LEIGH hairdresser Tracey Mason is thrilled by the success of a new book written about her amazing grandmother, Winifred Cowell.

The former professional singer, and her daughter Jenna, 13, of Chestnut Drive - who have lived in the town for eight years - are proud to be associated with the "Catherine Cookson" style tale of their working class Lancashire ancestors.

One hundred years of history are covered in the enthralling "The Broken Biscuit" written by uncle, John Cowell, as a tribute to his remarkable charity working mother, Winifred, still going strong at 86.

Spanning two world wars it is a tale of poverty, tragedy and wry humour in the days when houses were cold and hearts were warm. The scene is Burnley, but it could just as easily be the Leigh area, in the early part of the century.

It charts the highs and lows of raising half a dozen children against the handicap of a bad 'un of a husband, and is a kaleidoscope of memories.

It reminds us of life with back entries, middens, steaming tin bathtubs, childhood games in cobbled entries, bug riddled homes, doffing in the mills etc. The days of dolly tubs, mangles and donkey stones and.

The title is taken from the fact that a bag of broken biscuits from the market was a special treat for families like the Cowell kids during the hard-up thirties.

For lovers of 'the good old days' the 357-page book will be a real memory jerker.

It is a story all ages can relate to.

Priced £6.50 it is available from Chamleys Book Shop, Leigh, and local libraries.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.