BUS STOPPED: Inquiries were launched into claims by angry parents that the lives of 30 local children were at risk on a bus journey home from a week's camping holiday in Wales organised by Bury Education Department. Police stopped the double-decker bus near Wrexham after a motorist reported its back end was swaying from side-to-side. The officers refused to let the bus travel further after inspecting the vehicle and finding three bald tyres. The parent of a 14-year-old girl on the bus claimed that police told children they were luck to be alive and that the bus would have crashed within the next ten miles.

UNSPORTING: Bury Athletic Club was considering disbanding because its 270 athletes had nowhere to change for training. The shock threat followed a decision by Bury's Education Authority now to allow the club further use of two changing rooms and a gymnasium at Bury College, just a stone's-throw away from the all weather running track in Market Street. EXPENSIVE BEND-ER: In an effort to reduce the sharp bend on Bolton Road West at the the junction with Holcombe Road, Greater Manchester Council approved a £46,000 improvement scheme. As well as reducing the bend, the project would also provide a facility for "right turning" traffic from Bolton Road West on to Longsight Road.

GRAND HONOUR: Cadet Leader Christina Medley of the Whitefield Nursing Cadet Division of the St John Ambulance made history when she became the first member of the division ever to receive the coveted Grand Prior Badge. The 16-year-old of Radcliffe New Road, Whitefield, had to gain at least 12 proficiency certificates in various subjects to qualify for the award.

CHAMPIONS: The Starkies team members clinched the fourth division title in the Bury and District Rounders League. They lost only one of their fourteen matches.

PASS GO, COLLECT £200: Not a few hearts fluttered when singer Tony Monopoly breezed into Bury on a promotional call at a newsagents in Princess Parade. Born in Australia of Italian parents, Tony was a singing star "down under" until the age of 16 when he shocked fans by deciding to be a monk. Five years later he left the Carmelite monastery to start again in TV and radio in OZ and eventually came to Britain where he first appeared on "Opportunity Knocks." Since then, his bandwagon continued rolling with TV appearances and a strong promotions campaign which brought him greater popularity.