CELEBRATING its 70th year, Moor End County Primary School in White Ash Lane, Oswaldtwistle, is appealing for any photographs of the school and pupils since it opened in 1930.

They are wanted for an open day for former teachers and pupils on June 30.

But a picture from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's archives of four-year-old Kevin Ann, of nearby Burns Avenue, enjoying his first experience of Moor End in November, 1968, will bring back memories for lots of others of going to school 32 years ago -- in the dark.

For as well as being kitted out with a schoolboy's cap and satchel, new boy Kevin is wearing a reflective 'diddy jacket.' Vast numbers of them -- 6,000 in Blackburn and Darwen alone -- were issued to children that year as the country switched to permanent 'Summer Time,' or British Standard Time, that harmonised Britain's clocks with those on the continent.

For when the winter months arrived, it meant that youngsters had to journey to school before it had become light -- and in that era, before the car-borne 'school run,' most went on foot.

The school day beginning in darkness coincided at Moor End with the opening in November of its nursery classes for 30 children aged three-plus -- then, quite a departure as the starting age for most children was five.

Though Britain gained an extra hour of daylight in the evening, youngsters having to go to school before dawn provoked nationwide concern for their safety and some schools delayed the start of lessons until daylight arrived. That winter, 74 children in Lancashire were involved in road accidents during the dark mornings.

After two winters of British Standard Time, MPs voted overwhelmingly in December, 1970, to scrap it, with the clocks reverting to Greenwich Mean Time the following October.

Pictures for the open day exhibition should be sent to Mrs Hazel Wilkinson at Moor End County Primary School, White Ash Lane, Oswaldtwistle BB5 3JG.