A LOOK back at articles published in The Radcliffe Times 50 years ago includes a major road bridge being closed off and a 90-year-old barber celebrates the traditional 'short back and sides' cut.

RADCLIFFE New Road was closed to all through traffic at the weekend following shock news that the road bridge over the Manchester-Bury railway is unfit for heavy vehicles.

Emergency action was taken within 24 hours of notification from British Rail that vehicles of more than 2.5tonnes axle-weight must be prohibited from using the road bridge.

Repairs to strengthen the structure may not be completed for four months and investigations are being made to see whether the total ban on vehicles can be relaxed with safety.

Private cars and light vans could be allowed to pass over the bridge, but the segregation of heavy vehicles and streaming of traffic could cause confusion to drivers and a danger of accidents at the Stand Lane and Radcliffe New Road junction.

If possible, however, the present restrictions will be lifted to allow lighter vehicles to travel along Radcliffe New Road over the bridge, in one or both directions.

The Radcliffe borough surveyor, John Nuttall, said this week that detailed investigations were being made to ascertain the effect of the present diversion arrangements and that further talks were being held with the police.

FASHIONS in haute coiffure come and go but for Radcliffe barber, Thomas Williams, who celebrates his 90th birthday next Monday, there is still no style to beat the traditional "short back and sides" for men.

Mr Williams, whose shop is in Barlow Street still gives his old age pensioner friends haircuts.

"They don't like going anywhere else", he said.

A great majority of Mr Williams' customers have the traditional short back and sides. "I don't like these modern haircuts, you can't be clean with your hair long", he asserts.

Mr Williams has been cutting hair in his premises since 1900 and in those days it was 2d for a haircut and 1d for a shave. Nowadays a haircut costs 4s 6d.

He no longer does any shaving but if anyone comes in he will give them a beard trim.

Born at Moses Gate, Mr Williams came to Radcliffe when he was four years old. He is married with four daughters and his ambition is to "carry on as long as he can."