Take a trip down memory lane with the stories that hit the headlines 100, 50 and 25 years ago in the Northwich Guardian.

100 years ago

THE female and juvenile fraternity of Barnton, to say nothing of no small number of the more advanced in years of the sterner sex, have, to use a mild expression, had their nerves somewhat tested during the past week by the report that a ghost had been seen in the neighbourhood of Nursery Road, Lydyett Lane, Gunnersclough, and the footpath leading through the canal wood from Winnington.

Workmen and others coming home about midnight, and going to work at six o’clock in the morning, aver that they have seen a spectre resembling a woman dressed in long black cape and wearing dark veil, flitting glibly about the various thoroughfares.

The police are doing their upmost to solve the mystery, which is thought to be the work of some practical joker or a person mentally deranged.

50 years ago

RUDHEATH Parish Council are to lock the village’s cemetery gates each evening at dusk, to prevent vandalism, which has increased in the graveyard recently.

The council’s vice-chairman, Mr Harry Flanders said on Monday that flowers from graves were being destroyed and taken away.

25 years ago

NORTHWICH woke up on Thursday to a full scale alert at ICI’s Alloprene plant when fire broke out. Roads were blocked by police and people warned to stay indoors as a cloud of gas brought chaos to Northwich.

A clearly visible cloud of gas rose for the plant when a drier on the third floor of the plant burst into flames and started to heat the Alloprene.

Operation Cloudburst, the plan that deals with chemical emergencies, began at 6.22am.

The emergency services were concerned that up to two tonnes of the organic compound, containing chlorine, was turning into hydrochloric acid and drifting in the smoke, south west over Lostock and Wincham.

Police established road blocks as soon as its movement was known. Advice to residents through the public address systems and local and national media was to stay indoors, keeping windows and doors closed.

A total of 50 firemen from around Cheshire were on the site with another 50 in the immediate vicinity. 15 appliances were also on site.