A LYTHAM restaurant is proving to be one jump ahead of the rest - by serving kangaroo meat. And customers at Timms Bistro on Park Street are also snapping up delicacies such as crocodile and shark. Unlike many restaurants, owner Timothy Sisson is not
POLICE in Blackpool are warning hoteliers to be aware of a gang of men who are stealing from elderly visitors. In the past week there have been four incidents at Promenade hotels in which two men have staged a mock fight while a third has snatched the
A BLACKPOOL mum is giving her support to Cystic Fibrosis Week in a bid to increase people's awareness of the condition which has turned her family upside down. Denise Burns has had first-hand experience of cystic fibrosis ever since her son James, now
FEARS that copycat vandals could destroy another Atherton landmark mean the town's cemetery lodge is now up for sale. "We don't want another Briarcroft situation," admitted a Council spokesman. "The lodge is no longer needed for cemetery management and
SWIMMING enthusiasts will hold talks to secure the future of their sport in the borough. The Amateur Swimming Association has encouraged the formation of a steering group - to ensure the requirements of promising young swimmers are met. The move follows
COUNCIL chiefs could be forced to rethink a controversial traffic calming scheme following an horrific accident which left a toddler fighting for his life. If a police accident report shows road-narrowing kerbs contributed to two-year-old Elliot Donlon
TWO nurses have been arrested by detectives probing the attempted murder of three patients at Bolton General Hospital. The two health workers - both members of staff on the psychiatric wing - were being quizzed by detectives at Bolton Central Police Station
DOGGEDLY determined to lick the stray dog problem are Council dog wardens Debbie Eastwood and Michelle Moss. The two four legged's friends, whom live in the same street in Leigh, have been taken on by the Environmental Health department to operate the
PETERBOROUGH'S visit to Turf Moor on Saturday is as big a game as Burnley's Wembley play-off clash, reckons manager Adrian Heath. "There is no doubt about it," said a defiant Heath. "The Peterborough game is one of the most important matches that this
NIGHT-time safety measures at Leigh bus station have proved so successful that transport chiefs have agreed to continue the scheme. Under an experimental scheme, which started in August 1995, bus services after 7pm were grouped together on a limited number
CONCERNED residents packed a parish hall to voice their disapproval of plans to rebuild St Wilfrid's school on Fensicliffe playing fields. Residents' action group chairman, Frank Baxendale, said: "The support for our cause was overwhelming. We want planning
A NEW High Sheriff for Lancashire has been sworn in at a traditional ceremony in County Hall. Mr Timothy Roy Henry Kimber, 59, of Newton Hall, Whittington near Carnforth will take over an office with its origins stretching back more than 1,000 years.
A NEW initiative could revolutionise the way terminally ill patients are cared for. CommuniCare NHS Trust is to introduce a 12 month "Hospice at Home" pilot scheme for people with cancer living in Blackburn and Darwen. Research has revealed that 50 per
A BUTTERFLY garden is flourishing in the middle of a Blackburn housing estate, thanks to the hard work of dedicated residents. Livesey Urban Wildlife Park, which is officially opening this Saturday, also boasts a bonfire area, new lighting and footpaths
A PRESTON man chased a thief after he made off with a charity collecting tin during the egg rolling festivities at Avenham Park on Easter Monday. Michael Appleby, of Penwortham, gave chase after he saw the young thief steal the tin from the Preston Animal
QUICK-thinking radio user Brian Bolton saved the day after a fire broke out in a wood near Kirkby Lonsdale. Brian, from Hoghton, near Blackburn, was taking part in a fund-raising radio event with the Central Lancashire Amateur Radio Club. He was camping
FINANCIAL backing to the tune of £4,000 from the Fourways Food supermarkets chain has given a sporting boost to cricket in Bury. The cash has allowed the Borough to match the amount under the Government's business sponsorship scheme, Sportsmatch. The
A SHORT time ago your letters column carried comments on a piece of so-called art in the form of a 'metal tree' on the Greenbank business park in Blackburn. Now that it has been pointed out to me, can I be forgiven for believing that this was an extension
WINNING their way to the regional finals of a national schools competition run by the army's initiative, School Challenger, Bury Grammar School have designed an obstacle course fit to challenge anyone competing against schools in their region. The school
ROVERS have to win their last four League games if they are to stand any chance of sneaking into Europe. And they must start at in-form Nottingham Forest on Saturday (April 13). That is the stark message from assistant manager Tony Parkes who knows his
