Headlines in February 1988 included early spring weather, port strikes and rebel schoolgirls protesting over red noses

Tourism soars under early sunny skies

Thousands of visitors flocked to the Fylde coast to soak up sunshine and put an early spring in the step of the resort’s holiday bosses.

With temperatures rising and more than five hours of sunshine, the piers, conferences, guest houses and ice cream sellers enjoyed a dress rehearsal for the season.

The Tower reported a big rise in the number of customers and more than 500 day trippers clicked through the turnstiles at the North Pier.

Others, stripped to summer gear and basked on the beach.

Blackpool’s favourite summer snack out licked last year’s sales with ice cream proving a popular sign of the good weather.

A spokesman for Seddon’s ice-cream said the weekend brought a surprise boost to early season sales.

“We had hotels and other outlets on the promenade asking for more supplies,” said a spokesman.

Tourism bosses were claiming the weekend as a major success saying it proved that all Blackpool needs is a favourable break from the weather man and it showed how people enjoy the resort in the sun.

Fleetwood port strike takes hold

Fleetwood Docks were crippled by a nationwide seamen’s strike.

Docks manager Norman Pounder said the port was at a complete standstill, as the hard-hitting ferry strike gripped the country.

Bosses of Fleetwood ferry company Pandoro - a subsidiary of shipping giants P&O - said their service to northern Ireland had been halted.

Managing director Tony Crean said: “We have got two ships caught up in the strike. Obviously we are very concerned.”

He added the dispute unfairly penalised customers and would hit other employees wages as well.

Mr Crean pointed out P&O were continuing High Court pressure in a bid to get the striking seamen back to work. Fleetwood was among eight ports affected nationally.

Defiant Lytham pupils staged a lawn protest over red noses

Rebel schoolgirls staged a St Trinian’s style demo at an exclusive Lytham private school after being warned not to take part in Red Nose Day.

More than 200 girls at Queen Mary School staged a lunchtime protest and gave the school’s thumbs down to Comic Relief a caning.

They defiantly donned red noses, wore their uniforms turned inside out and waved banners in the school playground. The rumpus arose after the girls claimed the scarlet snouts had been banned at the 800 pupil school. “We weren’t allowed to wear red noses so we called this demonstration,” said one of the angry sixth formers who organised the protest on the school lawns.

The pupils claimed that they had been told that, if they were seen wearing red noses, they would be asked to remove them.

Headmistress, Miss Margaret Ritchie claimed she was not aware of any demonstration at the school.

“There is no protest for me take action against,” she said. Miss Ritchie said the girls had been fundraising, with permission, for Comic Relief, in ways that she thought were suitable.

She and the girls had agreed that red noses should not be sold in school.