WHEN the Slough Observer received 169 entries to its local school's essay competition in March 1993 the judges were concerned that so many of the entrants had painted a very bleak view of the town.

In an attempt to stop the winner mimicking former Poet Laureate Sir John Betjeman who famously wrote:”Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough” they chose 13-year-old Philip Duffy's entry.

The local Civic Society judges stated that the St Bernard's Convent pupil: "Used a wide vocabulary and presented a well-reasoned and comprehensive piece of work”.

The 'footballing gods' move in mysterious ways and Slough Town's fortunes were in the hands of supremo David Kemp who was fast acquiring a reputation for working miracles on slender budgets.

Having lost his job at Plymouth Argyle he told the Observer: "Our policy is to get players cheap and sell them dear-it works!”

In a national survey it was revealed that Slough was the seventh most expensive place to live-beating many other exclusive areas such as Ascot, Windsor and Sunningdale.

News of this league table was not greeted well locally,with many property experts conceding that the town's position (close to London) may be a factor in this mistaken view.

A new 'dastardly plan' to 'stop the pigeon' was being hatched at a new office block to combat the mess that countless wild birds were leaving around the area.

Harriet the Harris Hawk duly arrived with her handler Sue Van Vynck to patrol the building in a effort to get the unwanted avian visitors to 'buzz off' to another site.

Local drivers were left fuming nearby as the first company to legally clamp vehicles in Slough town centre started to ply their unpopular trade.

Employees who had parked in the High Street for years had gone to work as usual early in the morning found that by lunchtime they had all been clamped Tempers flared as the clampers were still active in the private road and although two police officers arrived they could not intervene.

A tense stand-off ensued but the clamps only came off when the firm responsible backed away temporarliy to diffuse the situation.

Legendary wildlife photographer Gordon Langsbury gave a talk to the Bracknell branch of the RSPB that month and the News reported the Hurley based snapper presented an in depth illustrated talk on wildlife in the Falkland Islands.

Bracknell shoppers entered into the 1993 Red Nose day fun and were featured in a News picture special along with Tesco employee Tracy Dicks clowning around outside her store-she raised a massive £702 to go towards the Comic Relief collection.

Spring was in the air and the Bracknell News was giving three lucky winners a chance to meet the newborn lambs that had just arrived in nearby Jealotts Hill-all readers had to do was answer this simple 'sheepy' question:'what is a Gimmer'-the answer (of course) is a young female sheep before her first lamb.

The Reading Chronicle reported that a red-faced driver was feeling a bit 'sheepish' as-having taken delivery of a new car-they promptly drove it straight into the River Loddon in Woodley.

This unusual bit of parking also resulted in another driver getting a sinking feeling as the unlucky bystander saw his own car also end up in the river!

A mural was unveiled in St Mary's Butts as part of Reading's attempt to achieve 'city status'.

The artwork,depicting the history of the town,was created by Carla Miles and some of the scenes depicted included Henry I holding a model of Reading Abbey and a singing Benedictine monk.

The 1960s legendary TV show Thunderbirds was made in Slough but two of its most iconic stars Lady Penelope and Parker were at Reading's 1993 Green Day to officially launch the new event.

Arriving by wheelbarrow and not their customary pink Rolls Royce car visitors also had a chance to view conservation workshops and demonstrations.

ends Words and archive photos:Chris Forsey