A GROUP of Leyland residents say the value of their homes is set to plummet if plans to expand Runshaw College get the go-ahead. More than 400 people living on Langdale Road and the Worden Park estate complained extra classrooms and nearly 200 parking
EXPECT a knock on your door during the next three weeks as councillors gear up for the May 2 local elections. Canvassing for the 21 seats up for grabs in Blackburn and Darwen is already well under way. Among those up for re-election are the three political
UNIVERSITY bosses have got their hands on £7.9 million lottery cash which will build a long-awaited state-of-the-art sports complex near Preston. The cash, the biggest single payout yet by the Lottery Sports Fund, will help build the £12 million centre
Woodbank 2 Barrhill Lads Club 0 CHARACTER, stamina and pride harnessed to no shortage of skills were the qualities that saw Woodbank through to a Manchester County Cup final on Sunday May 5th despite playing with only ten men for almost an hour. Woodbank
FORMER brewery chief Jim Botur clashed with his old employer, Matthew Brown, over plans to put the Lion name on his own brew. Senior management of the Scottish and Newcastle-owned company were angry with his plans to use the Lion brand name, but Jim said
THE list of Alex Ferguson's soccer successes is long and impressive, writes Neil Bramwell. But please do not mention the latest title - should United go on to claim the Premiership crown as expected - in the same breath. For it is clear that the Reds
MANY seasons of separation might have cooled Blackburn's rivalry with Burnley on the football field - but a brand new East Lancashire conflict is about to begin in the glamourous and high tension world of World Superbikes. Burnley hero Neil Hodgson is
BRITAIN should have a network of public computer kiosks so the less well-off can join the information revolution and have access to world-wide Internet, says a National Consumer Council report today. And public libraries are among the suggested centres
NHS-WATCHERS are usually witness to health care in their communities being beset by spending cuts and stretched resources - but today, against that trend, East Lancashire sees a massive money boost on the hospitals front. For a £15million improvement
DETECTIVES were today set to reveal startling new developments in their investigations into the murder of accountant David Wilson. It is understood that two people, believed to be French, have been arrested in Kent in connection with the execution of
LABOUR hopes to strengthen its 24-strong majority on Blackburn Council at the May 2 district elections, fielding candidates in all 21 seats being contested. Conservatives are not contesting eight seats regarded as traditional Labour strongholds, leaving
VILLAGE cricket club Glazebury have opened the door to success. They believe the key lies in sponsorship. And they have just signed a new deal with Atherton-based Sibcas in a bid to win a first league title. Glazebury enjoyed its best-ever season in 1995
ERIC HAYES is a man with a mission. A serious parachuting accident left him out of action for four long and painful years. But Eric, who has just celebrated his half-century, was determined to get back into sport. And, as chief instructor with Leigh's
LEIGH have stepped right into a horror story. And the torment just won't go away...for frantic coach Ian Lucas, for a stricken squad, for long-suffering fans. Three successive defeats and 18 tries conceded, 16 in the two Easter games alone, adds up to
POLICE are hunting a teenage girl who threatened an 80-year-old woman with what is believed to have been an imitation handgun. The girl called at the pensioner's home in Martin Avenue, Newton-le-Willows, at about 5.25pm on Thursday, March 28. When the
HOSPICE care in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale takes another big stride forward tomorrow with the official laying of the foundation stone at the new in-patient centre in Reedley. The ceremony will be performed by Miss Muriel Jobling, chairman and driving
TWO non-executive directors have been appointed to the Board of North West Water Limited. Deborah Morton and Phillida Entwistle took their places on April 1. "Their contribution will add a special focus to customer issues," said NWW's managing director
TRAVELLERS in Whitefield are likely to be inconvenienced until the end of the year as a £300,000 road improvement scheme gets under way. The 32-week-long scheme begins after the Easter Bank Holiday and involves the junction of the busy A56 Bury New Road
EASTER joy, without doubt, but feet still firmly on the ground! That was the assessment of Saints' boss Shaun McRae following the epic wins over Wigan and Leeds. WHITTLE: Have Saints' finally 'arrived' as the game's top club after being bridesmaids to
DURING the last 25 years the Ministry of Agriculture has killed tens of thousands of badgers at a cost of millions of pounds to the taxpayer, though all badgers are fully protected by Parliament. The badger slaughter started because the Government blamed
