WHEN the owners of a Thai kickboxing club unearthed a collection of old 1970s/80s photographs they could hardly have envisaged the nostalgia it would stir.

Hundreds of people have contacted Michelle Howe after she discovered the boxes of photographs in a loft during renovation work at UMA Crewe which she helps run in the Victoria Centre.

The photos and their memories had been gathering dust for decades after being left upstairs at the premises, which were the former P Williams Chemists.

But since setting up her Facebook group called 'Uncollected photos from the old P Williams chemist Crewe', Michelle has been inundated with requests from people in the town and exiles desperate to see if photo sets are theirs or of family members.

It has revived happy memories and the group's membership has swelled to more than 8,000 in just over a week since being set up.

"There are really some lovely stories in the photographs," said Michelle. "I know how exciting and heartwarming it is when a Facebook memory pops up, so the thought of reuniting unseen photos to people from a time when without a physical memory there is no chance of recovery was really exciting.

"But I didn't appreciate how much this was going to take over my life. It has been really nice to hear how people are looking forward to seeing them."

Michelle has posted details of 200 photo packets online, writing the surnames on the post and including a few of the snaps to help people identify with them. She says so far half of those posted online have been claimed by their owners or a relative.

Most of them will be calling in person to collect their treasured photos when the kickboxing club reopens after lockdown on Monday, July 27. But kind-hearted Michelle is also posting out too and has sent some sets out overseas, including Australia, in what has turned out to be a mammoth good deed.

Some of the lucky recipients have asked to make donations and have been directed to a gofundme account with the funds raised going to cover the club's juniors' travel and entry costs to events.

There is a nice symmetry there as it was the decision to continue the overhaul of the premises which led to the nostalgic treasure pot. After moving in last year the sports club renovated the downstairs of the former chemists, but left upstairs untouched as their costs mounted.

Lockdown, though, offered the window to convert the first floor into a gaming and chill out area. They found an area long left neglected by time with no working electricity and old newspaper used as carpet underlay. As workmen ran new wiring through the loft they came across the boxes that initially appeared to be full of empty packets.

Little did Michelle then know that they would trigger huge interest and a string of memorable tales.

"We have had messages from people who have lost loved ones and these are such great memories. We even had families contact that lost all their belongings in the Beechmere fire and have no photos left of loved ones. So to see we found some has been very emotional.

"In all honesty I only expected to get about 50 people in the Facebook group," added Michelle.

And she stressed: "All the photos are free to collect and we honestly expect nothing in return."

But anyone who does wish to make a donation to UMA can contact Michelle for a paypal address at [email protected]

You can join her Facebook group here

UMA Crewe has a web site here