Instantly recognisable as Whitehead Gardens with its distinctive clock tower, this photo from July 1973 celebrates the work of the staff at the town’s parks department.

They had created an intricate floral tableau to mark the 150th anniversary of the founding of the RNLI.

The design involved thousands of tiny bedding-out plants and foreman Malcolm Bruce can be seen putting the finishing touches to the display.

Mrs S Peachment, chairman of the Bury branch of the Lifeboat Institution told the Bury Times: “It was a surprise to find the department had created the tableau this year, but it was a very pleasant one.”

Over the years various floral tableaux have been created in the gardens. If you have any photos, leave them in a comment below