The sign that set tongues wagging in Hapton.

When Mrs Marian Britcliffe returned home from work to her cottage at Accrington Road, Hapton, she just couldn't believe her eyes. There slap-bang outside her front door and facing directly into the front bedroom was a sign pointing the way to Hapton railway station. The matter went beyond a joke as she and her husband Ernest became the butt of local humour with jokes about cheap day returns. But when a "friend" rang up to book a ticket Mrs Britcliffe reached the end of the line.

Without more ado she contacted the appropriate department at Burnley Borough Council and waited for action. All ended well for without much delay workmen arrived on the scene and removed the offending sign, which has now been re-sited*. A delighted Mrs Britcliffe is more than satisfied. She said: "The gentleman from Burnley was most co-operative and saw our point of view right away. It was getting quite embarrassing. I got all kinds of greetings as I boarded the bus outside my home. People even asked us if we had come up on the pools and decided to buy our own private railway station."

*The sign is now further along the main road - firmly pointing in the direction of Hapton Village.