Early rising meant that you could fit more into your day and all the exploring that could be done especially as I lived near the railway line and the signal box and the man who would let us swing on the gates when opening them and closing them and then tell us off because of the dangers of falling off and breaking bones and not to forget he could lose his job. 

But as children we never knew the dangers and nor did we care because we were infallible - or so we thought!
 

Fisher’s yard had an entrance at the back which ran over the railway line and I remember vividly the workmen used to throw glass on the side of the track and it built up to a nice little glass mountain and we would get a lump of cardboard and slide down and never once did we get any cuts and when I think now if my mother ever knew she would have walloped us. No ‘Health & Safety’ rules then.

And then there was Maud O’Hare’s orchard to hake and it was rare to be caught but being the tom boy I was, there was no fear in getting caught because she would never have been able to run as fast as I could and anyway the apples were as sour as she was sweet.

We had many ways of filling our days and each day was an adventure, not like the kids I see now who are only happy when they are stealing cars and doing wanton damage and sometimes I want to say to them ‘Don’t you know how to play anymore?’ 

But would I dare?

I am older now and have moved away but still have the most wonderful memories of laughter and not many tears.  Money might have been scarce but we knew nothing of that!
 

If I was given one wish it would to be transported back to my youth just for one day to feel the warm sun and to play the way children did in a town I thought would never change and in my mind it never has.
 

Halcyon days indeed.