Bury St Edmunds Nostalgia - Miss Bury Free Press crowned at the Hardwick '72 Bank Holiday Fete

In today's nostalgia we go back to 1972 when 18-year-old Mrs Erica Denness won the title of Miss Bury Free Press.

With 11 others, Erica was chosen to appear in the final by the votes of Bury Free Press readers at the Hardwick '72 Bank Holiday Fete in Bury St Edmunds.

Erica, who was presented with her £25 prize by Radio One disc-jockey Stuart Henry, was the reigning Miss Newmarket Chamber of Trade. Every morning she could be seen exercising racehorses in Newmarket before going to work as a hairdresser.

Her big wish was to find a horse to ride in a ladies’ race.

Runner-up was 16-year-old Helen Filby, of Kennett, who won £15.

The crowd at the fete was estimated to be 8,000, some 4,000 down on the previous year.

Those who attended enjoyed, among other other attractions, a fun fair, displays of wrestling, falconry, clap pigeon shooting, and a parade of vintage cars.