THE year of the Queen's Golden Jubilee has set Whittle-le-Woods folk looking back at two golden occasions in the village's past.

Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee celebration in 1887 was marked in Whittle-le-Woods by a giant ox roast in Waterhouse Green.

This custom was repeated 100 years later by Whittle-le-Woods Residents' Association with a centenary ox roast on June 20, 1987.

The mementoes of these two occasions - two commemorative plates - are owned by a number of Whittle folk, most of whom have family ties in the village dating back centuries.

Barbara and Peter Higham, of Hill Top Lane, Whittle-le-Woods, own both type of plates.

Retired Barbara, 54, said: "The original was owned by my step-father Albert Hodkinson. He was son of a smallholder and worked in the quarries. It was probably his grandparents who attended the ox roast."

In the celebration a whole ox was killed and dressed by local butcher Edward Ramsbottam and placed in the oven for 48 hours - a little too long judging by the singed beast photographed.

The ox was donated by the wealthy Crosse family of Shaw Hill and the first piece of meat cut was dispatched by rail to Colonel Crosse who was on holiday at St Annes at the time.

The ox cost Whittle folk 12 and a half pennies each, which included the plate. One hundred years later there was maypole dancing, clog dancers, brass bands, the late Mayoress of Chorley Edna Shore paraded down the A6 on a horse and carriage and a big fireworks display finished it off.

Whittle councillor Eric Bell, who helped organise the celebrations, said: "In 1987 we raised £13,000 for the village hall appeal. We all dressed up in Victorian costumes and the event took us three years to organise.

"Now it would cost too much to organise and I don't think we would be allowed to roast an ox."

So this year celebrations will be a little less extravagant.

Whittle-le-Woods will be holding a party on June 3 - the Bank Holiday Monday - with duck racing and will also be lighting a beacon on a nearby hillside.

Margaret Ward, clerk of Whittle-le-Woods Parish Council, said: "If somebody has any ideas for celebrations for the Jubilee we will be happy for them to get in touch with us."