STORE GOES: Months of speculation ended when the Woolworth headquarters in Liverpool announced the closure of their Bury branch in The Rock for what were described as "commercial reasons".

MOT GUILTY: 15 people, mainly from the Bury area, were fined a total of £670 by local magistrates after admitting handling stolen MOT certificates.

SAVE OF THE CENTURY: Two of the seven establishments which were due to close in a £320,000 social services cost-cutting exercise in Bury were given a reprieve. Whittle Pike adult training centre in Ramsbottom and Radcliffe Day Nursery were saved from the axe at a special meeting of Bury Council.

EXIT STAGE LEFT: Two Bury entertainers failed in their bid to win the grand final of the Tetley Bitter Search for a Star contest in Southport. Barrie West, of Bronte Avenue, appeared with Togetherness and Frank Cahal, of Randale Close, starred with Cool Melody Duo. Twelve acts competed for the first prize of £500, the winners being Wispa, a group from Bolton.

HOME WIN: A syndicate of ladies from the Wesley House old folk's flats in Tottington were celebrating after scooping £2,277 on the pools. Mrs Florrie Deakin, who filled in the coupon, used the dates of the ladies' birthdays to select nine score draws and one away win.