East Anglian Daily Times
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Environment
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Leiston
Suffolk

Fans could collect cards of Kevin Keegan and Niki Lauda

Dominic Bareham Profile Image
By Dominic Bareham Reporter
The Golden Wonder crisp packet found on Sizewell beach by walker Percy Grainger <i>(Image: Percy Grainger)</i>
The Golden Wonder crisp packet found on Sizewell beach by walker Percy Grainger (Image: Percy Grainger)
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When Percy Grainger embarks on his regular walks on a Suffolk beach, the litter he usually discovers includes Greek fishing boxes, lollipop sticks and bottle tops.

However, when he visited Sizewell beach last Thursday, he was surprised to find a Golden Wonder Sporting All Stars crisp wrapper dating back nearly 45 years, which would have contained a card with a picture of a sports hero of the time, including footballer Kevin Keegan and motor racing star James Hunt.

East Anglian Daily Times: Motor cyclist Barry SheeneMotor cyclist Barry Sheene (Image: Newsquest)Snackers who enjoyed feasting on Golden Wonder crisps had the opportunity to collect the cards bearing the faces of 24 sporting stars in 1979.

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East Anglian Daily Times: Motor racing star James Hunt was among cards of sporting stars in the Golden Wonder Sporting All Stars collectionMotor racing star James Hunt was among cards of sporting stars in the Golden Wonder Sporting All Stars collection (Image: Newsquest)The full list of stars was Niki Lauda (motor racing), Barry Sheene (motor cycling), Gareth Edwards (rugby union), John Curry (figure skating), Sharron Davies (swimming), Donna Hartley (athletics), Brendan Foster (athletics), Jill Hammersley (table tennis), Ian Botham (cricket), Alan Minter (Boxing), Phil Bennett (rugby union), Sonia Lannaman (athletics), Peter Oosterhuis (golf), Mike Brearley (cricket), Mark Cox (tennis), Geoff Hunt (squash), John Conteh (boxing), Nick Faldo (golf), Jonah Barrington (squash), Harvey Smith (show jumping), James Hunt (motor racing), David Gower (cricket), Debbie Johnsey (show jumping), Kevin Keegan (football).

Mr Grainger said: "There are 24 sporting stars. How symbolic that the packet has survived 45 years but six of the sports stars have since died: Barry Sheene, John Curry, Donna Hartley, Alan Minter, James Hunt, Phil Bennett.

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"Also shows how much society has changed. Only five of those featured in the collection are women. If issued today, it would be at least 50/50 men/women."

East Anglian Daily Times: Boxer Alan MinterBoxer Alan Minter (Image: Newsquest)He said the find highlighted how long plastic crisp packets could last without biodegrading, adding: "The packet was in pristine condition, as if sold that morning."

READ MORE: Leiston news

The Theberton resident added that 'after all these years,' crisp packets were still not recyclable as part of home recycling collections.

READ MORE: Suffolk news

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