THE Rev Thomas Edmundson allowed himself a few moments of anger when thieves stole lead flashing from the church schoolroom roof. But Mr Edmundson, vicar of St Paul's Church, Halliwell Road, Bolton, soon remembered his responsibility for preaching the Christian message. After paying a local printer 90p, he shinned up a pair of step-ladders and pasted a 'challenging' message to the thieves on the notice board outside the schoolroom. 'To those who stripped this roof . . .', the poster begins, 'The Bible says: "Though Shalt Not Steal". May God forgive you.'

A LAST-ditch attempt to get free television licences for some Bolton district pensioners was defeated at last night's council meeting, because the cost might be £163,500.

50 YEARS AGO

John, aged 4, has a gardening mind, and watching his father turn over the allotment said: 'We don't like slugs, do we?'

'We don't.'

'They eat our potatoes, don't they?'

'They do'. With grim emphasis.

'But dad . . . how do they peel them?'

125 YEARS AGO

A GREAT desideratum has been supplied by Mr John Shoesmith, proprietor of the Oriental Baths, to the Blackburn-road district, by the erection at the back of his premises of new Turkish and Swimming Baths. To celebrate the opening of these baths next Wednesday night, the proprietor has engaged Professor Poulton, the champion scientific swimmer of England and aquatic wonder of the world, who will go through his wonderful role of water performance, for which he is so justly celebrated.

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