From 1984 to at least 1999, an Easter tradition unfolded every year on Swansea's seafront that would give today's health and safety inspectors heart palpitations.

This week, read all about it.

Catch you on Sunday!

Andrew.

The annual Bumbles of Mumbles Easter Egg Hunt transformed a patch of Swansea Bay’s beach into a frenzied treasure hunt.

The Bumbles of Mumbles was a regular feature in The Evening Post newspaper, specifically aimed at younger readers.

Organisers would bury 100 pebbles marked with crosses in a designated area of sand near the Slip - the spot near the Guild Hall where the Slip bridge once spanned over the main road - until it was removed in 2004 (and now resides on the promenade near The Secret Cafe).

At noon exactly, hundreds of children would dive in and start digging for their lives. Those who were lucky enough to find a pebble could exchange it for a chocolate Easter egg, normally donated by a local supermarket.

The event would go ahead, come rain or shine. Adults were warned to stay outside of the marked digging area!

To stave off tears and tantrums from the children who would inevitably go home disappointed, The Evening Post often advised parents to "bring a small egg with you in case your child is disappointed."

The Mumbles Auxiliary Coastguard was always present, and in some years, a Sea King helicopter crew even made an appearance. They’d receive Easter eggs from the children before flying off, ready for rescue missions.

While the Bumbles of Mumbles’ hunt is long gone, its spirit continues in the Good Friday Egg Hunt at Mumbles Pier (though with plastic eggs rather than the original marked pebbles) - and the guarantee of a prize for every child.

It's more organised, certainly safer, but perhaps missing the chaos that made the original such a memorable part of Swansea's Easter calendar.

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