SADDENED to hear of the recent arson attack that wrecked St Anne's RC Church in Blackburn, 84-year-old former soldier Harry Parsons sends Looking Back this picture of his class at the church's boys' junior school in 1926.

Pictured third from the left in the middle row, Harry had 43 companions in his form in that era of short trousers, clogs and, evidently, bumper class sizes.

Now living in retirement in Colchester after serving 24 years with the Royal Artillery, which he joined in 1935, nine years after this picture was taken, ex-sergeant Harry, who lived in Feilden Street close by St Anne's, recalls that the school's headmaster at the time was a Mr Kent.

His sister was head of the girls' junior school.