15 pictures of The Beatles in Blackpool at the ABC Theatre in 1963 as new song Now and Then is released

Their new song Now and Then has been released in a frenzy of Beatle mania. But as much as fans adore them, it's nothing like the heady days of the 1960s. They came to Blackpool twice in 1963, on August 11 and again at the ABC Theatre on August 25. They made a return the following year and these delightful pictures go right back to that special era.

During their early days, The Beatles played dozens of gigs across Lancashire and the county was said to be their favourite stomping ground, after Merseyside, Hamburg and London.

In the opening summer season of 1963, the ABC in Blackpool, played host to Cliff Richard and the Shadows in Holiday Carnival, as well as The Beatles – booked to play five Sunday nights.

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