TWO of the twin boroughs' choirs are competing in the UK's largest amateur choral event this Sunday (April 14). Nelson Civic Junior Choir and Rosehill Junior School, Burnley, will sing in the regional heat of the 1996 Sainsbury's Choir of the Year at
THE city rocked to the sound of shanty singing this weekend as thousands enjoyed the most popular Maritime Festival yet. The excellent weather on Good Friday and Saturday brought people out on to St George's Quay to join in the celebration of the days
COMMENTS made by Morecambe MP Sir Mark Lennox Boyd surrounding the future of housing in the town have outraged city councillors. Sir Mark spoke out last week after receiving a 1,000 strong petition from a group still campaigning to save the Altham Road
SATURDAY'S home match against Peterborough United is a good opportunity for Burnley to get some much needed points - but it's an opportunity they must take. The 1-0 defeat at second-from-bottom Brighton on Tuesday night was another to blow to the Clarets
HEALTH care bosses have at last been given the go-ahead for a £15 million improvement to take Burnley General into the next millennium. The new look package comes in the form of a £9 million project paid for from the NHS and £6 million worth of work funded
LAST weekend's Light Up the World festival was so successful that organisers plan to stage an event ten times its size next year. The Easter get-together for Christians of all denominations drew around 1,500 worshippers to Williamson Park over the weekend
KIDNEY transplant patient Tom Cahill is set to lead a 130 mile bike ride to raise cash for fellow sufferers next month. Tom, 51, originally from Detroit, Michigan, was given a new kidney by his brother in May 1994, but took up cycling again after less
CRANE hire giant GWS this week unveiled its new image. The Great Harwood based firm launched its new corporate colours on the first of a batch of Japanese cranes it has bought. Other cranes throughout GWS's 500-strong fleet are being repainted from the
Morecambe 1 Stevenage 0 CONFERENCE toppers Stevenage should have twigged what they were getting into at Christie Park on Saturday with just five minutes on the clock. The outstanding Jim McCluskie had the ball in the back of the net after a clever piece
Netherfield 2 Lancaster City 2 A BATTLE in the Easter Monday fog is the best way to describe this bad tempered local derby that slowed City's charge to promotion down from a gallop to a canter. None of City's main promotion rivals managed to take three
HUNDREDS of campaigners are expected to descend on Blackpool Town Hall tomorrow (April 12) for a rail service rally. The meeting - organised by the Rail, Maritime and Transport Union - is part of a drive to boost rail services to Blackpool and halt privatisation
A NEW advertising campaign has surfaced for Carrington Career & Workwear Fabrics. The image of a swimmer breaking the surface of a sea of fabric features in the trade press campaign for the Nelson firm. "We're delighted with the new campaign. It embodies
DRUG addicts who turn to crime to feed their habit steal property worth nearly £127 million a year in Greater Manchester alone. The county's police this week launched Operation Jigsaw aimed to combat the drugs problem and ultimately reduce crime. Police
LEIGH Euro MP Terry Wynn has published a guide designed to dispel rumours about mad cow disease. The three page guide - 'British Beef: Your questions answered" - was published by the MEP following a recent Goverment disclosure that there may be a link
CITIZEN readers can help give scores of disadvantaged youngsters a day to remember in Blackpool - simply by opening a new bank account. A futuristic Bankpoint is being launched in Victoria Street by the Co-operative Bank on April 19 amid a carnival atmosphere
WE'RE making a film for the BBC about people's relationships with their in-laws. We are looking for individuals who might like to take part in a documentary exploring this most crucial of family dynamics. Whether you are a daughter-in-law, son-in-law
A HINDLEY Green housing estate is to be partially closed after residents complained about traffic using it as a short cut. Traffic surveys carried out in Edinburgh Drive, Stuart Avenue and Taylor Road revealed that large numbers of vehicles were regularly
PEOPLE power is set to boost the image of a run-down park and turn it into an attraction for townsfolk. The recently formed Ashton Park Watch want to create a facility that rivals Darwen's larger parks. The face-lift will involve building a large children's
A TYLDESLEY woman snubbed a car wash ban in protest against delays in fixing a water mains leak. Fed-up with complaining about a steady flow of water running down Unsworth Street, she vented her anger with a bucket of water and a sponge! "The water company
A CASH-starved nursery school has been forced to ask parents to foot the bill for a burglar alarm after suffering a spate of thefts. Turncroft Nursery in Darwen has made repeated requests to Lancashire County Council for security lights and an alarm.
