MASTER mariner Alan Shard travelled all the way from Canada to dock in Bolton . . . and look at ships!

Alan, 78, grew up in Radcliffe but has lived in Canada since the end of the Second World War and still works full time as marine consultant inspecting safety on ships in Vancouver Harbour.

He keeps up with all the news of home on the internet and learned of special events being held to mark national Merchant Navy Day on September 3.

While he was visiting Britain, he looked up his lifelong pal Bob Casey, 79, in Radcliffe and spotted a BEN featuring the Merchant Navy display in The Gates Shopping Centre in Bolton.

As reported in the BEN, general manager Pat Duckett decided not enough was being done in Bolton to mark Merchant Navy Day and arranged for a big display, featuring the work of model maker and former merchant seaman Bill Brazier, husband of The Gates secretary Vera.

Bolton members of the M N Association were there to greet Alan when he called to look at the display on the first floor piazza.

In June, 1940 Alan and his crew were adrift for nine days in a small boat after their ship The Putney Hill, was torpedoed.

"The thing that kept us going was the thought we would beach on a desert island with lots of hula-hula girls. But in the end we were picked up by a Royal Navy Corvette," laughed Alan.

He described the show at The Gates as "absolutely wonderful".