IT was a dark day for Darwen as the bombs dropped for the first time during the Second World War.

The first image shows the damage done to Stansfield Street on October 19, 1940.

It joined the likes of Alice Street, Police Street, near Hollins Paper Mill and close to Woodfold Mill which also took a lot of damage.

There were several casualties but only one needing hospital treatment.

Sadly it only took two days for more bombs to drop.

The second image shows the damage after three bombs were dropped during a daylight raid on a town centre back street.

It flattened houses in Crown Street and Holme Street.

The lane also machine-gunned a Corporation bus as it sped away.

Six people were killed instantly and a seventh died from injuries five months later.

Here we can see firemen and workmen in the bomb crater in Crown Street.