A major wildlife crisis was unfolding in the pages of the Slough Observer in 1984 as the charity, Save our Swans,were struggling to cope with the number of lead poisoned Royal birds arriving at their Windsor headquarters.

Zyllah and Steve Cooke,who had converted their home into a rescue centre, had been forced to stop accepting new sick birds-dying from lead shot poisoning-after they had ingested them whilst feeding on the bottom of the Thames.

Speaking to the Observer Zyllah admitted: “The trouble is I am in love with these big white birds, they have got to me-they are my life.”

In the 1980s the Observer had a regular column entitled “Roaming Free” which featured many open-air activities and 34 years ago the spotlight fell on canoeing.

Burnham based kayaker Bernard Hooker,who began canoeing at the age of 14,had recently restarted his old past-time in a craft originally designed by Eskimo tribes.

The fastest man on earth, Richard Noble,was coming to the Fulcrum in Slough in 1984,to give an illustrated talk on how he clocked up a new world land speed record in his car Thrust 2.

Averaging 633mph over a measured mile in the Nevada Desert his 27ft long car used up 50 gallons of fuel per minute-being powered by a Rolls-Royce jet engine-eventually being slowed down by parachutes.

It was a debut performance for actress Sandra Dickinson when she opened the show homes at Lascelles Park in Slough – as she told the audience it was her first ‘house opening’.

The actress, who was well known for her on-screen high squeaky voice,kept her speech short before cutting the ribbon to the first of 38 new detached homes.

Iver Heath First School had plenty to celebrate in 1984 as they reached their tenth anniversary, celebrating with a party and giant cake.

The week of festivities were launched with a cheese and wine party for governors,staff and parents, followed by a giant celebration lunch for the 133 pupils that included lashings of jelly and ice cream.

Observer readers had enthusiastically responded with entries to “The Spirit of Winter” photographic competition and braved the cold weather to take some stunning photos.

Having published readers photos for three weeks,the large number of entries meant that another double-page would appear before judging the winners could start.