TODAY the landscape of the west of Warrington looks very different to what it did half a century ago.

Where aircraft hangers stood either side of the M62 near Burtonwood, now massive warehouses have been built with the creation of thousands of jobs on the Omega science park.

While new housing estates in Chapelford, Hood Manor and Great Sankey have replaced the former airbase accommodation of the US troops.

This week, a new McDonald's is due to open on what was part of a massive military land.

This week in Looking Back we take a look to the era when the town was packed with American influences, faces and troops. The air base was one of the biggest outside the States during the war

The American GIs and their families lived in bungalows in Hood Manor, off Sycamore Lane.

When the Second World War ended they gradually went back to the USA but during the 1950s the Yanks as they were known, used to come into town for socialising.

The two most popular pubs were The Higher Seven Stars and the Pelican, which was situated next door to the Empire cinema.

The Pelican sculpture can still be seen on top of the roof of the building on Buttermarket Street today.

Many Warrington women befriended the GIs and lots of them were eventually married and went back to live in the United States.

The town centre of Warrington on a Friday and Saturday nights was a hive of activity.

The GIs were warned not to cause trouble – or else.

The powers that were at the base told the publicans that if any trouble broke out, to contact them immediately.

A reader wrote to Looking Back with their memoires.

He said: “An uncle of mine witnessed a Yank being clobbered by two military police in the Pelican and they were then dragged out to a Black Mariah then taken back to the base for further punishment.

“This kind of thing happened quite often.

“In 1965 I worked there for a short time.

“At that point the bungalows had been demolished and today it is nothing.”