Win the chance to have your family tree researched and recorded - worth £150 *NOW CLOSED*

With my uncle Hands in Germany travelling in his clapped out Volkswagen Beetle made to look like my dream car Herbie.

With my uncle Hans in Germany travelling in his clapped out Volkswagen Beetle made to look like my dream car Herbie.

Visiting my aunt in the depths of the countryside where my cousin and I had the freedom to just roam sometimes collecting mushrooms other times just playing. Food always tasted different there - home grown potatoes, fruits and berries and oh! the ice cream from the little blue van!

Summer holidays going out in the morning and often packing a jammie piece for lunch and not coming home til dinner.

Sent on holiday to my grandparents in Wales when I was about three, my (busy) grandmother spoke sharply to me and I decided to run away. I packed my little case with my brother's teddybear and set off down the garden path. Snooker, the wire-hard fox terrier barked and my Dadcu came out, squatted down and asked calmly "What's up, bach?" I remember the friendly hairs in his nostrils and ears and his lovely tobacco smell. "Nanna doesn't love me anymore" I sobbed. "Yes, she does" he replied, "she's made you welshcakes. Come on back". I did. The welshcakes were lovely, Nanna gave me a hug and the rest of the summer was fab!

Having picnics by the side of the road with tinned sausages on the primus stove after picking damsons in the countryside.

My dad was a Blackpool tram driver. Best memory is going with him on the illuminated gondola tram when 'the Lights' were on, for the whole length of the promenade, then walking back with my mum.

Being able to read story books by myself at a very young age, it took me to magical places outside what was happening around me - something that has continued all my life.

We always had a week at the seaside for our holidays. I love the memories of going to the cold water tap on the caravan site with my Dad to wash and collect water for my Mum and sister to warm up for their morning wash. It was wonderful.

My Mum telling me bedtime stories and she would make them up about the rabbit on the wallpaper and the stories were about what the rabbit was doing on the paper, sometimes she was tending her garden and sometimes baking. I remember that paper vividly, the rabbit was like a character out of beatrix potter.

Sometimes on a sunny, summery, Sunday, my parents, 2 brothers, grandparents and I would pile into my Grandad's old Wolsey. We'd load the car up with a picnic, bats, balls, etc and Grandad would drive us all to a field in the countryside. We'd spend the whole day there playing football, cricket and hide and seek and making daisy chains. Happy days.

My granddad doing a jig on dead jellyfish washed up on Formby beach- to prove to me that they couldn’t sting me.

Swinging on a seat tied to a tree by a rope and pushing against the trunk of the tree to make me go round!

Being bathed in the sink and sitting on the draining board. Also being sung to by my Welsh mother; the same songs I sung to her when she was near death ninety years later.

My Grandmother ran a successful business from home making curtains for theatres, It meant that there was lots of red velvet and braid. My grandfather in his attempt to entertain us and keep us out of her way would play dress up with the oddles of fabric. the best parts was when he and us , dressed in our finery walked to the sweet shop where the shop keeper would guess who we were. our reward was a fizzy drink. I still love dressing up and so do all my kids and friends and family. But I do miss my trip to the sweet shop!

Being woken by my Dad and taken to the 'front room' where Mum sat in a single bed, holding my baby brother who had just been born.

Going on the train and the ferry to Bangor Northern Ireland on holiday to my Mum's (and her sisters') home. People thought we were rich and posh but my dad worked on the railway and got free family tickets once a year which is why we could afford it, plus the free stay at Mum's family home. I loved the beach at Ballyholme and swimming in the freezing sea water at the Pickie Pool.

Waking up on Christmas Day and finding our pillowcases at the bottom of the bed - not a lot of presents by today's standards - a new nightdress and slippers, pencils and crayons, two new books to read, a tin of sweets, one present off our Santa list and a tangerine. We thought it was wonderful.

Going to my grandparents in the countryside and playing with dogs chickens and cows

This is also one of my earliest memories. I'm on a swing in our back garden. It's a sunny day; probably Summer. My Mum and Dad- sadly no longer here - are taking it in turns to push me and I'm laughing out loud. Pure childhood.

Cheese and biscuits in front of the fire on a Sunday afternoon with a slice of my granny's apple pie she made every week (well into her 90s!)

"Saving "our Dog Whimsy from an icy pond,got my legs soaking wet and frozen stiff,but Whimsy was ok, what a relief

My dad had TB and was always in and out of hospital because of it,started when I was 5. One time it was coming up to my birthday and was upset because dad wasn’t going to be there. Went to school,was only on half days,went home and there was a great big teddy on the sofa,big enough to sit on its lap and then dad appeared,he was allowed to come home for my birthday,said after he had gone back he said I could have a cuddle with teddy. Dad eventually got over the TB and I am now 53 and still have the bear,Rupert, dad died 24 years ago but always think of that day when I see the bear

Travelling on the Thames-Clyde Express from Sheffield to Glasgow and having dinner on the train!
It cost 21 shillings, very expensive then, but what a joy being individually served by uniformed waiters and 3 courses too!

Going down to the local beach at South Shields with my father and brother to search for pieces of sea coal for our open fire - a way to help supplement my fathers meagre earnings and also a fun outing for the family when days spent away from home were rare.