What was happening in the world way back in 1994?

This week in 1994, a mortar bomb exploded in the main market square in Sarajevo – killing 68 and wounding 200 people.

It was the worst single atrocity in the then 22-month-old conflict between Bosnia’s Serbs, Muslims and Croats.

The single 120mm shell hit a stall in the busy open-air market, just before midday, leaving Muslims and Serbs, dead and injured.

UN inspectors examined the crater left by the bomb, to determine where it came from and while it was widely believed the Serbian forces besieging the city had launched it, it could not be proven.

In other news, pop star Michael Jackson was rushed to hospital to receive treatment for serious burns to his head, after his hair caught light during a freak filming accident.

The 25-year-old – who has at the pinnacle of his career at the time of his accident – was singing his hit song Billie Jean for a Pepsi Cola advert in LA when the special effects went badly wrong.

Three thousand fans saw a firework display erupt behind the multi-million selling superstar, showering him in sparks and setting light to his hair.

Jackson suffered serious burns to his scalp in the freak accident.

Elsewhere, Barcelona’s leading opera house, the Gran Teatre del Liceu, burned down.

The iconic building on La Rambla was destroyed by a fire caused by a spark that accidentally fell on the curtain during a routine repair.

In sport, America’s Frankie Randall beat Mexican boxing legend Julio César Chávez, by split decision, to win the WBC super lightweight title at MGM Grand, Las Vegas.

It was the first time in his career Chavez had been knocked out – and it led to the first defeat of his career in 91 professional fights.

Closer to home, a massive clean-up operation was under way after an oil slick was washed up along the Lancashire coastline. Scores of seabirds were affected by the spillage at Southport, South Shore in Blackpool and Lytham.

Officers from the RSPCA battled throughout the weekend to rescue birds coated in the substance, and more than 50 were saved from the northern stretch of the coastline alone. They were treated at the RSCPA base in Southport before being sent on a four-hour journey to the organisation’s specialist treatment centre for birds in Somerset.

An operation to clean up the slick was mounted by Fylde Council.

Preston schoolboy Andrew Flintoff was poised to become Lancashire Cricket Club’s new boy wonder.

The 16-year-old, of Preston, was offered terms to join the Old Trafford set-up. He had already played for Lancashire’s Under-15s side.

Also in 1994, actor Peter Cushing – famous for starring in Hammer Horror films – died, and boy band star Harry Styles was born.

The word Botox was added to the dictionary for the first time and the film Schindler’s List, starring Liam Neeson, was awarded the BAFTA for best film.

Pope John Paul II was named the Times Person of The Year.

TOP 10: These were the best-selling albums of 1994

1. Cross Road: The Best of Bon Jovi – Bon Jovi

2. Carry On up the Charts: The Best of – The Beautiful South

3. Music Box – Mariah Carey

4. Always & Forever – Eternal

5. The Division Bell – Pink Floyd

6. End of Part One: Their Greatest Hits – Wet Wet Wet

7. Monster – R.E.M

8. Parklife – Blur

9. Live at the BBC – The Beatles

10. Steam – East 17