The Eccles Journal for December 29 1964 reported on the fate of Ian Bebbington 14, of Grasmere Crescent, who the paper described rather cruelly as being a "heavyweight" who tipped the scale at just over 10 stone. Ian and his pals, Malcolm Gelder, 12, and Peter Murray, 12, had been playing at the Eccles Corporation tip at Dukes Drive off Carriage Drive, Monton when Ian became stuck in slimy mud and sand on the edge of a floodwater lake. Malcom Gelder and Peter Murray waded into the muddy lake in an effort to retrieve their friend but all three got stuck up to their knees in the ooze. They struggled for an hour until Malcolm eventually managed to get free and shouted for help. Luckily his cries were heard by Mr Stanley Stout 52, a railwayman of Verdun Road who was walking along the towpath of the Bridgewater Canal which runs alongside the tip. Mr Stout could not rescue the boys because of the deep water but shouted across the canal to his home where a member of his family called the police. Police contables Duckworth and Shelton arrived on the scene and discovered that Malcolm had been able to escape from the mud and was sat with Peter shivering on the canal bank. However Ian was still stuck in the mud up to his knees and it was getting darker. The two officers managed to obtain a plank on which they stood upon and managed to drag Ian out by his wrists and to safety. Disaster struck however when both of Ian's wellingtons came off and had to be abandoned to the deep mud. The boys were taken home in a police car for a hot bath and doubt a right telling off just as other policemen arrived with ropes and safety equipment. The strong arms of the law had once again managed to save the day, if not the boots.
