August 10, 1968

PLAIN clothes police will be drafted into football crowds at Gigg Lane in a drive to stamp out soccer hooliganism before the season gets into full swing.

The move is an attempt to ensure sure there is no repeat of last year's violence which spread into the town with repeated incidents of shop and home windows being smashed, flowers and gardens uprooted and running battles between rival supporting fans.

There has already been trouble at pre-season friendly games this year including a teenage girl who suffered a gash to her head after being hit by large stone during a match against Oldham Athletic last week. Two young boys also received treatment for head injuries after being hurt at the match.

Superintendent H M Ball, from Bury Police Division, said: "We are determined to stamp out this hooliganism if we can.

"There are many, many thousands who go to matches just to cheer on their team, but there is another element who are intent on causing as much disturbance as possible. They are the ones we are after."

A NATIONAL municipal bus strike has been called off after last-ditch meetings.

Had the strike taken place Bury's 300 busmen and depot workers would have joined the 77,000 busmen from nearly 100 provincial towns in withdrawing labour, meaning all 80 of Bury's buses would have ceased operating.

The strike was originally called over a break-down in negotiations for a £1 per week pay rise.

The rise had been agreed between employers and busmen last December but has been subject to a Government pay freeze.

BEFORE they emigrate to Australia next month, the Evans family of Limefield Brow, Walmersley, have a problem to solve — to find home for the three cats which are the children's pets.

Very soon Mr and Mrs Geoffrey Evans with their daughters Andrea, aged 12, Jocelyn, aged eight and ten-year-old son Martyn will be jetting off on a 36-hour flight from London to start a new life in Perth, Western Australia.

The family have tried to have the cats taken in at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary but were told that only unwanted animals were accepted.

Mr Evans, a 36-year-old accountants clerk and former Royal Marine, said: "Each of our children has a cat which unfortunately we cannot take with us. I am afraid that if we cannot find good homes for them they will have to be put to sleep."