SINCE the sun’s still out, we thought it was time to take a look back at some great old summer holiday snaps.

There are some fantastic images in our archive of bygone trips to the beach.

What might surprise some of our younger readers is that Boltonians used to take their vacations en masse.

This was known as wakes weeks -— when all businesses, mills and firms in the town would shut down their operation at the same time.

Known locally as the Bolton Holidays, they resulted in a mass exodus towards seaside resorts like Blackpool, Southport and Morecambe, with local bus and train stations chock-full of families heading for the fresh air.

Indeed, it was such a part if life back then that reporters and photographers from this paper would be dispatched to the seaside to interview and picture locals enjoying their annual outing. They could be seen strolling among the deckchairs asking: ‘who’s from Bolton?’ before tapping up a report that would appear in the following day’s paper.

Many have very fond memories of the Bolton Holidays and the sense of community they helped engender.

These images show a selection of favoured summertime activities.

There’s the obligatory donkey ride, stroll along the prom, ice lollies and frolics in the sand.

All together now: “Oh we do like to be beside the seaside!”