ALTHOUGH it is 46 years since we moved from Darwen to Bishopbriggs, we are still fortunate to get news of Darwen in cuttings from your excellent paper sent to us by a friend.

We are particularly pleased when we can read about Sunnyhurst Wood, the like of which we have found nowhere else. It's not a park but a natural wood with path, paddling pool and peacocks (if there are still peacocks).

We lived in the Hollins Grove district and my wife, Marion, was a popular teacher at Hollins Grove primary school.

The conductor on the tram would call, "Hollins Grove," "George Hotel," "penny stage."

On Saturday nights, for the benefit of amorous couples on the last tram from Blackburn he would add, "Sunnyhurst Woods." (He had been a lad himself!)

I recall Darwen Football Club being drawn against Arsenal in the sixth round of the FA Cup. The excitement!

One keen supporter, travelling by the special excursion from Darwen on the Friday evening en-route for the game had hurriedly picked up from his kitchen table what he thought was his packet of sandwiches for the journey.

Opening his paper bag at Crewe he was distressed to find he had brought a half-pound bag of Brussels sprouts!

At the very beginning of the game the Darreners went wild when their team scored the first goal. Sad to say, the final score was 11 to one for the Londoners.

There was excitement too when Mahatma Ghandi visited Darwen in the 1930s.

HARRY WORSLEY, Morar Crescent, Bishopbriggs, Glasgow.