Lancashire nostalgia in 1995: Crop circles, memory man and Eric Cantona

Here's a look at some of the stories that were making the headlines back in 1995:
A crop circle like this one appeared in a field in EcclestonA crop circle like this one appeared in a field in Eccleston
A crop circle like this one appeared in a field in Eccleston

Cereal killers harvest a summer of mystery crop in Ecccleston

There are always certain telltale signs that summer is on its way.

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The days start to get longer; the winter weather sometimes goes away for more than a couple of hours; dads start planning that barbecue in the garden... and enthusiasts start spotting crop circles.

The flattened crop field was spotted by pilots on Friday, and by Sunday morning a larger formation, one of the biggest yet found in Lancashire had appeared in a neighbouring field.

Specialists believe that they may mark the start of an epidemic of the mysterious circles in the North West.

Chris Kenworthy, a member of the Centre for Cop Circle Studies, which is based at Bartle Hall, near Preston, said: “Crop circles in Lancashire are very rare and to get them in this area is astonishing.

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“For it to happen in Lancashire first is a sign that we will be getting a lot more, because whenever they hit a new area they really go for it.”

The largest ring was 12 metres across and had a tiny, sharp-edged circle beside it.

The appearance follow record sightings of UFOs in the county this year, and Chris believes that they are not the work of hoaxers.

He added: “No hoaxer would make such precise swirled circles.”

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Look back at a selection of pictures from 1995 here

BT memory man finds himself on hold

Britain’s human telephone book has been left cursing BT.

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For 32-year-old directory on legs Tom Morton was about to go for a world record bid for the instant recall of phone numbers - but the new code changes have left Tom on hold.

Now the Blackpool man is engaged in a re-learning the directory in readiness to take on the Guinness Book of Records phone memory title held by Chinese phone operator.

Tom, who has twice proved his memory is faster, cheaper and as accurate as BT’s directory inquiry service, said: “I have reached instant recall on over 20,000 numbers and was well on the way for a summertime bid for the world record of Britain.

“I get into a habit of providing numbers and their prefix code.

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“Although the code changes are, in most cases, not huge it is an extra burden to the memory.

“The phone change has not done me any favours and I cannot afford mistakes.”

Irish-born Tom started remembering numbers whilst working as a cab driver in Blackpool.

○ Most national codes were changed to include a ‘1’ after the first ‘0’.

Save our season, Eric!

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Members of a downtrodden but high-spirited junior football team who have lost every match they have played are calling on disgraced soccer superstar Eric Cantona to save their season!

The lads of Croston Sports Under 12s have given 100 per cent all season but have so far failed to bag a single point.

Their worst defeat was going down 17-0 and with only three games to go until the end of the season the lads would love a spot of help from the French soccer genius ordered to serve his community service by coaching youngsters.

Although they are languishing on the bottom of the Central Lancs Junior Division A League, never-day-die manager Kevin Singleton says the game, and the season, is never over until the final whistle blows.

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