THE old 'bomb-proof' coal-hole that saved a side-street family during an enemy air-raid in the second world war is recalled for us by a former Parrer now living in the Orrell area.

And a Sutton customer of this column relates the unlikely tale of how Hitler helped his dad's hens lay a record eggy yield.

Harold Leyland, picking up on my recent 'bombing of Parr' piece, sets the wartime scene. He recalls: "A family in Somerset Street converted their coal-hole into an air-raid shelter. This was a cupboard under the stairs with access via a small door set into an outside wall. "When the siren sounded, the mother would take her children outside and they would then crawl into the small space, all huddled together, until the 'all clear' sounded. I think, at that time, the father was away in the army."

During one night of terror, a German bomb hit a lamp-post in front of the house, the explosion blasting away most of the dwelling. By a miracle, the staircase and its outside wall remained standing and the family survived. "I lived around the corner in Parr Stocks Road," adds Harold, "and remember going round next morning to see the damage. It seemed incredible that anyone could have got out of there alive. Today, an army of counsellors would have turned up, but in those days, friends and neighbours were the ones who rallied round.

"I have often wondered," he signs off, "what happened to that family who suffered the terrible ordeal of hearing their home crashing to pieces around them. Wherever they are, I hope life has been good to them since their nightmare experience."

B. Winstanley, of Irwin Road, recalls the night when the Germans were dropping incendiary bombs..."probably aimed at Pilkington's factory."

He adds: "One of these fell on the hen-shed at our plot in Crossley Road, Ravenhead. It went through the roof and floor before embedding itself in the damp earth underneath." Luckily, the incendiary device failed to ignite.

"It frightened the hens, though, and afterwards dad said he had never known them to lay so many eggs. Some time later, when the hens had gone off lay, dad said he was going to ask Hitler to do it again!"

Adds BW: "My nephew, Stephen Winstanley from Rainhill, still has the bomb casing in his possession." The tale was prompted by mention on this page (March 30) of bullet-holes blasted into the Lea Green station bridge by German aircraft. "It brought back memories," says BW. "The walls along each edge of the bridge were constructed of steel, in the form of box-sections, and on many boyhood occasions, my pals and I walked inside those 'walls' where the bullet holes were clearly visible."

Stan Roberts, of Wharmby Road, Haydock, was also quick off the mark about that station air attack. He says: "The train was supposed to be carrying the King and Queen and the attack was at 10pm."

This was likely to have been just rumour, but Stan recalls that "a stick of bombs was dropped across the track, one landing in the colliery yard and three others in line in a field at the other side of the station.

"They strafed the plane as it went under the bridge," he adds. "There was a gaslamp on the corner as you approached the bridge. This had been chopped off by armour-piercing bullets and your correspondent was right in saying there were large bullet holes in the bridge. I know, because I climbed down through the bridge section next morning to get some bullets as souvenirs -- but someone had already beaten me to it."

WHAT splendidly vivid stories from those dark, though courageous and comradely times.