BOG STANDARDS: Tottington's public toilets were to be brought up to scratch following complaints from locals that the flushing system didn't work, the doors had no locks, toilet paper was not provided and users were peeing in the dark.

PHONE LOCK: Two Elton Secondary School pupils, Graham Oliver of Ainsworth Road, and Chris Farnworth of Elton Vale Road, both Bury, were forced to ring 999 after they became stuck in a telephone box. Despite the call for help having all the hallmarks of a hoax call, a dubious PC went to investigate at the phone box in Ainsworth Road and found the two embarrassed school chums trapped inside.

A bit of push and pull from all parties freed the 13-year-old boys.

ROAD KILL: Shoppers were particularly careful about crossing the road when the "Death Race 2000" film car roared into Bury. Furnished with two-feet long teeth and a gruesome spike that ran the full length of the body work, the car was a replica of David Carradine's racing-tuned death machine used in the cult film which was being show at the Classic cinema.

"Death Race 2000" is a macabre version of a transcontinental car rally where points are scored by the number of pedestrians knocked down and killed.