December 6, 1976

A look back at this day in Peterborough’s history from the Telegraph archives

There was a heartwarming story on the front of the ET on Monday, December 6, 1976. A three-year-old boy with meningitis was saved ‘from certain death’ by the city hosital’s first ever use of a new rug. The little boy’s heart had topped beating and his mum rom Eye was asked to give permission to use the drug. She aid: “We gave it because we new it was his last chance.’’ There was a bizarre story n page 7, not least because of the writing style of the reporter. Here it is in full: “A man head down, charges forward, a tray of drinks cascade to the floor, engines rev, bumpers crash. An escaped convict making good his escape you may think. “But no just the Whittlesey volunteer fire brigade getting to a fire in their usual quick time. The night of the crash and bangs happened when the firemen held a dance at a school. “The smell of the buffet supper was just beginning to waft through the air when they were ‘beeped’ to duty. One fireman charged straight into an innocent bystander and splashed his suit; then a colleague slipped on the wasted drink. In the car park, it was bang, crash as bumpers met and dents appeared. After putting out a chimney fire they returned to the dance to tot up the bill.’’ They don’t write them like that anymore... thank goodness! On the telly Panorama was investigating the disposal of nuclear waste, while on the big screen at the ABC there was Emmanuelle 2.