Ten years ago: It took 18 months for this slippery reunion but a missing snake was finally reunited with its owner.

Archibald, a Mexican black king snake, disappeared in 2005, and was presumed to be long gone, but he was found sunning himself in the Newport garden over the Easter weekend.

Owner Daniel Hodgson, 22, said: "I'm really shocked. He was lucky not to get caught by the lawnmower. He was found next to a hole in the ground and must have been hiding in there."

100 Years Ago - April 14, 1917

THE Easter holiday was a quiet one in Shanklin.

The cinema was most profitable, as no concert or indoor attraction had been arranged and the weather was unsettled.

75 Years Ago - April 18, 1942

A reminder of a former Sandown industry was unearthed during the digging

of Brown's Golf Course to plant foodstuffs.

It was a glass lemonade bottle, with a glass stopper in the neck, inscribed Sandown Mineral Water Works, made on a site in St John's Road opposite The Commercial hotel.

50 Years Ago - April 15, 1967

Much to the annoyance of passengers, the waiting room at Newport Bus Station was closed because of vandalism.

Mr H. H. Harding, general manager of Southern Vectis, said the decision to close the waiting room every evening at 6.30pm was taken by the traffic manager, Mr D. F. Howe, after some "young fools" had set fire to a waste paper bin.

25 Years Ago - April 17, 1997

Five generations of an East Cowes family were reunited at a special birthday party to celebrate the head of the family's 100th birthday.

Mrs Flo Tong shared her party at Solent View residential home with her five children, ten grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren.

For one grandchild, the journey from Australia was too far but the centenarian was happy to receive a surprise phone call from Brisbane.

10 Years Ago - April 13, 2007

Yarmouth RNLI was set to become the star of BBC documentary Seaside Rescue.

To catch all the drama, a three-man production team planned to station themselves in the town for three months.

"The filming has only just started. I think it will work well. We feel honoured to be asked to take part," said coxswain Howard Lester.