A GREAT Hollands man who saved a nine-week-old baby’s life was thanked at a special civic ceremony by Bracknell Town Council 25 years ago.

Councillors had agreed that father-of-two Paul Jacobs deserved to be honoured for saving the infant’s life after the youngster stopped breathing in a recreational area in Priestwood.

Mr. Jacobs was dramatically relayed instructions over the phone by hospital staff and gave the toddler the kiss of life.

Bracknell’s new fire chief had a serious message to local residents as he took over his new position in 1995, fit a smoke alarm in your home as soon as you can.

Guy Pegler, who had served as a firefighter at the Windsor Castle fire in 1992, bringing 17 years of experience to his new post of station commander.

Speaking to the News he explained: “I have been to small fires where people have lost their lives- and big ones where people have been saved because they had fitted smoke detectors.”

Television star Sue Pollard visited Bracknell to lend her support to the town’s Leisure Week, by presenting prizes and signing autographs in the Princess Square shopping centre.

Best known for her role as Peggy in the BBC comedy series Hi De Hi, she also took time to accept a charity cheque from Bracknell-based company Honeywell and present first prize to the Leisure Week Quiz winner, Kelly Wilkins, aged 11.

Hurst Lodge pupils were celebrating winning first place in a nationwide acting competition at The Independent Schools National Drama Festival.

The piece that won the pupils the trophy was entitled Philadelphia, and school administrator, Victoria Smit told the News: “The idea was developed out of the soundtrack from the hit film of the same name.”

More than 40 schools took part at The Licensed Victuallers’ School in Ascot, with each performance staged by pupils aged between 14 and 15 years.

Five local rock bands were due to play at the fourth ‘A Cry For Help’ charity concert in the Wilde Theatre, Bracknell in 1995.

The music night featured Wokingham group Who Moved the Ground? and Bracknell rockers Poetic Justice, all hoping to raise more money for The Terence Higgins Trust, the national organisation for victims of HIV and AIDS.

Wokingham’s annual donkey derby carried on regardless despite the foul weather at Cantley Park twenty-nine years ago. Organised by Wokingham Lions Club, over 6,000 programmes were sold in the run-up to the event, at which 4,000 people braved the rain to watch the headline events, a donkey derby and Easter bonnet parade.