From the Reporter files - Thursday 10th July 2025

Two members of 5th Debdale Guides were able to see first hand where the money they raised to help premature babies would be spent. 

Nichola Taylor, 11, of Radnor Avenue and Lisa Tunnicliffe, 13, of Harris Avenue, both Denton, were treated to a tour of the baby unit at St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester. 

They raised the money by holding a jumble sale and joining in a fun run over the Easter holiday.

Forty years ago this month, hot on the heels of the all-star Live Aid concerts in London and Philadelphia, the Ethiopian famine appeal was set to be boosted by 88 North West Gas engineers.

They were sponsored to push an industrial gas meter on a handcart all the way to Chester via Stockport, Stalybridge, Hattersley and Glossop.

Teams working in relay would be collecting donations along the route.

The Sunflower vegetarian and wholefood restaurant on Old Street, Ashton, more than doubled its usual Saturday takings after announcing in the Reporter that all monies received would go to aid famine relief.

With donations, the final total was £253.34.

Denton and Reddish MP Andrew Bennett, a member of the Commons’ all-party Ethiopia group was delighted with the public response to Live Aid.

“It was a magnificent effort... The money raised is for things like long term aid. It isn’t just a question of feeding people but bringing in agricultural reform and persuading governments to take steps...”

Starving people in Africa would be huddling up in warm blankets made by Droylsden High School pupils.

Knitting needles were clicking at a rapid rate as they set about producing woollen squares to be sewn together to make 30 blankets for Oxfam.

Eleven year old Linda Geoghegan was declared the champion knitter contributing an amazing 700 squares.

The charity also received a cheque for £90, proceeds of a sponsored walk by Angela Tassaker and Amanda Cuthbert, together with a school non-uniform day.

Over 300 people in Hyde’s Flowery Field area had to be evacuated from their homes after a potentially lethal mixture of methane and natural gas caused homes and paths to heat up.

A house on Old Road had inexplicably started to fill with gas. Experts were baffled as to how it had happened.

Long awaited plans to open a canalside heritage centre at Portland Basin in Ashton were moving forward at last.

An excavator had arrived on site signalling that a start was about to be made on the £220,000 project involving the partial rebuilding of the listed Portland Mill warehouse built in 1834.

The future looked bleak for Baxter’s Bakery on the Hyde-Dukinfield border after fire swept through a storeroom and quickly spread to the roof, destroying stock and damaging fridges and freezers.

Seven workers had been laid off and boss Dennis Baxter feared the end was in sight for the business which had taken over the former Mellor’s Bakery on Johnson Brook Road in the late ‘70s.

Old Aldwinians rugby club would soon be on the move from their long-time home on Stanhope Avenue near the former Audenshaw Grammar School.

Work was underway to convert the former English Steel sports ground on Kershaw Lane into one of the region’s best equipped rugby union venues.

Debdale Farm - owned by Denton Golf Club - went under the hammer for £75,000.

The derelict farmhouse and outbuildings which were more than 150 years old were bought by a developer.

Planning permission had already been granted for them to be renovated and turned into homes.