Lancashire nostalgia in 1996: M6 roadworks, brazen Blur and too much ice closes Iceland

Here's a look at some of the stories that were making the headlines back in 1996:
Roadworks that caused chaos in 1995 could return to M6Roadworks that caused chaos in 1995 could return to M6
Roadworks that caused chaos in 1995 could return to M6

Here we go again, more M6 roadworks

Police alerted motorway engineers after fears over lumps and bumps developing in a new £37.5m stretch of carriageway near Preston.

Motorway police officers spotted the “undulations” along a stretch of the M6 between junction 30 at Blacow Bridge and junction 32 at Broughton - which has been widened to an eight lane superhighway.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Members of the public using the M6 also contacted police fearing the uneven surface could be dangerous.

Now motorists, who suffered months of delays as the carriageway was built, face further snarl-ups when contractors undertake remedial work around April.

Insp David Mallaby at Charnock Richard motorway police said: “Since the four lane section of the motorway has been open there have been complaints and our officers have noticed some locations between junctions 30 and 32 do appear uneven. Something has triggered it.”

The outside lane of the carriageway is currently closed off between 7pm and 7am for engineers to do routine checks.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

They are expected to return in spring to repair any problems uncovered.

Read More
Look back at a selection of pictures from 1996 here

‘I threw out Blur lads for smoking’

Pop band Blur may be millionaire international stars but when they came into Valerie Daw’s shop smoking cigarettes she turfed them out on their ears!

Damon Alburn and the band have a string of best-selling hits to their name and the rock work at their feet but Valerie doesn’t allow smoking in the shop - no exceptions.

Valerie, 60, met the band when they were visiting Lancaster during a tour. They popped into Mrs Mundane, an ethnic shop on Penny Street, owned by Valerie’s daughter.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Valerie did not know who they were and immediately chastised them for smoking in the shop.

She said: “They said they were in a band called Blur and I told them I’d never heard of them. Then we got chatting and they told me I was just like their mums.”

Too much ice closes Iceland

A Chorley frozen food store had to close down - because it had too much ice!

A giant over-hanging icicle was threatening to fall on shoppers as they went into the new Iceland store in Marketgate.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The thrawing threat forced deputy manager Bernadette Wild to call out the fire brigade and shut the shop.

They smashed the 17ft by 3ft ice block with a ladder.

A fire brigade spokesman said: “It is not often that ice closes Iceland!”