THESE two excellent photographs of Helena House just before it was demolished were sent to me by Jim Cunliffe.

One picture is looking towards North Road and shows the Sefton Arms pub to the left.

Quite why the frontage of Helena House wasn't saved at the time is a mystery - it should have been protected and incorporated into a new structure, as was happening in other towns and cities.

The other photo shows Claughton Street, with a Belisha Beacon crossing out front - but just what is a Belisha Beacon?

Well, to look at, it is an amber-coloured globe lamp atop a tall black and white pole, marking pedestrian crossings in roads.

It was named after Leslie Hore-Belisha, the Minister of Transport who, in 1934, added beacons to pedestrian crossings, marked by large metal studs in the road surface.

These crossings were later painted in black and white stripes and became known as zebra crossings. Legally, pedestrians have priority over wheeled traffic on such crossings.

Nowadays they have green lights to tell you when to cross - which have often already changed back to red before you are even halfway across!

* Trivia fans take note - the first Belisha Beacon was erected in Wigan, on the corner of Mesnes Street, and became operational on July 4, 1935.