Remember When: UFO spotted in skies above Cookham

1971: Nearly 4,000 plants were used to create a display to mark the 50th anniversary of the British
Legion near the entrance to Grenfell Park.

The crest was the work of Ralph Wellington, formerly of the borough parks department, assisted by F West.

1981: Hurley Regatta kept up its run of record-breaking charity collections when it brought home expected profits of more than £1,000 for Windsor and Maidenhead District Sports Association for the Disabled (WAMDSAD).

A raft race was held for the first time, with a WAMDSAD team competing against teams from Hurley Farms Ltd and Maidenhead Rotaract.

1981: Trainee journalists for the Maidenhead Advertiser and Windsor, Slough & Eton Express visited the mayor’s parlour at the town hall for a ‘talk-in’ on the workings of local government.

The visit included a question and answer session with the mayor, Cllr Arthur Jacob.

1986: Inspector Morse star John Thaw joined Cantorum Choir to film a two-hour detective thriller for ITV.

All 25 members of the Cookham-based choir were written into the plot for The Dead of Jericho.

1991: Maidenhead-based former Liverpool centre forward Michael Robinson landed a job as a football pundit on Spanish television.

Michael, whose career was ended early due to arthritis in his knee, had become popular in Spain after a stint at Osasuna.

The 33-year-old, who had moved near Boulters Lock five years before, was set to present two Spanish football shows a week for Canal Plus.

1996: Maidenhead police opened up their very own X-File after a UFO was spotted hovering over Cookham.

A large triangle, dotted with lights, was seen in the skies above the village by David Elderfield.

Police said there were also unconfirmed reports of UFOs in the area on the same night.

“There have been other reports so there was obviously something about but we are unable to say what,” said PC Ralph Hinchliffe.

But one of the country’s leading authorities on UFOS, writer Jenny Randles, said: “It’s 99.9 per cent likely it has got a conventional explanation.”

1996: Hurley Regatta was back once again as revellers returned to mess about on the river.

The event saw entrants take to the water in baths, dragon boats, dongolas and novelty canoes, with crew names including Aaaaaargh, Dreadnought and That Sinking Feeling.