NORTH West Water are resisting calls to put fluoride in the region's supplies. Managing director Mr Brian Alexander said today: "Local authorities seem to be opposed. We do not feel at this stage that there is sufficient mandate for us to provide fluoride, which is a compulsory medication."

The news will disappoint the health authorities and other experts who have been urging the privatised NWWC to help cut tooth decay.

25 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

May 31, 1977

A BOLTON housewife watched in horror as the heavy dustcart trundled down the road - with £1,000 worth of her jewellery inside. She had mistakenly dumped the gems into her bin along with bundles of newspapers. It was only when the binmen were half a mile away that she realised what she had done.

The woman, who wants to remain anonymous, chased after the vehicle and told the men what had happened. They stopped the grinding machine at once, travelled to the Raikes Lane incinerator with the woman following in her own car, and the load was dumped. Frantically the crew and the woman searched the rubbish, and after a long hunt the gems were found.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

May 31, 1952

THE Queen and other members of the Royal Family will face a busy summer when the Court goes out of mourning tomorrow. No period of half-mourning has been prescribed, but it is expected that the Queen and those ladies who are immediate members of the Royal Family will appear during the remainder of the summer in colours of grey, mauve and lilac, in addition to black and white.

Troops will cease to wear black armbands on uniforms, and diplomats attached to the Court of St. James and the Queen's diplomatic representatives overseas will cease to be restricted in their social engagements.

100 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

May 31, 1902

THE police in the Rivington district have been made the victims of what appears a stupid hoax. A card was found on the moors near Rivington Pike, in the vicinity of two pools of water, stating: "I, James Baker, did this day, the 25th May, so away with myself in a pool near here on the moors. Give my property to dear Lily. God bless my children." Exhaustive inquiries have been made, but no trace has been found of the missing James Baker.

THE weekend has witness a large numbers of visitors to Horwich. On Sunday afternoon the electric cars were crowded to excess, and the country about Rivington, including the Pike, presented animated scenes. Vehicular traffic was much in evidence, whilst the roads were fairly alive with cyclists. Many Horwichites left the town to spend the weekend at one of other of the various seaside resorts.