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Stories for 18 April 1996
Blackburn News
Junior terrorists put lives at risk
THE ink had hardly had time to dry on last week's comment column when the kiddiwinks from hell were at it again on the railways. more...
Duggie the demon dribbler!
ROVERS' greatest post-war player? No doubt about it, say the fans - Bryan Douglas, the demon dribbler who played more than 500 times for his local club in the 50s and 60s. We had scorers of entries for our recent competition and just over half nominated the diminutive dazzler who was barely 10st - and that on a rainy afternoon when the mud was flying. Forgetting Alan Shearer, who has been the best player to wear the blue and white halves since the war? That was the question we asked. And we offered £50 for the best entry. more...
South African paceman set to be a crowd puller
CRICKET returns to East Lancashire this weekend - and there's a special import who's ready to add extra spice to another sizzling season - blond South African pace warrior Alan Donald. more...
Council under legal pressure in flats row
PROTESTERS campaigning against plans to build a flats complex in an exclusive residential area expect to fill two coaches taking them to a crucial planning meeting. more...
Councillors ready for election power fight
THE GLOVES are off for local party leaders who are all facing re-election for the first time. more...
Fingers crossed for Dylan's all-clear
CITIZEN appeal boy Dylan Wildman will know by Christmas if he has won his battle against leukaemia. more...
Glenn helps fundraisers celebrate third birthday
A GROUP of dedicated fundraisers has celebrated their third birthday in style. more...
Election race helps get leader into shape
BLACKBURN'S council leader will swap the rigours of running for re-election for the strain of running the world's most gruelling race. more...
Police hunt violent conmen
PENSIONERS are being urged to be extra careful following two incidents in which elderly people were assaulted in their homes by conmen. more...
Age Concern highlights cuts
YOUR caring Citizen has won glowing praise from Age Concern - for recently highlighting pensioners' rights over savings thresholds concerning residential homes. more...
Musicians celebrate £32,000 Lottery handout
A BRASS band has received some 'big notes' from the Arts Lottery Fund...£32,400 to be exact! more...
Carol's on the watch
CAROL Hendey is a woman with a mission. more...
Super Shearer signs off in style
RECORD breaking Alan Shearer waved farewell to the Ewood faithful for the rest of the season with a superb double strike against Wimbledon last night (Wednesday, April 17). more...
Car gift for accident tot's parents
BIG-hearted neighbours are buying accident tot Elliot Donlon's parents a car - so they can continue to be at their son's hospital bedside. more...
Campaigners slam pelican crossing delay
FED-UP residents are planning an election-day protest because they've been 'messed around' over a new pelican crossing. more...
Community wardens celebrate crimebusting success
ACCRINGTON'S community wardens are celebrating crimebusting success. more...
Blackpool News
Rachel's flair for fashion
AN ambitious fashion-lover is celebrating promotion by holding a fashion show at one of St Annes' top stores. more...
Hat-trick in boardroom
BLACKPOOL Football Club has scored a hat-trick in the boardroom by appointing Rebecca Bingham to its board of directors. more...
It's our Tracy HRH!
TRACY Dawson has spoken of the shock request for her to stand in for Princess Alexandra on the eve of yet another Royal marriage crisis hitting the headlines. The widow of Fylde funnyman Les stepped into Princess Alexandra's shoes to tour a cancer day-care centre in Preston after the Princess had pulled out of the engagement 24 hours before. more...
Wedded to the Reds
A FOOTBALL fan has arranged to have televisions at his wedding reception because his big day clashes with the FA Cup final. more...
Woman in car knife ordeal
A WOMAN was threatened at knifepoint as she sat in her car waiting for traffic lights to change in Blackpool. more...
Money-raiser Michael
YOUNG musical star Michael Davis, who spent his Easter raising money for the Dunblane appeal, has been rewarded for his efforts with a cash prize of his own. more...
Bolton Business
Seal of approval for training group
THE chief executive of the Engineering Training Authority, Michael Sanderson, visited Bolton Training Group head office in Horwich to unveil a plaque marking the company's appointment as an Approved Assessment Centre. The appointment secures a place for BTG within a network of centres approved to deliver all of EnTra's national vocational qualifications in engineering. This covers areas ranging from machining, fabrication and welding to electrical maintenance and electronics. more...
