The 70-year-old scene shows the fire engine (numberplate ETC 3), drawing water from the stream which runs below the olde-world Carriers Row cottages in the village of Laneshaw Bridge.

Ken spent happy childhood days growing up on Carriers Row and if you look carefully to the right of our picture you can see his father's MG sports car, while far right is St Andrew's Mission, complete with its huge bell tower.

During Ken's three decades with the Fire Brigade in Colne, he was in attendance at hundreds of local fires and was Colne's station officer for many years. The Colne volunteer fire brigade was formed in January, 1885, and its very first fire engine was purchased in 1886 from the Shand-Mason company at the cost of £540 for the steam engine and appliances.

The proud engine was named the "Bold Venture" and was first called out on September 1st, 1886. On that sunny, Wednesday evening, the "Bold Venture" was a truly magnificent sight as it raced down to a fierce fire at Sam Smith's tannery in Waterside, pulled by three noble horses.

Over the many years since, we all owe a huge debt of sincere gratitude to our local firefighters, past and present, for they are, without doubt, the true guardians of all of our towns and villages.