TIME flies but who are the children in these pictures?

In the top shot the location is John Street in Brighton and the year is 1970. All the adults in the picture are local police officers.

Local historian and former police officer David Rowland said: "Every year those of us on the social club committee used to dress up and take about 150 children to a pantomime either in Brighton, Eastbourne or Worthing.

"One year we took the children to Wembley to an ice show.

"The little girls loved it but the boys didn't. That was quite traumatic.

"The point of dressing up was not to show off but so that the children could see us so we wouldn't lose any.

"We went to the Theatre Royal one year but the actors said they wouldn't start the show because people would think we were part of the cast. So we had to go back to John Street and change into normal clothes."

Mr Rowland's son Paul was seven at the time and is pictured fourth from the left in the front row wearing a dark criss-cross jacket. Mr Rowland himself is bending down just behind the kneeling clown.

No strangers to pantomime antics are the groups Cubs and Scouts who often fill the stalls at shows.

Pictured here is the 1st Hove Cub troop on their 75th anniversary in 1987. Do you recognise anyone?

Get in touch by emailing timeout@theargus.co.uk