READING put its ‘best foot forward’ back in April 1990 to help celebrate the 130 years that Milwards shoes had been trading in the town.

Founded in 1857 by Alfred Milward, the business grew to incorporate 80 stores with an annual turnover of £25 million with its original flagship store in Broad Street.

The grizzly discovery of three tons of dead fish prompted a major investigation at Folleys Pit near Sonning with experts describing the incident as a “major fish mortality”.

The Reading Chronicle report on the ‘fishy tale’ included the fact that one dead pike weighed in at whopping 35lbs.

Nearby gravel workers,who used the lake for fishing,were said to be “absolutely devastated” by the incident.

Yield Hall Lane is one of Reading’s most historic areas but strangely back in 1990 it was its newest building that was being threatened with demolition.

To make way for the proposed £200 million Oracle shopping centre the offices of Britannic Assurance, who had been in the town since the turn of the century, would have to come down.

Property manager Geoff Raine told the Chronicle: “Everyone is very bitter about this. It’s the sort of thing that I thought only happened in Russia”.

It was a day to remember for the Ascot Red Cross 27 years ago this month when the Queen Mother opened their brand new centre at Heatherwood Hospital.

Touring the facility and unveiling a plaque, the Royal guest said: “It’s a great pleasure to be in Ascot today and to all your members I offer my best wishes”.

Talking to the Bracknell News Emily Baker,who was thrilled at meeting the Queen Mother, said: “I love all the Royals but she really is special”.

Firefighters were in short supply at Bracknell, Ascot and Wokingham stations and local people were especially in demand to join these crews.

The qualification for acceptance was to be aged between 18 and 40, to live within two miles of a station, be at least five foot six inches tall with the service being keen to increase on its only woman firefighter – stationed at Crowthorne.

The Ascot Locomotive Society were busy building their new miniature steam railway but its exact location was being kept hidden for the time being.

The private track, however, was keen to attract new members and confusingly the society’s secretary Brian Clark told the News: “Anyone who would like to join us for a couple of hours on a Sunday morning will be most welcome.

“When the track is completed,the miniature railway will be for the exclusive use of members and their guests with an occasional public event in aid of charity.”

Slough Observer readers were in for a treat as they ran a Royal picture special which included the Queen Mother, Princess Anne and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Windsor Rugby Club had a visit from its Royal patron Prince Philip who, despite blustery wind conditions chatted to team members outside Windsor Castle.

He had turned up just in time to see England star Rob Andrew take the field in a special ten-a-side tournament.

It’s not every day that Slough can boast a Yeti getting its hair cut for charity but self-styled ‘man mountain’ Kevin Kopicki went to get his trimmed for Wexham Park Hospital’s special baby care unit.

Posing for The Observer photographer, his wife Thelma, who would be performing the snip, was lucky he was sitting down as ‘Kevin the Yeti’ stood 6ft, 6ins tall plus 18 months of hair growth!