THE COUNTY Council have joined Hyndburn in a legal challenge of North West Water's controversial pre-payment water system. The scheme works by customers using a smart-card to pay for their water in advance - or be cut off after an emergency period. Hyndburn
THE Greater Manchester Ambulance Service has launched an appeal to tell people who are still trying to apply for a job as a paramedic, that there are no places left. Interest in the ambulance service is still enormously high as was proved by a recent
CONCERNED councillors are calling on town hall chiefs to take action to stop gipsies moving on to vacant land in Oswaldtwistle. The pleas have come after a group of three caravans reappeared on the playing fields in White Ash Lane over Easter. Oswaldtwistle
HYNDBURN'S Tories are promising to fight Labour's stronghold with representatives challenging seats in every ward in local elections on May 2. Coun Britcliffe said: "We have assembled a fine team of candidates, combining energy and experience and providing
MUDDY marvels rescued a struggling pony from an horrific death. Four year-old Minstrel was stuck firm and sinking fast in a muddy quagmire off Schofield Lane, Atherton. But willing hands and the expertise of Atherton fire-fighters saved Minstrel from
A LEYLAND mum has picked up a £2,000 thank you from North West Water for her innovative money saving ideas. Karen Needham, of Claugton Avenue, Clayton-le-Woods, helped save the company £21,000 on computer equipment and software The mother-of-four who
A FIREBUG has put green-fingered growers on red alert. For the third time in less than a year, prominent members of Tyldesley Allotments and Smallholders' Association have suffered at the hands of a mean arsonist. "I can't understand why anyone would
A GANG of thieves who tried to de-activate a security alarm at a Bamber Bridge wholesalers, bungled the job and fled with nothing. Thieves tried to break into Batley's Cash and Carry, on the Walton Summit Industrial Estate, between 2am-5am on Tuesday.
FIREMEN were called out to 900 grass fires in the Greater Manchester area over the Easter holiday period -including Radcliffe and Bury. A spokesman for the brigade said he had never known them be called out to such a large number before. "These call-outs
A GROUNDBREAKING cancer support group which first began in Preston is branching out across Lancashire. A group of voluntary therapists, dieticians and healers - part of the national organisation Gentle Support to Cancer - worked so successfully in Preston
MORE than £1 million is to be spent by the new Bury and Rochdale Health Authority over the next two years, developing Continuing Care. This was said in a report presented at the last meeting of the old Authority. The agenda item outlined an investment
FROM the league's most experienced player to its newest manager - that's the daunting task that faces Martin Eatough, Great Harwood Town's new man in the hot seat. Eatough, 37, has been a semi pro for the past 19 years, and until his move to the Showground
FUNERAL hearses have been given the OK to go through amber lights on their way to graveyards. The funeral Ombudsman has ruled that hearses should be able to travel as fast as any other vehicle. He made the decision despite receiving nearly 100 complaints
A GROUP which helps children who suffer from asthma is appealing to local businesses to save it from closure. Blackburn Area Junior Asthma Club, which started in December, organises a host of events for sufferers showing them that they too can lead a
ALL the nice girls love a sailor, so the song goes... But for lonely hearts these days it seems their ideal man is a soldier - especially if he is from Lancashire! For the army information office in Preston has been inundated with letters from unattached
THOUSANDS of hard-up East Lancashire home owners are breathing a sigh of relief as they feel the benefit of fresh interest rate cuts. From May 1, Nationwide borrowers with a standard repayment mortgage of £30,000 will save £8 a month. And Yorkshire Building
HEALTH chiefs in Preston are worried pre-payment water devices proposed by North West Water could put low income families at risk. Consultant in Public Health for North West Lancashire Dr Sohail Ashraff claims the meters by-pass agreed safeguards to prevent
RESIDENTS in Whitefield have been given assurances by the Highways Agency that every effort will be made to return the properties that it bought for the M62 Relief Road to private ownership. Around 270 homes were acquired by the Agency for the scheme
WITH the launch of Bury Metro Council's new LitterLine residents around the Borough can now report any litter problems in their area. All they need to do is call 253 5850 and once a call has been received Council staff will try to solve problems as quickly
