IN 1942, a little boy, whose home in Kent had been bombed by the Germans, was evacuated to Darwen.

Here Bill Jordan recollects the days he spent in East Lancashire with his mum and sister, Rita, aged just five.

"In April, 1941, the blast of a parachute mine meant for Bexleyheath Railway Station, badly damaged 500 homes, and after living with my aunt for 12 months we were eventually evacuated to Darwen.

"Whilst waiting for allocation to a local family, we lodged in a small end of terrace cottage, off the main Darwen road, opposite to Gillibrand Mill with Joyce and Charles Kensington and their son Michael.

"The main thing I remember is the daily delivery of milk, from a large churn, pulled on a horse and cart and ladled into a china jug left on the doorstep."

Bill and his family then moved in with an elderly couple at 40 Greenway Street for almost the next two years.

"Unfortunately I cannot remember their names but we addressed them as auntie and uncle.

"They had a daughter who worked in the little general grocer's corner shop.

"Uncle had an allotment somewhere at the back of the house.

"There was always plenty of fresh vegetables at dinner time.

"Tripe and onions was a weekly meal with mushy peas.

"There was no teapot in the house, just a large earthenware jug placed in the middle of the table.

"This I believe was called mashing the tea which was always piping hot and strong."

Bill remembers his Aunt Gwen and cousin John, were living at 19 Beech Grove with her mother and father, Mr and Mrs Sell and her youngest brother, Gordon.

He went to the Darwen Technical School, while Mr Sell was employed by the Ministry of War at the Royal Ordnance Factory at Oswaldtwistle.

They lived in a home requisitioned by the government.

"My first week at a new school was quite daunting, but I did not need to worry.

"The school was Spring Bank Infant and Junior School, Ross Street.

"I was welcomed by some friendly classmates, teachers and head teacher.

"The very best of my school days were there, from early 1942 until 1944.

"One of my fondest memories of Darwen and Lancashire was the first week at school.

"For one day we went through Whitehall Park to the moors, for a nature study walk, looking for a leaf, twig, acorn or cone, to take back to the classroom.

"That experience I treasure. The beauty of the Darwen countryside and woodlands seemed vast and wild, with the sound of trickling water from the streams and brooks.

"Exploring Tockholes was really something. We worked with the farmer's children to help with the harvest, spending the whole day enjoying the sight of the rabbits running out of the middle of the crop, chased by the dogs."

Bill added: "They were halcyon days, full of joy, happiness, fun, laughter and sunshine, although I do remember a severe winter of snow, snowdrifts and bitter winds, when we still laughed, playing snowballs and sledging.

"It helped us overcome the London and north Kent we had left behind, the nightly air-raids, the sirens, the blackouts, the bombs exploding around us.

"We all felt so safe in Darwen where the people opened their homes to us and their hearts to make us feel so welcome.

"Thank you the people of Darwen."