I HOPE I'm not being wound up in being told that nuclear sirens were placed on council estates in the St Helens area newly-built after the 1939-45 war.

My source is a reliable one in Harry Bradbury of Clinkham Wood - a regular contributor to this ancient page.

He tells me: "I know for certain that they were erected as early-warning sirens in the event of nuclear attack and activated from the town hall."

And he adds: "Nobody ever told us what to do if they went off - but I don't think we would have had enough time to brew a quick cup of tea."

Harry claims that the sirens were dismantled in the 1970s.

CAN anyone else confirm or add to this 'alarming' tale?

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.