Championships in March, 1947. "I have a certificate (found after he died in 1990) framed and treasured. You may also like to know that an old recording was made of the actual piece played at Belle Vue. Max did an arrangement of 'Sweet and Low' specially for the occasion. I have had a tape made of it since his death.

"Thank you for keeping these memories flowing for us older people."

Incidentally, in my original story about the Falcons, I said that Alyn Ainsworth died in 1960. A slip of the finger, I'm afraid. He died in 1990.