Back in the day: We delve into our archives to see what was going on 10 years ago, 25 years ago and 50 years ago this week

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10 years ago – July 31, 2014

Prima ballerina

A ballerina from Thatcham has been accepted into one of the country’s most prestigious dance schools.

Emma Thorburn, aged 18, will be pirouetting her way to the Royal Academy of Dance in September, having gone through a gruelling audition, teaching other applicants and being interviewed all on the same day.

The delighted teenager said: “The stakes were really high. In the ballet world you can just tell when you have competition – everyone was really good but I did my best and tried my hardest.”

However, there was an agonising three-month wait to discover whether she had been accepted on to the three-year degree course for a BA in ballet education.

Miss Thorburn said: “I was at work when I received the email. I thought I won’t read it now in case I cry.

“I read it on my lunch break and sat there and cried for half an hour. I’m really happy and so excited.

“I have worked so hard for it for the last nine years.”

Miss Thorburn has been dancing at the Linden Ellicott School of Dancing, Thatcham High Street since she was five years old.

She said: “I nagged my mum to buy me the leotard and the shoes because I absolutely loved it.

“My mum put me into ballet class because I always pointed my toes in swimming.”

Since then she has performed in English Youth Ballet productions of Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Swan Lake and Coppélia.

She has also performed with the British Youth Ballet and a Strictly Musicals production of Hairspray.

But the Thatcham dancer has noble aims as she wants to help others get into dance.

She said: “I like performing, but I wouldn’t want to do it all the time.

“I would love to help other people and see them progress.

“What I would eventually love to do is teach deaf and disabled children.”

25 years ago – July 29, 1999

Big Brother

“Big Brother is watching you” was the message Thatcham’s mayor sent out to the town’s vandals, hooligans and lawbreakers when he pressed the button to launch the town’s closed circuit television (CCTV) scheme last Thursday.

“We read about Big Brother in the George Orwell book 1984, and now that day has arrived in Thatcham, albeit 15 years late,” said the mayor Bob Judge.

He said: “However, the law-abiding should have no fear that their civil rights are being infringed – it is because of those civil rights that CCTV is being introduced.

“It is the lawbreakers who are being watched.”

50 years ago – July 18, 1974

Purr-fect guest

There will be a distinguished visitor from the animal world in Newbury next week when Jason, the cat from the BBC television programme Blue Peter, puts in an appearance at a local pet show.

He has been booked by the Newbury and District branch of the RSPCA to be at their show at St Bartholomew’s Grammar School playing field, Enborne Road on Wednesday, and will be on view throughout the afternoon.

Large crowds of children are expected to come and see Jason, who will be in the care of one of the judges in the cat section.

The show is to be opened this year by the Town Mayor of Newbury, Dr Elizabeth Dyson.