THE Ascot Horticultural Show held its summer event at the racecourse 33 years ago, and their guest of honour was none other than the original ‘dog whisperer’, Barbara Woodhouse.

Having recently suffered a stroke the legendary dog (or owner) trainer brought her own dog, a Great Dane named Julie, giving helpful hints to pet owners during the dog show.

Barbara was a huge television personality in the 1980’s, with her series “Training Dogs the Woodhouse Way” making her a household name in the UK.

Among her catchphrases were “walkies!” and “sit!”, both of which have passed into common usage.

Princess Michael of Kent attended the Arab Horse Society annual show in 1987 and got close to many of the 1,000 horses that entered.

The three-day fixture, the biggest of its kind in Europe, was held at Ascot Paddocks with 70 classes in the competition, and the winner qualifying for the Horse of the Year Show later in the year.

The Bracknell Model Aircraft Club thrilled the crowds with their flying displays, which included a Fairey Swordfish Mark II and a Hawker Sea Harrier.

Bracknell Ambulance Service Headquarters, in Old Bracknell Lane, held their open day so that residents could learn more about the service they provided in 1987, and 200 locals duly turned up.

Ambulance driver, Steve Hartley told the Bracknell News: “The objective of the open day was to show people what we do and to demonstrate what facilities are available.”

Other attractions included a variety of stalls, a safety belt demonstration and (the highlight) the Bracknell News bouncy castle.

Lynwood, a residential home for 170 elderly members of the Motor and Cycle Trades Benevolent Fund, hosted a Gala Concert in the grounds of its site to celebrate the 82 years of its existence. The recently formed Friends of Lynwood had also encouraged residents to keep up with their own hobbies. Former army veteran 82-year-old Major Norman Wilson told the News: “When I was 12, I made my own camera out of a cigar box, the instructions were printed in a Boy’s Weekly called ‘Topical Times’.

An appeal to raise money for two-year-old Adam Briner inspired a Bracknell man, Andy Kerr, to have half his beard and hair shaved off to boost the charity’s coffers.

Adam had suffered brain damage after falling into a fish pond, needing special treatment at a special centre in Wales, which would cost £5,000 per annum.

After getting the chop, Andy would only get his sponsors money if he kept his ‘half-shaved’ appearance for seven days, but this would coincide with him taking a trip to Paris.