WHAT were you doing on Sunday, June 9, 1963?

If the answer to that question is watching The Beatles, Roy Orbison and Gerry and the Pacemakers raise the roof of King George’s Hall in Blackburn then author Martin Creasy would like to hear your story.

Mr Creasy is compiling a book about the six UK tours of The Beatles and is interviewing police who were on duty and staff from the venues they played and hotels where they stayed. He is also including the memories of fans lucky enough to be there.

“It was a fascinating period in the Beatles’ career,” said Mr Creasy. “Please Please Me had been the big breakthrough at the beginning of the year and then From Me To You hit the top spot in what was then called the Hit Parade just before the tour began.

“In fact, The Beatles and Gerry topped the charts for 14 weeks between them, including the three weeks of the tour.” King George’s Hall was the final night of the tour. The two shows, one early evening and the other at 8.30pm, were both sold out with around 4,500 screaming girls enjoying the night.

The Beatles sang over the screams, dodged the jelly babies thrown by the girls – and the autograph hunters who gathered at a side door as they made their exit from the front.

John Lennon said afterwards that the Blackburn fans were the noisiest and most enthusiastic of the whole tour.

You can email your memories to Mr Creasy at martin.creasy@talk21.com or contact us on 01254 298223.