FORMER Radcliffian Ian Howarth has recollections of the town's Whit Walks that date back to the early 1930s.

Particularly fond in his memories are the games that youngsters would play when all the walking was done.

Pupils from both St Mary's and Radcliffe Parish would gather in the Ryders Field, near to the bottom of Sandford Street. The grazing land around Radcliffe Tower stretched as far as the River Irwell, and was near to to the brick building used by the 4th Parish Scouts.

Mr Howarth, who lived on Eton Hill Road, said: "Because they were Catholic, St Mary's used to walk on the Sunday before us, but they still joined in the games on Friday. After you'd walked, you would go back to the school and had meat pie and cake or something like that.

"If it rained you'd stay in the school but that was very seldom. It was usually a good day.

"On the fields there were perhaps one or two organised races, but it was mainly informal. Someone might bring a ball along and we'd have a game of football.

"At teatime, the Catholic priest came down on a lorry and stood in the back handing out apples or oranges. Anything given to you free then was a treat because there was never much money.

"People who were fairly well off then might have had a bowl of fruit at home but most wouldn't."

Tensions existed, but not between the children who used the field.

"There would have been about 40 or 50 kids on the fields, but there was no rivalry. The two schools mixed very well and it was always very friendly. There was more rivalry between the Parish and Close Wesleyans, because they were next door to each other.

"In the Scouts we would walk in uniform, but if you were walking with the school you would have a cane. It was tradition.

"Where we'd turn around at the bottom of Black Lane we'd see the Close Methodists coming the other way, and there was often a cane fight."

Mr Howarth added: "It really was a big day and a much bigger occasion than Good Friday, at least in Radcliffe. People would line the streets all along Blackburn Street and at the bottom of Stand Lane. Some would bring seats."