COLLAPSED: A boy of 16 was hauled from Bury baths after he collapsed during a sponsored swim. Anthony Lowe of Ormerod Street, Bury, had completed 35 lengths when he was pulled to the side and treated at Bury General Hospital. Baths supervisor Raymond Collard said Anthony was exhausted and was hardly breathing after swallowing a lot of water. He said: "But we had oxygen read and we took him to the first aid room. He came round on his own."

The swim was organised by Bury Baptist Church for missionary work abroad.

FIREWORK: A Bury mother sent her son's firework-damaged anorak to the BBC's Blue Peter as a "be careful" warning to the nation's children for November 5. Fifteen-year-old Mark Edmondson of Hardman Street, was walking along Hornby Street, Bury, when a gang of youths taunted him before throwing a firework in his anorak hood. The hood began to burn and Mark escaped serious injury when a friend ripped off the anorak. Mrs Marie Edmondson said: "Those bullies could have left my son marked for life. I have sent the anorak to Blue Peter hoping that it will be shown on television to warn children of the dangers of fireworks." HERO: Despite suffering severe burns, a Whitefield man threw his two sons to safety when a fire ripped through their holiday caravan. Mr Geoffrey Wood, his wife Josephine and sons Michael (13) and Robert (10), were asleep in a friend's caravan in the Lake District when the blaze started. The Wood family of Beeston Grove were saved by their 15-year-old daughter Christine who was returning from an evening out.

LIGHT FANTASTIC: Dancer Avril Horsfall of Whalley Road, Shuttleworth, was chosen to appear in a new show starring Mike Yarwood at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London. Avril was picked from 500 girls who had to go through a gruelling three-hour audition.

DEBTS: Just six months after celebrating the 25th anniversary of the founding of the parish, members of St Bede's RC Church in Bury held a second special thanksgiving to mark the final payment of the outstanding debts on the church and church hall buildings.

TEACHERS: The Bury Association of the National Union of Teachers was to hold a dinner dance to mark its centenary year.