THIS week’s mystery photograph is a rural image which was taken in Bolton in 1939 shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War.

And while it would seem a million miles away from the town, in terms of its hurried preparations going on to defend Britain against the Nazis, it was where a famous Manchester merchant once lived.

The last mystery photograph, below, was correctly identified by readers George Horrocks and Jean Westwell and others as being the stretch of the A6 Manchester Road between Wingates and Westhoughton.

It was taken in March 1953 and looks a more tranquil setting than what it is today.

George remembers that the trees, some of which were planted in the 1950s, were all dug up in 1964 to make way for housing on both sides of the road.

He also remembers that after the opening of the M61 in December 1970, the A6 was somewhat quieter in terms of traffic, before the build up of vehicles using the thoroughfare once again.

Jean, 82, remembered the early days when trams came down Wigan Road from Bolton on their way to Westhoughton and a row of cottages at Wingates. She also remembered the building of the Metal Box, a canning factory and the many coaches and buses heading along it on their way to Blackpool during the summer holidays before the M61 was opened.