Recently I watched a documentary about a dead whale that exploded on a city street in Taiwan. It had something to do with a build-up of gases inside the corpse.

It got me thinking about a whale I went to look at in Blackburn, about 38 years ago. I've told friends and colleagues about this whale over the decades since, and usually have been embarrassed into silence by the raised eyes of disbelievers.

There are three subjects I'm reluctant to raise in conversation any more, as folk tend look at me strangely: 1) When I was 18, I spoke to Johnny Rotten and the other Sex Pistols before a gig they did near Ribchester in 1976.

2) I once touched the nose cone, or whatever they;re called, from the capsule of one of the Apollo spacecrafts – it was on exhibition at Witton Park at a Lions Gala or similar) 3) I once went to look at a whale on some spare land off Bolton Road.

It’s the third item that usually gets folks mocking. I have even doubted my own memory and have wondered if maybe I dreamt about the whale. Taunts of 'Whale Boy' from work collegues when I was in my 20s never helped.

I remember cycling from my home on Shear Brow, across the town centre, early one evening, heading for Bolton Road and thinking to myself, “I can't remember the last time I saw a whale in Blackburn” and other such thoughts.

To be honest, the only aquatic creatures I had seen at that point in my life were a goldfish at the Easter fair and some sardines my mum had once given me for tea.

The whale was behind some large hoardings on what is now the B&Q site and it was all black and looked like it was covered in tar and stank a bit. There were only two other visitors while I was there and we all just stood pretty quietly and looked at this giant mammal for a few minutes, then departed.

Do any other readers remember seeing a whale on Towns Moor or nearby? Has anyone got any clearer memories than me about it – why it was there, how long it was there, where it was going? I hope they have, as it would be a relief to know it wasn’t a dream. It will be great to be able to go out at Christmas and say to the ‘disbelievers’ : See, I told you so!'

Colin Pritt, Blackburn