From the Evening News, November 15, 1976

25 YEARS AGO

SIX teenagers told today how they cheated death during a night of terror in the icy depths of a disused mine at Winter Hill. A coal board spokesman said that the six were lucky to be alive after their ordeal, as the oxygen level in the mine was very low. The four boys and two girls, all from Horwich, lay huddled together in the darkness for 10 hours. They had only one apple between them, and one torch.

Meanwhile a massive search and rescue operation was launched by police. Then a 16-years-old schoolboy, Peter Elliott, of Brunswick Avenue, Horwich, led the police and rescuers to the six teenagers. He had seen them at the entrance to the disused mine yesterday afternoon.

The lost friends were Mark Wilkes, aged 14, Chorley New Road; Lester Pearson, 15, of Panton Street; John Anthony, 14, of Sefton Lane; Andrew Scott, 14, of Beech Avenue; Janet Fishwick, 13, and Patricia Quilliam, 15, both of Brazley Avenue.

50 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

November 15, 1951

BOLTON Housing Committee has decided to build permanent prefabricated houses in Bolton again, provided the Ministry allocates the same number of houses to the borough as last year. It is hoped that 138 permanent prefabs will be built on the Johnson Fold No. 2 estate.

HORWICH Council will not buy the empty tram-shed, house and adjoining land in Chorley New-rd., Horwich, offered for sale by Bolton Corporation. The decision is mainly financial. Before this decision, Horwich Council entertained hopes of buying the tram-shed and transforming it into slipper baths and a publish wash-house.

125 YEARS AGO

From the Evening News,

November 15, 1876

ON Wednesday night a destructive fire occurred at the foundry of Messrs Michael Buck and Sons, Turton-street. About twenty minutes to ten o'clock a passer-by noticed flames issuing through the roof of the pattern room, which is at the top of the building.

He immediately gave the alarm, and the private fire brigade, with engine, from the mill of Messrs Knowles and Son, Turton-street, were speedily on the spot, and playing from hydrants in Turton-street. Alarm was also conveyed to the Corporation Fire Brigade, Newport-street, and the fire brigade steam fire engine, and Firefly, under charge of Mr Superintendent Mr Aspinall, were present a few minutes past ten, and commenced playing upon the burning building from the hydrants in Turton-street and one in Arthur-street.

The premises are quadrangle in shape, and efforts were made to limit the ravages of the flames, which were happily successful, being confined to the pattern room, with the fitting room and planing room below.

The roof of the upper storey was of glass and quickly caved in, and the damage done to the patterns was great.

The engine room and the remainder of the extensive range of buildings were saved, and the flames subdued shortly before midnight. A large number of persons witnessed the conflagration, and assistance was offered by the crowd to the fire brigade in subduing the flames. The occurrence will throw about sixty men out of employment.