This week we dug through our archives to bring you some of the top news stories around the borough from the late 80s.

In January 1989, a dramatic chase through the centre of Reading earned a 25-year-old office worker a top award.

Thanks to the efforts of hero Paul Rice, from Crowthorne, police were able to arrest a man who had reportedly stolen drugs from a doctor’s car.

Mr Rice was presented with a special award by the Reading Crime Prevention chairman.

January also saw former Emmbrook Senior School pupil Todd Saunders pass out from the Britannia Royal Naval College as a midshipman.

His proud parents, Pater and Pauline, who lived in Wildridings, Bracknell, travelled down to Devon to watch the parade.

In the same month, Deborah Barwick, then aged 24, passed out from the Britannia Royal Navy College as a WRNS Officer.

Deborah was a graduate of the Dorset Institute of Higher Education and her parents, Colin and Sandra, who lived in Crowthorne, also travelled to Devon for the parade.

In February that year, four local organisations were honoured with Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

The then-Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire, Col the Hon Gordon Palmer, presented the awards to members from the Coopers Hill Centre, the Air Training Corps, the Bracknell Industrial Project and Edgbarrow Centre.

In the same month, 11 men and women from Bracknell decided to go for gold at the National Special Olympics.

Lesley Miles, Kevin Vince, Terry Bond, Susan Jones, Sandra Dyer, Sharon Ritchie, Trevor Edwards, Colin Moon, Barry Leech, David Sumner, and Barbara Draper said they would compete in the event which was started for children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities.

And Wokingham hero Paul Venning received a court award after he risked his life to save a woman as she tried to fight off a knifeman believed to be on drugs.

The 25-year-old woman, Siobhan Hobbs, said she expected to die in a frenzy of stab wounds as she battled against her attacker.

Mr Venning rescued her as she was losing consciousness and was given the £250 Crown Court award for his bravery.

It was a week of double celebrations for Sue and Dave Truby, from Snadhurst, as Sue received her degree from the Open University after 10 years of studies and the couple welcomed their daughter Jennifer Mary.

Curzon’s Delicatessen, in Station Parade, Virginia Water, won a national award for its window display, while England cricketer David Gower was bowled out by eight-year-old fan Russell Doig, of Winscombe, Great Hollands in Bracknell.

Finally, pensioner Nan Waters celebrated her 80th birthday in style with her eight siblings at Woosehill Community Centre.