BLACKBURN Hawks bring the curtain down on an eventful season with play-off games away to Bracknell Bees today before ending with a home game against Guildford Flames tomorrow at the Arena (face-off 6pm). Only a remarkable sequence of results could see
DRUGS with a street value of half a million pounds were seized in a crime squad raid on a derelict mill in Accrington town centre. Four people are being questioned after drug squad officers recovered 600 "powerful" cannabis plants found in various stages
A MULTI-thousand pound recycling project is ready for launch in the Ribble Valley. The borough council, which at the moment has only a limited involvement in recycling initiatives, has pledged a further £30,000 for the forthcoming financial year to carry
NORTH West car tax dodgers are the worst in England. National Audit Office figures show that the region has the highest percentage of unlicensed vehicles in the country. A total of 3.7 per cent of all private and light goods vehicles in the North West
A TEACHERS' union says it is concerned about the number of staff being targeted for redundancy despite an increase in school budgets. Primary and secondary schools in Lancashire were told by the education authority last week that the overall rise in budgets
THE future of professional ice hockey in Blackburn seems safe despite widespread rumours that Blackburn Hawks are to fold. But the whole structure of the game in Britain is due to be reviewed at national level next month with major changes likely. Hawks
WHEN headteacher Helen Hebden was told her school was being given £50 it was music to her ears. The donation - which will go towards new instruments for Broadlands Special School - was from Danielle Barnard. The upper sixth form student at St Wilfrid's
POP pioneer Denny Laine will be playing a gig in his adopted East Lancashire this week. Denny, former frontman with the Moody Blues and one-time mainstay of Paul McCartney's Wings, calls in at the Civic Theatre, Oswaldtwistle, on Friday. The former tax
CRIMEFIGHTERS toasted their success when workers from the Blackburn Safer Cities project held a get-together. The government-backed project has been responsible for setting up various crime tackling initiatives in the borough since it was set up almost
DIG out those long-forgotten overdue library books, videos, records and cassettes now. If you get them back to your library before April 1, you won't have to pay a penny! Libraries throughout Lancashire are taking part in a one-week fines amnesty. All
CASH-STRAPPED Ribble Valley borough councillors are determined to give as many grants as possible despite having their cash aid budget slashed. Members of the recreation and leisure committee decided that the £30,000 which has been made available for
ALMOST £15 million worth of improvement and maintenance work for council-owned homes has got the green light. Blackburn Council housing committee approved a £14.65 million package of essential repairs and improvements for more than 2,500 homes. Key projects
PIGEON fanciers are in a flap over a ruling that could speed the decline of the traditional East Lancashire pastime. A tax ruling has rubber-stamped the backyard based activity as a hobby and not a sport - meaning followers do not qualify for VAT rebates
MINISTERS are considering taking up an East Lancashire MP's move to use the criminal law to crack down on sinister stalkers. Senior Whitehall sources were making clear today that Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson's Commons Bill to create an easily
RAY Harford (pictured) believes his new £3 million man Garry Flitcroft can go all the way and play for England. Flitcroft completed his move from Manchester City to Blackburn Rovers yesterday, signing on for the next five seasons at Ewood. And the former
CHOIRBOY Noel Hunwick has sung himself to a starring role in a top telly detective series. Noel, 14, from Hoddlesden, will get to appear opposite veteran actress Patricia Routledge in the next series of the locally-made Hetty Wainthropp Investigates.
HYNDBURN is going for gold for a second time in a bid to regenerate the borough. The council and a host of business and community organisations - working together as the Hyndburn Partnership - have already hit a £3.8 million jackpot to revitalise central
HEALTH bosses will meet next week to decide whether to ban beef completely from meals in Burnley hospitals. Beef was cut from children's meals at the hospitals months ago as health chiefs defied Government advice that it was safe to eat. Instead, the
ADRIAN Heath is working 'night and day' to bring new faces to Turf Moor before next Thursday's Endsleigh League transfer deadline. But Heath has again warned supporters that he will not be rushed into any panic measures. Leicester City defender Jimmy
A BAND from East Lancashire have been robbed of their shot at stardom by a road accident. Nelson-outfit Walter Mitty's Head - this year celebrating their 10th year together - were due to appear as part of this Friday's Indie Madness event at Burnley Mechanics
GOVERNMENT measures to help old people pay for extra heating in cold weather have been condemned as inadequate by Burnley MP Peter Pike. He said: "This is not the best way to help pensioners. They need a fair pension increase." Mr Pike is unhappy at what
