LEIGH'S eccentric barber, Jessie 'the cropper' Graham certainly had foresight.

Before the fad for time capsules took off Jesse knocked a few bits of wood together, lined it with roofing felt, and enclosed a plastic bag full of memories of 1962 over the front lintel of his pride and joy home.

It revealed pictures of his family, maps, newspapers and coins along with a letter revealing the cost of the bungalow and the work that went into the building of Croppers Hall.

Despite being beset by the tragedy of losing the two Idas in his life, his wife and only daughter, Jessie always managed to remain cheerful to the outside world.

In his lonely years he found joy in keeping his DIY palace neat and tidy. When he died four years ago it was bought by his good neighbours, Waterfields' bakery, who despite demolishing the run-down property this month, will keep Jessie's memory alive by renaming the site.

Jessie was certainly a man of vision, but he could never have envisaged his capsule being broken open after just four decades. No home can have been better loved. So sad.