Alan Platt

Alan Platt was a fourteen-year-old boy, whom Jerry Booth caught stealing wood for a bonfire from Fairclough & Booth builders' yard in October 1965.

Jerry took the boy under his wing and agreed to give him woodwork lessons but was keen to keep the arrangement secret from his business partner Len Fairclough, knowing he would disapprove. The lessons got off to a bad start when Alan accidentally dropped Len's treasured plane and broke it. Still not wanting Len to know about his secret protege, Jerry took the blame and promised to buy an unappeased Len a new one.

Eager to impress Jerry, Alan fashioned a rather primitive wooden toast rack and climbed over the locked gate and left it in the yard for him. The next day, Len unwittingly threw it on the pile of wood for a bonfire, and Alan was puzzled when Jerry was unable to locate his gift. Jerry eventually found it on the bonfire pile and rescued it, arousing Len's suspicions. When Alan turned up at the yard again, Len discovered what had been going on and was furious, branding Jerry an idiot, and the two men rowed, much to Alan's consternation.

They soon made amends and Alan excitedly attended the local Bonfire Night festivities. Jerry's efforts amounted to nothing ultimately, when Alan opted to drop woodwork in favour of his new discovery - girls.

List of appearances

 * Mon 25th Oct
 * Wed 27th Oct
 * Mon 1st Nov
 * Wed 3rd Nov
 * Mon 8th Nov
 * Wed 10th Nov