THE decline of the cotton industry changed East Lancashire for ever.

As a young boy, William Woodruff lived through some of the most dramatic and rapid social change as the area became struck down by poverty and deprivation.

Written in his eighties, Woodruff’s account of life in Blackburn became a surprise bestseller.

Now, the Oldham Coliseum has vividly brought the book to life.

Major credit must go to Philip Goulding who has adapted what is a charming but rambling book into a warm, funny and at times deeply moving look at life in a northern mill town.

Nab End is a play to be enjoyed rather than endlessly dissected.

It is a snapshot, one man’s interpretation of the arrival of the Great Depression and the terrible toll it had on a town which once boasted over 200 working mills.

The staging is impressive, dominated by the massive brick façade of the mill, symbolic of the role such buildings played in the daily lives of the community.

The play is told through the eyes of Woodruff, academic and world traveller and living in Florida, and nicely played by Kenneth Alan Taylor.

With William narrating, scenes from his childhood are played out by a talented and versatile cast.

One of the play’s great joys is its seemingly endless array of characters, epitomising Northern life.

I think William, who died aged 92 two years ago, would have been rather pleased to see how it has all turned out.

* The Road to Nab End is at Oldham Coliseum until July 10.