The Muppets came to switch on the resort’s illuminations, it was the Winter of Discontent and Blackpool was under a blanket of snow during a freezing start to the year.
In case you missed them: 25 nostalgic pictures of Blackpool in 1981 from Margaret Thatcher and Barbara Windsor to Blackpool Pleasure Beach rides
1. Blackpool, 1979
It must have been a miserable summer because the caption on the back of this photo reads: 'Shock appearance of the sun sent youngsters of all ages on to the beach at Blackpool, scratching their heads and trying to remember how to tackle a real summer. Swim suits came out, buckets and spades were dusted down and, for the first time this year, sandcastles proliferated along the shore, with the occasional father buried beneath them' Photo: National World
2. Blackpool, 1979
Sandra Betteridge of Blackpool takes her young customers for a donkey ride Photo: National World
3. Blackpool, 1979
Temperatures in Lytham St Annes dropped to -11 degrees Centigrade the coldest since February 1969. It was colder than Russia, Iceland, and Switzerland Photo: National World
4. Blackpool, 1979
The Muppets at the Blackpool Illuminations switch on in 1979 Photo: National World
5. Blackpool, 1979
Winter of discontent, January 1979. Bitter arguments erupted during an informal meeting of local lorry drivers Photo: library
6. Blackpool, 1979
Seve Ballesteros of Spain celebrates on the 18th fairway on his way to victory in the British Open at Royal Lytham St Annes Photo: Steve Powell