This week, we shine the spotlight on top stories around the borough from the early 80s.

The Falklands War was at the heart of 1982, which saw 255 British soldiers lose their lives.

It was a short, undeclared war fought between Argentina and Great Britain over control of the Falkland Islands.

As the fight raged on, the Chronicle spoke to a number of worried Reading families who had relatives on the occupied islands, as well as parents of one of the brave Royal Marines – Corporal Christopher Bryan – who spoke about their concern and pride.

In April that year, the paper reported that Tilehurst’s historic brick kiln chimney, which had been saved from being demolished the previous year, was facing a new threat.

The then-80-year-old chimney became the renewed target for a major development.

In happier news, ballet pupils from the Jeannine Greville Dancing Academies of Reading won a golden opportunity when they had the chance to dance at London’s Sadler’s Wells.

The group was invited to perform a group dance in acrobatic ballet in a gala show entitled Fifty Dancing Years, which portrayed the developments in dance from 1932-1982.

Also that year, the young winners of The Wizard of Oz Christmas painting competition met one of the leading stars of the show at the Hexagon, Jayne Leigh-Collins who played Dorothy, when she presented the prizes.

The competition was run jointly by the Chronicle and Hexagon.

The same year saw a multi-million pound redevelopment unveiled, which would breathe new life into a derelict part of Reading’s town centre.

Foundations were laid to a complex that was set to “totally reshape” the face of the then-dilapidated Duke Street, dubbed as the “notorious Reading eyesore”.

In other news, The Colleton School’s new headmaster, Clive Wilkins, took up his post at the school, while a team of pupils from Park Lane Primary School, in Tilehurst, got a taste of the big time when they appeared on the BBC’s popular quiz show, Finders Keepers.

The team, which consisted of Michael Potter, Catherine Alder and Jacqui Shepherd, sadly did not win but the memory of the day was etched in the students’ minds.

Finally, Tilehurst Endeavour Scout Mark Hughes, then aged 17, landed the Queen’s Scout award after finishing his Duke of Edinburgh badge – and then saw the Queen at Shire Hall, while Lorraine Burt, Reading’s 21-year-old international swimming star, was the outstanding swimmer of the Thames Valley Swim Meet.

She completed the 220 yards breaststroke in 2:40.55, scoring more points on the international tables than Olympic bronze medallist Gary Abraham’s 110 yards butterfly win in 57.68.