[Bob Dobson]

When I was a policeman, my most unusual case was at whittingham mental Hospital. I got a call over the radio -"any patrol to attend Whittingham Hospital - report of an escapee" When I got there, I discovered it was far mnore serious. Before escaping, a male patient had broken into the hospital's laundry and had raped two female laundry assitants.

The headlines in that night's Lancashire Evening Post read

'Nut Screws Washers and Bolts.'

On a serious note....there were also privately-run mental hospitals in the Ribble Valley (Billington-Brockhall )area. I think they were all there because there was plenty of land and the countryside was seen as suitable for inducing a calm mental attitude.