Trail was not ‘wasteland’
I’D like to correct the impression given in a recent article (Walking Trail Emerges from Wasteland – Observer 8th September).
The land in question was neither wasteland nor was it ‘donated’ by Rochdale Council.
At one time it was the playing field of the now demolished Innes Centre on Ings Lane.
It has been fairly well maintained over the last few years.
The land was only provided after a ruling by the Charity Commission, which effectively ordered the Council to compensate the public for land taken at Lenny Barn playing fields, in the 60s and 70s.
This only happened after much hard work by myself.
If I had not acted at the time, this open space land would now have been built on.
But it remains a public field, protected under charitable law for future generations to use and enjoy.
However, leaving all that aside, it is wonderful to see it being put to good use – especially with the involvement of local children. Carl Faulkner Rooley Moor Road
LOOKING FOR OLD NAVAL PAL
I AM trying to trace an old naval colleague on behalf of myself and another colleague in Derby. We served together on HMS RHYL from 1972 to 1974.
This has worked on two previous occasions – once in Australia and also for my colleague in Derby.
As we are all approaching our 70s it would be nice to be able to try again.
We served in the Far East and Mediterranean together.
We are seeking a person known to us as ‘Spike’ Milligan who hailed from the Rochdale area.
Sadly we cannot recall his first name as he was always known as ‘Spike’.
We had a camping rest and recuperation trip to the Island of Gozo together, after covering the invasion of Cyprus by the Turks in 1974.
I have also traced two further colleagues who accompanied us on this expedition.
One now lives in London and the other slightly further away in Florida USA!!
Your help would be very much appreciated.
On Behalf of myself Rob (Sharky) Ward and Mick (Polly) Perkins I would ask you to contact me if you think that you could assist us.
My email is oldbusbob@hotmail. com and tel 07778 434 866