THIEVES stole even the alarm system from a new bungalow in Pendle Way, Clifton Farm Estate, Burnley. Property valued at £263 was taken including two chrome bath taps, two alarm sensors and the alarm box, a smoke detector and a Black Beauty gas fire with
WORKING in partnership Bury Metro, the Irwell Valley Housing Association and the private owner are bringing one of Radcliffe's famous landmarks back to life with a multi-million-pound investment. The former Boar's Head Hotel is being given a new role
AN ELECTION row has broken out between Labour and the Liberal Democrats in Darwen, with both parties claiming they are responsible for winning back council services for Darwen. In the run-up to the May elections, Councillor David Foster, Liberal Democrat
THE National Union of Teachers has warned that staff are at "breaking point." The warning comes from Anne Waterhouse, who has just been re-elected as National Executive Member for another two years with the Lancashire and Isle of Man branch. The matter
WILDLIFE enthusiasts and residents are up in arms over a plan to fill in part of the disused Taylor Nicholson lodge (dam) with building rubble to provide "roosting areas for wildlife" - at a site they say is already teeming with fish, animals and birds
WORKERS downed tools and staged a sit-in after hearing in the local chip shop their factory was up for sale. The action came after workers at Caleb Duckworth Ltd, Colne, discovered a neighbouring company was negotiating to buy the Phillips Lane works.
THE Shakers slipped up on Saturday when struggling Mansfield Town taught them a lesson in finishing. As close rivals Wigan and Darlington closed in, Bury wasted chance after chance and gifted the Stags two goals as they avenged a 5-1 defeat by Bury in
FIRMS are being offered help to make sure they meet vital European standards. Northern Technologies of Nelson has joined forces with the University of Salford to stage an open day on the Electromagnetic Compatibility Standard. All goods containing electrical
A WICKED challenge is being thrown out to walkers to complete a gruelling circuit of witch country. The third annual Pendle Witch Way challenge walk takes place on April 27 and organisers are hoping to improve on the cash total raised in previous years
LEIGH Olympic Wrestling Club showed off their champion style at the British Junior Championships in Slough. They produced four title-winning performances. Kyle Orrell took the schoolboy 25kg crown, hard work of many weeks paying dividends in a convincing
MATT SMITH'S final flourish made it a happy Easter for Westleigh Village A. His goal clinched the Leigh & District Amateur Football League's Davenport Cup Final in a Good Friday thriller against Blue Lion. The match went into extra-time as underdogs
BILLY McKinlay looks set to take over in midfield from Garry Flitcroft, when Blackburn Rovers visit Nottingham Forest on Saturday. Flitcroft's lingering hopes of a change of heart by referee Jeff Winter, who showed the £3 million man a red card three
TWO police officers were taken to Whiston Hospital on Tuesday night after their patrol car crashed on the way to an emergency call. PCs Steve Fletcher, 35, and Mark Holland, 34, - who have about 18 years service between them - were on there way to a disturbance
A TEENAGER'S one-girl campaign to recover her bicycle paid off when it was returned just two days after being stolen. Fourteen-year-old Sheena Littler was devastated when she woke up on Monday, April 1 to discover that someone had stolen her bike overnight
A DOOR of opportunity is opening wide for Russell and Virginia Margerison, thanks to the humble hinge. The couple's garden shed manufacturing business gave them the idea of producing a cheaper version of the antique-style cast iron hinges they used. And
A SIX-YEAR-OLD boy savaged by a bull mastiff on Easter Sunday is now recovering at home after the first of a series of skin graft operations to repair the horrendous damage to his face. But he's been sent so many toys to help cheer him up, his dad says
MEMORIES stirred by this ancient page don't just linger on - they also drift far and wide. Fred Hesp junior, of Poulton-le-Fylde, is the latest "far-offer" to join our nostalgia gang, after spotting my recent flashback photo featuring players and officials
POLICE officers are warning parents to alert their children about the dangers of playing near water, following an incident on Good Friday in which a child nearly drowned. PCs Kevin Smith and Paul Gibson were called out on a 999 call at about 3.30pm on
