FISHY TALE: Anglers lodged their objections to plans to fill in two lodges in Brandlesholme. Members of the Bury District Angling Society said the lodges at Woodhill were a training grounds for budding fishermen and women and developing the site would result in the loss of a valuable public amenity.

FREE LUNCH: Bury magistrates heard how a local man sat in the Fjord restaurant in Market Street, Bury, for two hours eating and drinking until he had run up a bill of just over £3, but had no money to pay. The 27-year-old was arrested, charged and bailed by police. But the following day, the man went into Granelli's in the shopping precinct and repeated his actions, this time running up a bill of £1.60. The offender was remanded to Risley for three weeks for medical reports. NO GUM, CHUM: A thief who pinched a spearmint gum machine from outside a Holcombe Brook newsagent's shop was chewing over whether it had been worth the trouble ... the machine was empty.

CLEAN VICTORY: Bury local authority's popular Mrs Mopps would not be taking up their brushes against the council after councillors overwhelmingly scrapped plans to replace the 49 part-time cleaners with contract cleaners. The ladies, supported by their union, had threatened to fight the proposal right down the line if it went ahead.

GOING, GOING... A well-known Bury landmark was disappearing brick by brick. The 100ft high water tower was coming down first in the demolition of the unused five-storey Hudcar Mill.