AS school holidays loomed in Burnley in 1962, parents got together to fight the perils of the town’s ‘killer’ canal.

They formed an action committee in a bid to safeguard their youngsters.

They also staged a protest demonstration before taking their children swimming.

One parent, interviewed by this newspaper, said: “We have come against so much negative talk towards the problems of the canal we decided that one essential thing we could do ourselves was make sure our children could swim.”

The group of parents and their offspring paraded with towels and swimming costumes outside the Peels Arms in Burnley and then marched to Gannow Baths, where they asked the baths committee to stage a life-saving demonstration.

Another item on their agenda was to tour the danger spots on the canal which had then claimed the lives of 12 youngsters in five years.

They held meetings in the Mitre Arms to discuss the dangers and the group agreed to start a campaign for a patrol of canal wardens, consisting of young and able men.