ECKYTHUMP: Fifteen-year-old David Crook from Radcliffe aimed to raise charity cash by walloping his headmaster with a black pudding. But the prank backfired on David who was expelled from Stand Grammar School for Boys because of the incident. Headmaster Mr David Hudson received the black pudding blow during the 350 boy morning assembly.

Young David explained that he got the idea from the Goodies TV programme in which they showed flat-capped "masters" of the "northern martial art of eckythump", hitting each other with black puddings.

OX-ROAST: The roasting of an ox, games, a children's concert party, a bonfire and a disco for all ages, were just some of the activities planned by the Ainsworth Community Association to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee.

DANCING DISASTER: Two civic jubilee dances at Bury Town Hall and Ramsbottom Civic Hall had to be cancelled because of lack of public support. A member of Bury Council's entertainment committee described the response as "deplorable".

MAYORAL MILESTONE: Bury's mayoral chain was 100 years old. It was presented to the old Borough of Bury in 1877 by Mrs J. Duckworth, wife of the first mayor, Alderman John Duckworth.

Traffic TROUBLE-SHOOTERS: A new police motorcycle wing was set up to tackled the areas accident blackspots. In charge of the Western Traffic Area Motorcycle Wing was Inspector Ian Craig from Walshaw. There were two other members of the 15-man squad, Constables Barry Robinson and Stan Harding.