From our archives:

85 years ago

Boxing tournaments had been a great attraction for the men of the 5th and 6th Battalions of the West Yorkshire Regiment, which were now in camp in the Bessingby Fields, Bridlington. Eighteen men had taken part in the tournament alongside a comic match which had been staged between Company Quartermaster Sgt Spelly and Sgt Kirby. Both contestants chased each other round the ring in turn and at the end of each round they were revived by having syphons of soda water squirted at them. Soccer matches had also been planned for the following week between each company in a bid to win the battalion shield. And the Government of India had offered immediate release to Mr Gandhi to enable him to devote himself wholly and without restriction to the cause of social reform, if he was willing to abandon all civil disobedience activities and incitement. According to reports Mr Gandhi, who had been “fasting to death”, was now showing signs of weakening.

50 years ago

Police had carried out an extensive search of York County Hospital, after a call from a hoaxer had said that a bomb had been hidden in one of the wards. In a man’s voice the caller had rung the switchboard at 2.25am and said: “A bomb had been planted in a linen cupboard. It will go off at four o’clock.” York firemen were on standby as police and night staff searched every linen cupboard in the hospital and found nothing. And planning approval for swimming facilities at St John’s Teacher Training College, York, had been submitted for approval. The swimming baths costing £40,000 would be built on waste land at the junction of De Grey Street and Lord Mayors Walk. At present, the college had no baths and officials hoped the project would be ready within 12 months.

20 years ago

Derby winner Willie Ryan was recovering after being thrown from his horse in a horrific fall which had overshadowed York’s big race day. The top jockey who had been thrown from his mount Street General was then trampled by other horses in the Tote Ebor Handicap. And a midnight rabbit shoot turned to high drama when hunters found themselves being chased by a police helicopter. The helicopter crew called out just after midnight took chase after reports that shots had been fired near Stamford Bridge.