LOOKING back on some of the stories the Gazette has reported through the years...

In September 1977, five pupils and a teacher from Castle School in Thornbury returned safe and sound from a five-week geographical trip to Sri Lanka that turned out to be more than just a field study.

Trouble struck the party when one of their group, Kingswood photographer Roger Luker, was suspected of being a wanted bank robber and was held by police for two days for questioning.

Following an anonymous tip-off, the police suspected him of being Albert Spaggiari, known as ‘The Tiger’, who was allegedly the leader of the sewer gang which made a daring million pound raid on a Nice bank by floating up the city’s drainage system.

“The whole thing was like a grim fairy tale,” said Roger.

“The thing that made it worse was that for a while I did not know why he was asking all these questions.”

With Roger was his wife, Avis, and there were worries for them right until the last moment before their release as the Sri Lankan authorities held Roger’s passport until the day he left.

“I must admit the photograph in the passport was taken seven years ago and looked just like Spaggiari,” Roger told the Gazette.