THE old, badly-formulated poll tax and the unfair rates system, based on the size of a house and its location, have now been replaced by the even more pernicious and unfair council tax. This is based, quite simply, on the value placed on your property
CHEF Jonathan Davies has got the perfect alternative to beef for worried meat eaters - ostrich. At around £12 per pound the big bird meat may be an expensive substitute for fillet steak but there is definitely no risk from BSE and it is 100 per cent cholesterol-free
THE hunt for the assassins who executed accountant David Wilson took a sensational twist today with the arrest of two men. And the top detective in charge of the four year investigation, said the hunt for the two masked murderers was drawing to a close
WE are two months or so from the official season and yet midsummer madness is already upon us. The annual catalogue of childish stupidity or outright vandalism - put whatever description on it you wish - has reared its ugly head earlier than ever in 1996
CUSTOMERS at leading greetings card retailers Birthdays have raised over £100,000 from charity cards bought at Christmas. Three of the UK's major charities, Cancer Research Campaign NSPCC and Age Concern will share the money equally. During Christmas
A TEAM of firefighters are busy at work trying to help rebuild shattered buildings and lives in war-torn Bosnia, writes JEAN WEST. They are working on a bright vision for the future of the some of the country's children - a kindergarten in the northern
SUPER League leaders Saints will be seeking to maintain their 100 per cent record when Bradford Bulls come to Knowsley Road in a round four clash on Sunday, kick-off 3pm. The attractive inter-county clash is of even greater interest in view of the fact
SO much to offer the community, but with the threat of deportation hanging over him a Lytham nurse is living on a knife's edge. Branco Kostovski has worked at St Andrews Nursing Home in Lytham for a year after overcoming obstacles many would deem unthinkable
AN imaginative plan to turn scrap metal into works of art is one of the twin boroughs' green schemes for next month's BT environment week. Students and staff at Gibfield Special School, Colne, are collecting the raw material which will be used to create
CUSTOMERS who piled pennies helped two Thwaites pubs to scoop top prizes for collecting the most cash for charity. Cliff and Marilyn Hutchinson, of the Gibraltar Hotel, Blackburn, were the winners raising £1,345 in the contest for the Royal National Institute
YOUNGSTERS from Ivy Bank High School have been picking up tips from the cream of British Athletics. The team of ten sports enthusiasts from the Burnley school and teacher Damian Juriansz joined the army for the day and attended the Army School of Physical
BAILIFFS were set to swoop on Lancashire Fire Brigade after county bosses failed to extinguish an £8,000 promised payout to a former Padiham firefighter. They agreed to hand over the cash to ex-station officer Ian Copley after a Manchester Industrial
PEOPLE from all over the world came to Burnley to get the blues ... and loved every minute of it! The Burnley National Blues Festival, which drew to a close in the early hours of Tuesday (April 9), was one of the most successful ever. Thousands flooded
YOU know it's your day when the simple act of buying a packet of crisps wins you £1,000. That's exactly what happened to Heysham mother-of-three Mary Jones on Saturday afternoon as she walked through the centre of Lancaster. Mary spotted Mr Walkerman,
RACIAL harassment officer Solat Chaudhry says he is hoping to recruit volunteers to help fight racism, just days after starting his new job. Mr Chaudhry, who covers the Blackburn and Darwen areas for the Blackburn Racial Equality Council, hopes that students
OIL paintings by a Burnley artist now hang side by side with some of the world's best works of art after being snapped up for a private collection in the USA. Five pictures by 32-year-old Liam Spencer are now part of the Reader's Digest exhibition at
DRIVERS chatted to a garage attendant as they bought petrol in Morecambe without realising he was being threatened by masked robbers hiding under the counter. Three raiders, one carrying a crow bar, forced the lone cashier to serve two customers who arrived
A STRONG Rovers reserve side made hard work of beating Everton at Deepdale last night and found themselves hanging on towards the end, indebted to Nicky Marker for holding the defence together. Everton, fielding a young side, took a surprise lead with
ROAD campaigners in Lancaster are once again calling on the city council to forget about building a new road from the M6 to Heysham. Members of the council's Transportation Service Group were discussing plans for the city's road network at a meeting yesterday
