I KNEW as soon as I asked the question in last Friday's paper that I was in for a bit of fun. The question: "Does anyone remember the cigar-smoking chimp in a van with a straw boater?"

Yes, I know what you are thinking, and I also thought it sounded daft at the time. But don't blame me. I only put the question on behalf of reader Mrs J. Smith.

I received many replies, some of which I will be telling you about tomorrow, but when I was shown these photographs by Mr James Urmston, of Armadale Road, Ladybridge, Bolton, I could not wait to let you see them.

The chimp, Mr Urmston tells me, belonged to Mr Edgar Charlton and his wife Phylis. They had the pet and fishing tackle shop at 148 Derby Street.

"Mr Charlton was a very good friend of mine for many years," writes Mr Urmston. "In fact, I was instrumental in introducing him to the Manchester dealer where he bought the chimp.

"The chimp's name was Midge, and she was treated as though she was a human being. Mr and Mrs Charlton actually appeared on a show with her along with George Carsdale, the animal expert (pictured on the right with Mr Carsdale, left).

"I never knew Midge to smoke a cigar, but it's quite possible, because Mr Charlton smoked them occasionally. She was certainly a cigarette smoker, as can be seen from the photograph on the right.

"One of her favourite drinks was a glass of wine, and when she was drinking it, they would say 'And what do the ladies do?' Midge would then raise her little finger as she put the glass to her mouth, to show that was how ladies drink.

"She actually escaped on a number of occasions. Once, during the night, she got up, let herself out of the door, went down to the Magee's Brewery and started banging on the door. The night watchman rang the police to complain that there was 'a b. . . . . gorilla trying to get in'. The police told him to take the animal by the hand and take it back to Mr Charlton. 'Not b . . . . . likely', said the watchman.

"Midge lived to be 14 years old, and when she died it was a very sad time for Mr and Mrs Charlton. They also had a mountain lion called Susie which he used to walk up and down Derby Street on a lead. She finished up in Blackpool Tower Zoo.

"I am enclosing some photographs which I hope you find interesting." Fascinating, Mr Urmston. Thank you for your help.