EACH week in the Free Press we look back at what made the news 150, 100, 50 and 25 years ago. Here is a sample of the items featuring in the This Was The News column this week.

150 years ago – September 18th 1869

A pony race took place in Crowcombe between Mr J Vicary’s Little Sarah and Mr H Babb’s Why Not for £1 a side. Betting was 2-1 on Little Sarah, which won by two lengths.

100 years ago – September 20th 1919

A change of lifeboats took place at Watchet. The RNLI sent the Sarah Pilkington and took away the John Lingard Ross, which had been there for 16 years, for overhaul.

50 years ago – September 20th 1969

In the biggest fire in Somerset in the last five years and the worst in the town in 106 years, the former cider factory branch of the old Arnold and Hancock brewery on Golden Hill, Wiveliscombe, was destroyed. Six fire brigades fought the blaze at was now Tone Vale Transport Ltd’s warehouse.

25 years ago – September 23rd 1994

Plans were unveiled to open a multi-million pound themed visitor centre on Minehead seafront and create up to 30 jobs by 1996. The company behind the venture had been involved with many celebrated themed visitor attractions such as Land’s End, the Jorvik Viking Centre and Jersey’s Living Legend.