Open day to discuss Euro law
NELSON-based Northern Technologies are advising manufacturers of electronic goods to be aware of a new EU directive. more...
Bolton News
25 YEARS AGO
From the Evening News, more...
Sunny smile that's in tune with the world
BOLTON schoolgirl Mala Patel has been turned into an international "cover girl" overnight. The sunny smile of the Smithills School student features on the front cover of a magazine which reaches a circulation of thousands worldwide. Mala, aged 17, is featured as a 'brassy' brunette - pictured with the tenor horn she plays as a member of Smithills School Senior Brass Band. more...
Fred's lovebird rescue mission
STEEPLEJACK-cum-television raconteur Fred Dibnah took a step back in time yesterday when he returned to climb his first-ever chimney. more...
Crackdown stems town's drug supply
FORTY people were arrested and a large quantity of heroin seized in a crackdown on drugs in Horwich. more...
Backing fight against Parkinson's Disease
THOUSANDS of people in the UK smile off requests to put money in collecting boxes and walk smartly in the opposite direction. more...
Edith's ashes scattered at her beloved Burnden
A LIFE-LONG Bolton Wanderers fan was given her final resting place on the Burnden Park pitch to fulfil her dying wish. more...
Road rage driver punches bobby
AN OFF duty policeman cycling to work was punched in the face by a motorist in a fit of road rage. more...
Planners visit £14m fun site
PLANNING councillors were today visiting Bolton's dog track before deciding whether a £14 million leisure scheme should be given the go ahead. more...
Lifesaver bag snatched
CALLOUS thieves snatched a life saving bag of equipment from an ambulance last night as paramedics attended a home emergency. more...
Knifeman robs estate agents
A MASKED raider threatened staff at an Atherton estate agents with a knife yesterday morning. more...
Bagsnatcher hurts woman
A PENSIONER was flung to the ground and had her handbag snatched as she walked home last night. more...
Burglary detection worst in country
GREATER Manchester Police has the worst record in England and Wales for investigating burglaries. more...
Challenge to scrap Red Moss supertip
BOLTON council leader Bob Howarth has been challenged to drop proposals for the Red Moss supertip following the decision by the Environment Agency to oppose the scheme. more...
Children are all art!
POSTERS designed by local schoolchildren will be used to promote this year's Horwich Carnival. more...
Neighbours furious over City Challenge
RESIDENTS along a main Bolton road are campaigning for financial help from City Challenge money to save their homes from crumbling. more...
Opt-out school gets £550,000
AN opted out comprehensive school has received a massive Government handout. more...
Crisis meetings demanded over hospital threat
URGENT talks were demanded today over the threatened closure of Bury's two main hospitals. more...
A CRAZED Horwich father who butchered a university tutor at a summer school course then wandered aro
Laboratory technician Robin Pask, 34, who stabbed Dr Elizabeth Howe to death within hours of arriving at the York University summer school as a student has now been sent to Ashworth secure mental hospital in Merseyside. more...
Fire brigade's red-hot performance
GREATER Manchester Fire Service is continuing to achieve high levels of performance, according to a report published today. more...
Fears for stolen pup
A PEDIGREE puppy destined for the show ring has been stolen. more...
Family's rubbish plea to council
A FAMILY turned to the BEN for help after claiming Bolton Council had failed to clear piles of rubble so their disabled daughter could use the garden. more...
Bolton Sport
Blake blow
LUCKLESS Nathan Blake was hit by another blow when he was forced to pull out of the Wales squad. more...
Reserves back in trouble
Bolton Wanderers Reserves 1 Wolves Reserves 2. WANDERERS Reserves slipped up at Burnden Park last night when relegation-threatened Wolves ran out 2-1 winners. more...
Leigh RL in chase for amateur wing ace - again
LEIGH Centurions are hoping to sign top amateur winger Dean Purtill for a second time! more...
Wigan rocked by Robinson transfer request
WIGAN have been stunned by a transfer request from their Great Britain winger, Jason Robinson. more...
