June 5, 1968

A BURY textile machinery firm is waging a desperate battle against vandalism after attacks over the last 12 months have cost them more than £300 in repairs.

Police notices and vigilance by staff at Robert Hall and Sons Ltd. has not stopped windows being shattered, with eight stones weighing up to 2.5 lb hurtled through office windows and smashing in to bookcases.

Each pane of broken glass costs £2 to replace and wire-reinforced glass has proved no more impregnable to the stone missiles than ordinary sheet glass.

Chairman and managing director of the company Mr Gerald K Hall said: "It seems to be teenagers who are causing the trouble and I have an idea who some of the culprits are, but you have to be sure of these things.

"We thought at first that it was done by hooligans after soccer matches and the damage did coincide with the home games. But now the season is over and we are still being hit."

He added: "One of these days a stone is going to hit someone in the works and cause a serious injury."

A CAR crash has reunited a divorced couple.

Gordon Wike and his former wife Sylvia parted two years ago and got divorced at Christmas.

However the pair were remarried on Friday thanks to a road accident — in which Gordon injured his leg and pelvis.

Sylvia read about the incident and immediately phoned the hospital to see how Gordon was and he was told about her inquiry.

Romance soon blossomed and Gordon still suffering from his injuries hobbled to the altar as the couple married at Bircle Parish Church.

A reception party was then held on Ward 8 at Fairfield Hospital where Gordon was treated.

A 17-YEAR-OLD has become the third successive girl from the borough to be crown the Manchester Region Dairy Maid.

Janet Hubbard, of The Kennels, Woodhill Road, Bury claimed the £5 prize and was presented with a sash at a presentation dance in the Derby Hall on Saturday.

A member of the Young Farmers Club, Janet will now go forward to the Dairy Princess of the North West finals in Blackpool, and if she wins to again to the nationals in London

Janet, who left the Derby High School to go to agricultural college, said: "I was quite shocked to win and I don't think I can have much of a chance in the next competition." However she admitted to being "hopeful".

AN ANIMAL rescue centre is bursting at the seems as staff struggle with an overcrowding problem.

Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, in Shuttleworth, which cares for stray cats and dogs now has 270 pooches, including 12 more brought in in the last week, plus 50 horses, a bull, sheep, goats and dozens of cats.

New kennels have recently been built but the accommodation problem is getting serious, staff have said.

The dogs are now having to be taken for walks in parties and are eating around 2.5 cwt of biscuits every day and 300lb of meat weekly.

TRADERS were this week "booking" premises which they plan to take over in the town's new £3 million centre development scheme.

After over a year of hold-ups the development is now speeding ahead, and the first shops will be ready by September, and 50 more by the following June.

Priority will be given to local traders who have already been displaced or have to leave their premises soon so that work can begin on further development.

Work is due to start on a 400-space car park next month, and is due to completed in line with the first phase of the shopping area.

An extension to Bury market place and improvements to the Garden Street area are also set to go ahead later this year.

An 18 month standstill on the town centre scheme came to an end in March when contractors moved back in.

The entire project is scheduled for completion in 1970.