LOADING up the removal van in preparation for our move to pastures new, we shifted a filing cabinet and behind it was a bound volume of copies of the Worcester Evening News – as it was – covering the spring months of 1971. So what was happening back then, almost 50 years ago?

On the world stage decimal money came to the UK and Ireland, Intel released the first microprocessor, Greenpeace was formed and the first Disney World opened in Florida.

But locally the news was far more interesting. Over the Easter weekend, 19-year-old Josie Pasierb of The Hill Avenue, Worcester set a new world record for disco dancing during a marathon session at the Bank House, Bransford. She kept going for a remarkable 55 hours with only approved breaks as per Guinness World Record rules.

The event had been organised by Worcester DJ and record producer Muff Murfin, along with support from his great mate Emperor Rosko, then one of the top disc jockeys on Radio One. At that time the Bank House was the go-to place for a top night out around here, especially if you loved dancing and in particular Northern Soul.

The dancefloor was usually rammed and this gave Muff the idea of aiming to break the non-stop disco dancing record, which I think was then held by someone on the Continent at around the mid-40s hour mark. And in the process raise money for charity.

The dancing began on Sunday afternoon and with the record decks manned by a conveyor belt of local disc jockeys, continued right through Monday and well into Tuesday until there were just two figures left beneath the glitterball on the dancefloor. Josie and her friend Joan Colley of Ombersley Road, Droitwich.

At 46 hours Joan collapsed with exhaustion, but Josie carried on for another nine hours to make sure the record was hers. The last record? Probably Long After Tonight Is All Over by Jimmy Radcliffe I would guess. Between them, the pair raised £100 for charity – or around £1,250 in today’s money. Not bad at all.

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Following her marathon stint, Josie enjoyed a bubble bath with a glass of champagne and it was then home for a good sleep. But the next day was all go again. The television companies were after her and she was whisked up to BBC Pebble Mill in Birmingham for a slot on that evening’s news programmes.

The next day, Josie went along with Rosko as his guest on the Radio One Club show he was presenting and then it was a photo session with Tom Bader, who was then on the photographic staff of the Evening News.

Of course, there were a few other things happening as well and some of them are featured in the pictures on this page. For example North Sea Gas arrived in Worcester, a tree grew through the roof of a pub in Ombersley and the Sixty Motor Club held a Ladies and Tramps party. On the entertainment scene you could see Mott the Hoople, plus a support act for 60p at Malvern Winter Gardens.

Those were the days.