WHAT has Houdini got to do with Astley? Well the great escapist didn't visit the village as far as we know but a cat of that name certainly hit the headlines almost a quarter of a century ago.

One weekday in March 1978 a young barred cat took it in its head to shin up the scaffolding ladders leading to the top of the towering chimney at Astley Hospital.

Staff at the hospital contacted the steeplejack who had been working on the chimney and he rushed 50 miles from Fleetwood to rescue the stranded feline. I was on hand with a Journal photographer to witness an amazing sight.

As the would-be rescuer reached the cat at the top of scaffolding it jumped from 100 feet up, clattered against the roof of the boiler room and ran off achieving everlasting fame and the title "Houdini, the Bionic Boilerhouse Cat" in our pages.

According to Astleyite Sam Grundy, who was hospital porter at the time, it lived happily ever after, apparently none the worse for wear, and porter Sam reported it produced a litter of kittens just weeks after its great escape. No wonder!

Interesting tales like this plus a wealth of information about Astley's manor house which was converted into a hospital are contained in the book Astley Hall Damhouse written by John and Sylvia Tonge who live at the heart of their beloved village's conservation area.

The book is available price £7 from Blackmoor Post Office, Manchester Road, The Paper Shop, 231 Church Road, Astley or the authors at 259 Church Road, Astley, M29 7ET. The Tonges can post copies (add an extra £1.36 postage to UK addresses).

They also have copies available of their previous publications: Pictorial Astley, Second Pictorial Astley and Astley and Her Neighbours.