I RECEIVED greetings recently from Kathleen Causey, who now lives on the other side of the borough.

Kathleen, 78, spent 26 years of her young life living at Howarth's paper shop at 346 Leigh Road, Hindley Green.

Her father, John Howarth, who was the village barber as well as newsagent, died in 1936, and her mum, Mary Jane, kept the shop on with Kathleen's help until it was sold in 1949.

While there, her family was devastated to lose a son in the war just three months before it ended.

Kathleen recalls memories of Journal reporter, Fred Pinder, now its long-time retired editor, and still living happily in Leigh, calling for news of any village gossip.

She says she married a Wiganer in 1955, had two children, and looked after her mother until her death in 1962.

When she died, to get away from the memories, the family moved to Wigan. But Kathleen has kept in touch with friends in Hindley Green and still picks up a Journal on her visits to Leigh.

That's nice to know, because no matter where you go in the world, your birthplace, love it or hate it, is always home.

I'm sure Kathleen's friends and former customers will be glad she's still going strong in Pie Eater country.