IMMS AND HERS: Pints of beer make women "fat and ugly", according to Whitefield licensee Mr Bill Imms who faced possible court action under the Sex Discrimination Act for refusing to serve nurse Jane McIver with a pint.

The landlord of the Church Inn in Bury New Road, told the Bury Times: "Serving women with pints offended my artistic sense."

CASH CUTS: Education and social services were to bear the brunt of £1 million local authority spending cuts. NIGHT MAYOR: Bury's Mayor came under attack for expecting the council to foot the bill for his valet and chauffeur who spent two nights in a hotel during an official trip to London. After a cocktail part at the Tower of London, the Mayoress and Mayoress, Councillor and Mrs S Pepperman, could not travel back to Bury because of their observance of the Jewish religion. On the Sabbath, a Saturday, they can only travel on foot so the valet and chauffeur had to stay Friday and Saturday nights in a hotel until the First Citizens could travel north in the council Rolls-Royce on Sunday. Coun Pepperman paid his own hotel bills but said the council would pay for the other bills and the money wouldn't come from his allowance.

WATER RATES: Fire fighting methods in Bury became even more efficient with the arrival of a new appliance featuring the latest gadgets and equipment. The fire engine, painted in a new brighter shade of red, pumped 1,000 gallons on water a minute, twice as much as the earlier models.