A SELF-CONFESSED boyhood rascal has written to the Free Press to tell of the day he was sent to the police cells for playing on a farmer's haystack.

Clifford Williams, now aged 79 and living in New York, was inspired to write after an evening spent looking through photographer Ronald Goodearl's book High Wycombe in Old Photographs, where he came across a picture of the old borough police station in Newlands, High Wycombe, as it stood in 1934.

Mr Williams believes he may be the oldest person still living who was imprisoned in the cells.

He said: "Our family lived in a house which my father built at the top of Totteridge Hill called Windy Ridge. Farmer Stevens erected a haystack in the corner of a field adjacent to the narrow, dense spinney opposite our house and naturally, all of us kids, including my brother and I, could not resist."

But the farmer's abrupt return saw the children make their hasty escape through the spinney all except young Clifford.

"He set about interrogating me but I would never betray my friends according to Rover, Adventure and other literature of the time it simply was not done."

The naughty Clifford was hauled down to Newlands station where, he said, he was put in a "small cell with a single small barred window to contemplate my infamy!".

A few hours later Clifford was taken home to his father where Farmer Stevens gave "a homily" about the importance of controlling children.

Mr Williams wants to know if anyone can challenge his claim to be "oldest old lag" ever at Newlands.

Contact Memories Reporter Michelle Fleming on 01494 755151