1998: Two heroic Hainault pensioners were praised by police after jumping into action to save the life of their neighbour after he collapsed.

Claire Chapman had Christina Robinson’s quick thinking saved the life ofthe man on the Hainault Estate in Manford Gardens.

After repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact him, Mrs Chapman asked a passing window cleaner to climb up to the widower’s first floor window to see if anyone was in.

The cleaner found him on the floor. Mrs Robinson said: “I rang for the ambulancemen.

“We did the best we could for him until they arrived. We just hope now he pulls through.”

The women’s efforts were praised by Barkingside police, who said: “They were tremendous.”

1978: A gang of more than 50 youths terrorised families at a Wanstead fairground when 15 people were mugged in an hour-long rampage.

The gang jostled several young men, forcing some to the ground and rifled through their pockets.

They also snatched women’s shoulder bags and purses as they ran through the fair.

Stall owners closed early in response to the rampage following police advice.

1958: More than 80per cent of members of a Chigwell church group left after a vicar capped the maximum age at 40.

Chigwell Parish Church was forced to disband its Young Wives Group after more than 50 of the 62 members left in response to Rev W E Dickinson’s rule on membership, forcing the group to disband.

He said: “There were so many resignations that it is not possible to carry on at the moment.”

The group was a junior section of the Mothers’ Union.