DURING the late 1940s Bill Stamford used to come to Bournemouth for holidays from his home in London’s East End.

And on those trips he would be taken on a mystery charabanc coach ride to a playground in the Bournemouth area featuring an arrangement of small huts with brightly painted exteriors.

And now Bill, who is 68 and has lived in Melbourne, Australia, for 30 years, would love to identify where that playground was.

He recalls, with fondness, the Winter Gardens and the candles in the gardens “in small, recycled fish paste jars” that made the summer evenings magical. But he just can’t nail where that playground was.

“The parents watched from behind a surrounding fence,” recalls Bill. “The play area would have been about the size of two tennis courts.”

The recollection of that occasion triggers some very fine memories.

“I have tried to recall the event but I can never identify the area or place. There was a great number of highly colourful huts – like beach huts but not those.

“It was laid out in regular shapes.”

Does his description strike any chords? Bill’s email address, if anyone can help, is wes2001@optusnet.com.au.