READERS in Accrington have shed some light on the history of a book presented to Hyndburn Council.

The Jubilee Souvenir Book chronicles life in the town from 1878 to 1928 was presented to the council last week in memory of Alice Coulton, of Moss Hall Road, Accrington, who died in January aged 88.

The book was produced to celebrate 50 years of Accrington as a borough.

Alice's daughter Christine Ireland, who lives on Spain's Costa Blanca, discovered the book when she was clearing out her mother's house.

She wanted the council to have it as a memorial to her mother but didn't know where Alice might have got it from.

It contains pictures of old Accrington, information on the town's coat of arms, and details of rent and rates at the time.

Now the Lancashire Evening Telegraph can reveal copies of the book were presented to school leavers in the borough up to the mid-1930s.

Marion Woolmington, 84, of Hereford Close, Accrington, was given a copy of the book when she left St John's School, in Accrington, in 1933/34.

"It looks just like the book we were given. It isn't finished off around the edges and there is a tissue over the coat of arms," she said.

Phyllis Jenkinson, 83, of Avenue Parade, Accrington, said: "It's the same book that we were presented with when we left school.

"I left Peel Park School, in Alice Street, in December 1934 and we were presented with them at the library. I have seen them for sale at car boots."

Another school leaver to be presented with the book was Bessie Woods, of Manchester Road, Baxenden, who attended St John's School, in Church Avenue, Baxenden.

She said: "I was leaving school at Christmas in 1932. There were four of us and we had to go to Accrington public library to be presented with them.

"I still have it and it's in good condition. I'm 85 so I remember some of it."