During the recent glorious weather, I spent some time in Gostrey Meadow along with many other people and it’s good to see this wonderful green space in the centre of Farnham is so well used and appreciated.

People were enjoying picnics or refreshments from the now regular coffee stall, children were playing as they have done for decades. Some, returning home from school, were wading in the river, having taken off their shoes and socks, to watch the fish and the wildfowl who make this stretch of the River Wey their home.

In fact the latter brought back to mind this wonderful Herald Archive image taken in August 1957 of similar children enjoying the-then slightly deeper waters created by the shallow weir across the river just upstream of the footbridge.

Interestingly the stream looks wider in this shot whereas in fact the watercourse was widened in the early 1970s to prevent the floods of 1968 recurring. However, now the river has a far more “natural” appearance with extensive reeds growing out from the banks which give a wonderful habitat for nesting wildfowl.

I wonder if any of the children who feature here would care to identify themselves and share their memories bathing in the river with the Herald readers of today?