OUR reminiscences of the early days of Blackburn's Belper Street baths prompted a flood of calls to the Looking Back desk.

One came from Mark Pattison, nephew of Tom Pattison, a member of the Blackburn ASC water polo team, who were named English champions in 1923 after beating Avondale 8-1 in the English Trophy, adding to their success in the Northern Counties Cup.

The team (pictured) was made up of, back row, left to right, F Coyne, T Pattison, P Kelly, F Holden and A Forshaw, with front, left to right, J Horne, J Brown, R Hodgson (Capt.) and F Sharples.

Said Mr Pattison: "I knew two of the team -- Joe Horne, who became one of the best-known competitive swimming coaches in the area, and Tom, who, with my father Mark, comprised the Pattison twins, both swimmers and later, respectively, sergeant and inspector in the Blackburn Borough police force.

"Tom was always slightly the quicker of the two and was the borough police champion years after younger men should have taken his title.

"Family history has it that once, in Belgium, he swam against the original film screen Tarzan -- Hollywood's Johnny Weismuller -- but the history does not record, perhaps diplomatically, the result."

Recalling his own early 1940's memories of Belper Street baths before war service, Mr Pattison agreed that annual galas were extremely popular and one of the biggest was the local police gala.

"It packed the place, literally to the rafters, with stands down each side of the pool and long sheets of white cloth to protect the legs and feet of those nearest the water. The mayor was always on hand to present a glittering array of prizes.

"Amidst all the excitement of the racing and water polo finale, one of the most popular events was the slowest -- this was 'the plunge', which tested how far a man could float on one breath.

"The entrant would stand at the deep end, inflate his lungs several times, then, taking the deepest breath he could, dive in and lie still.

"Two judges, holding a rope slung across the bath, would keep it level with his fingertips as he inched forward. When he finally raised his head, they would chalk a mark on the bath side."

Mr Pattison continued: "Modern audiences might look askance, but in the latter stages pandemonium would reign as some favourite glided past mark after mark towards the ultimate goal.

"It should be said that these were not lean muscled athletes, but well-fed coppers, sliding towards middle-age, many of them 20 fags-a-day men.

"If memory serves, I once saw a man glide the full 25 yards and touch the bath end. It may or may not have been a PC Grogan, who I know was one of the best exponents of this exploit."