FRONT page news today told of the head of Burnley Police Mr J H Thompson, supporting Mary Whitehouse’s campaign to clean up TV.

He was one of 19 chief constables to add their name to the National Viewers and Listeners Association manifesto, in a bid to influence TV chiefs.

Mr Thompson, who had two daughters and two young grandchildren felt that/tv was “educating youngsters in violence and crime”.

He told us “I agree with the aims of the organisation and do think television is teaching youngsters bad ways.

“Not so long ago while waiting outside a school, I saw a fight break out between two boys and suddenly one kneed the other in the stomach, butted him in the face and then chopped him with both hands on the back of the neck.

“I stopped the fight and the boy who was not fighting ‘clean’ told me he had learned his tricks from television.”

Only two days previously Burnley magistrates had fined a man £15 after he admitted stealing money from shops using a technique he had seen in a play.

Our front page photograph today was of bride-to-be Jean Ashworth, a fashion store manager from Burnley, who was to walk down the aisle of St James Church, Cliviger, in a gown of her own design.

She had sewn every seam and stitched on every button of her dress – and made her bridesmaid’s dress – in just three weeks.

She was to marry police officer Gregory Bradshaw, also from Burnley.

In other news, the Inland Revenue office in Rawtenstall, was moving out of its premises which it had occupied since the 1920s into a new office block, on the former site of the Conservative Club, while public demand led to the panto Aladdin, presented by AEI of Nelson, at the Civic Theatre, taking to the stage for an extra night.