May 12, 1968

A £750,000 takeover bid is being made by an American firm for the oldest family business in Bury.

The offer from Hambros Bank on behalf of the Albany Felt Company, of Albany, New York, USA, has been put in to James Kenyon and Son Ltd and discussions are now underway between the two boards.

Kenyons, which employs 520 people and has three mills in Roach Bank, Derby Street and Crimble; was founded more than 300 years ago and has been managed by the family ever since.

The 70-year-old American firm has interests around the globe, but non yet in the UK.

A spokesman from Kenyons said the bid was a "good thing" and would help "keep the business going".

FORGETTING its hardworking industrial face for one day, Bury went casually "country" on Saturday for the annual Bury Agricultural Show.

A festival atmosphere abounded as more than 6,000 people, travelling from as far away as Oxford and County Durham, flooded onto the fittingly rural setting of Broad Oak Farm in Fairfield.

Animals and their proud owners filled the site with an incredible turnout including 400 dogs, 502 budgerigars, goats, horses and a host of other animals.

In the summer sunshine a multitude of tents and marquees surrounded an showjumping ring, alongside a host of special attractions including a mounted fancy dress parade, tug-of-war competition, wrestling and a raffle for a £600 car.

Attendees were also entertained by Bury Silver Band and a flight of more than a thousand balloons which soared into the sky as part of an event by Bury Round Table.

Entrants in a host of categories from best animal in show to a budgerigar section fought it out for a total of £1,200 in prize money as well as 42 silver cups and a swathe of smaller trophies.

A SEVEN-year-old boy was saved from drowning after a man dived fully clothed into a 13 foot deep lodge to rescue him.

John Dolan, of Bond Street, was playing with friends when he fell into the water and drifted out 25 yards.

Hearing cries for help Mr Clifford Platt, aged 29, of Bell Lane, ran to the scene and, finding John floating on the surface and not moving, dived straight in.

After being pulled from the water John was treated with oxygen equipment by an ambulance before going to hospital.

He is now back at home and non the worse for his experience.

A LORRY drive escaped with only a cut to his elbow after his heavy truck slewed of the road, turned on its side and collided with a wall on Whalley Road, Shuttleworth, on Wednesday morning.

The lorry, driven by 33-year-old Peter Johnson from Bolton, smashed a hole in a stone wall and finished hanging over a fall of several feet.

Police kept traffic passing the scene to one lane opposite the Duckworth Arms Hotel while work was carried out to move the lorry.

POST offices and banks in Bury sold out of Britain's five new decimal coins within hours, after they went on sale yesterday.

The sets which include 1/2p, 1p, 2p, 5p and 10p pieces, and which are being sold for 5s 6d, had run dry after just one and a half hours at the Crompton Street General Post Office — with sets being rationed as customers asked for five or six.

Banks, inundated with customers, also had to turn away those who had not ordered the coins.

However the Decimal Currency Board has given assurance that the Mint will continue to produce the sets for as long as there is demand — meaning everyone will be able to get on eventually.