We had an interesting upbringing! We had great freedom and were free to come and go as we pleased, so we did! Janet was a bit younger and sometimes we were supposed to be ‘in charge’ ... but she went off playing football with the local lads.

On Saturday morning’s we used to help in the shop for pocket money and then disappear – to Manchester, Tibb Street a favourite and Shudehill for the surplus electronics stores and for stamp and coin dealers.

We were anglers. We were collectors. We were train spotters. We travelled to Crewe, York, Chester, Leeds, Wigan, Stockport – all over. We also loved roaming the local countryside – making dens, climbing trees, damming streams, getting muddy and wet. Stephen liked to set fire to things. He still does. Janet was a very good athlete and became head girl at Seedfield School.

Mum said that she never worried about us as we always turned up at mealtimes! They would come home from the shop – usually with a van full of cash and carry goods, which we’d help unload. Tea would be made, the chip pan fired up and we’d eat together. Then we’d settle down to a family evening around the TV eating from a tin of sweets from Alan Booth’s sweet stall.