OUR recent flashback photo, featuring a gang of fun-loving musicians in a 1960s St Helens carnival parade, certainly struck a note for reader Ethel Alcock. She spotted her late hubby, Harry, among the fancy-dress line-up.

Harry was sax and clarinet player with many dance bands in and around St Helens, including those of Wally Moss, Bert Webb and Les Johnson.

Ethel is also a musician ("that's how we first met") and says that the picture revived many happy memories. "I've spent most of my life playing here, there and everywhere", explains pianist Ethel, from Finch Avenue, Rainford, "at dancing schools, clubs and concerts".

She also played the organ at Roman Catholic and Protestant services for the American Army when they were stationed at Burtonwood during the Cold War.

Hubby played at the first-ever Pilkington Gala when their Triplex tableau depicted a Mississippi River Boat, with Ethel as pianist. On the follow-up year the theme was The Old Log Cabin. "Harry and I were part of the Wild West Gang", adds Ethel who believes that the flashback photo oublished was taken on year-three when she was not present.Replacement pianist, she thinks, was Billy Bates.

Ethel adds a big thank-you to Tom Roberts of Calder Drive, Rainford, who forwarded the memory-jerking shot.