THE idea of summer holidays has been somewhat altered with the current coronavirus issues but we are at what has traditionally been the peak holiday period.

In years gone by thousands of workers would look forward to their wakes weeks holidays for months. It was a time when the big industries shut down and towns would literally empty as holidaymakers headed off to the coast.

Every town in East Lancashire would have their own fortnight every year - Burnley traditionally being the first.

At its peak the start of wakes weeks would see scores of extra trains being laid on to take families to their favourite destinations - Blackpool being far and away the most popular.

Boarding houses and hotels did a roaring trade often welcoming back the same families year after year as East Lancashire let its hair down.

Special holiday editions of the Northern Daily Telegraph were printed and sold on the prom so that people didn't miss the news from home.

The arrival of the package holiday and more flexible working has meant that the mass exodus over what were the wakes weeks isn't as noticeable these days but you will still get many East Lancashire folk sticking to their same two weeks' holiday - tradition has a strong hold!