October 5, 1968

UP to 6,000 workers could strike in the Bury area if national industrial action planned for later this month goes ahead.

At least 140 firms in the area could be crippled, and factories are likely to face complete production shut down by the stoppage timed for October 21.

The action has been called by the Amalgamated Engineering and Foundry Workers Union, who have been joined in solidarity by other affiliated unions, as a last ditch "tough line" move in their battle over pay and holidays.

Bury area engineers are already drawing up local strike plans and a series of mass meetings have been arranged.

ALL major features of Bury's new public baths have escaped the axe, after reshaped plans have been drawn up, following a government financial clampdown on the scheme.

The baths will still include a national size competition pool, a secondary pool and a separate diving pit, as well as a cafe equipped with automatic vending machines, a laundry and car park.

Cost of the new baths will now be £420,000 ­— £180,000 less than the original project which Whitehall ruled out as too expensive.

A GROUP of schoolchildren had a lucky escape when a saloon car mounted the pavement and crashed into a lamppost, feet away from where they had been stood, seconds after they boarded a bus.

The incident happened near to the junction of Walmersley Road and Cateaton Street, just before 9am on Monday, when six pupils were waiting to board a bus to Seedfield Secondary Modern School.

Miss Ann Marsden, the car's driver, was helped out of the vehicle by two workmen and taken to Bury General Hospital, but was allowed home after treatment.

TWO teenagers ­— one with a Ukranian father and the other who came to Britain from Pakistan three years ago ­— have been named as head girl and boy at a Bury secondary school.

Ann Lyssejko and Mohammed Shafiq have been appointed to the posts by Mr G Barrett, headmaster of Wellington Secondary School.

For Mohammed the role marks the end of three difficult years learning to speak English fluently; while Ann, whose mother is Scottish, was born in England and educated at schools in the region.

The pair began their first duties this week.