Work permit blow hits Estwick
WESTHOUGHTON have been refused a work permit for their West Indian professional Rod Estwick, just days before the start of the new cricket season. more...
Burnley News
Burnley is best of British
IT'S OFFICIAL - Burnley is the greenest borough in Britain! more...
Heath tells Clarets: 'Let's come out fighting'
BURNLEY are preparing for battle at Notts County on Saturday. more...
Fulledge Rec's 100 years of history
THERE are 100 years of colourful history at Fulledge recreation ground in Burnley. more...
Aeroform go for Grand Slam
A GROWING Burnley aerospace firm is waiting on a Ministry of Defence decision which could help secure existing jobs and create new ones. more...
Vandals plague Burnley nursery
TODDLERS could have come to serious harm after teenage vandals hammered nails into a kiddies' slide at a Burnley nursery. more...
Angels' tears as nightclub closes
IT will be an emotional night for nightclub DJ Paul Taylor when the Angels era draws to close next week. more...
Air war over Pendle
COMMERCIAL radio stations are locked in a fierce battle to fill the airwaves over Pendle. more...
Bank pulls out of Barrowford
NATIONAL Westminster Bank officials have dashed claims that the busy branch in Nelson centre is to close. more...
Bury News
Health Authority promote dental health
AIMED at promoting healthy teeth and gums a new strategy was announced at the first meeting of the newly-formed Bury and Rochdale Health Authority. The plan will encourage general oral health and include dental health promotion, orthodontic services, and the screening of oral cancer. more...
Watchers urged to join Bird Race
BIRD watchers everywhere are being urged by the RSPB to enter this year's Bird Race in a bid to help reedbeds and their threatened wildlife. more...
Local drivers put to test
LEARNER drivers in Bury will be facing up to the Theory Test sooner than expected as driving test dates before the July 1 deadline become increasingly harder to get. A British School of Motoring survey shows that waiting times in Bury at the beginning of April have soared to 11 weeks compared with only three weeks six months ago. more...
Medical centre sold to developer
TAILOR-made office suites could be developed at the former medical examination centre on Tenters Street in Bury. more...
Woodbank keep pressure on leaders
WOODBANK kept the pressure on League leaders Denton Villa with a lacklustre performance before winning 3-1 against Chadderton. more...
Roundabout works hold up M-way drivers
IMPROVEMENTS to the M62-M66 Simister roundabout began last Thursday as soon as the morning traffic peak subsided. The closure of the roundabout's inside lane will leave only two lanes open so delays, say the Highways Agency, will be inevitable. more...
Flower festival
FLOWERS, crafts, food and music will come together in a massive £5,000 festival to be staged in Bury Parish Church this June. more...
Euro MP at conference on Bosnia
EURO MP Gary Titley will be attending a major international conference this weekend on aid for war-torn Bosnia. more...
Squawk 'n' talk!
SPECIALIST Ramsbottom company Northern Parrots have stuck a feather in their cap by securing the exclusive rights to a system which will teach parrots to talk. more...
Shakers poised for promotion
RIP-roaring Shakers were poised for promotion and on course to snatch the Third Division title when their superb, eleventh away win of the season - just one away from the club's all-time record created in 1961 - kept them in third place and also pushed them to within three points of leaders Gillingham who, in turn, are a single point ahead of Preston North End. With the trio still having only three games left to play the scene is set for a grandstand finalM-^N, and form team Bury may well come through on the rails to take the championship. more...
Comment: Slippery slope...
IT'S happened! Bury Metropolitan Borough Council in its wisdom has officially raised its car parking charges and started its perilous slide down the slippery slope to hell. more...
Band gets brass!
HITTING the right note with the National Lottery last week Besses o'th' Barn Band found their lost chord with an Arts Lottery Fund grant of £44,061 to buy new instruments. The band was one of 11 Greater Manchester organisations - four of them bands - sharing a total of £916,895. more...
Council make things Crystal clear
IN a fight to stamp out gobbledygook Bury Metro has agreed to go for a Crystal Mark award given by the Plain English Campaign. more...
Environmentalist contests Prestwich St.Mary's
ENVIRONMENT campaigner Dave Bentley from Radcliffe has thrown himself into the local political arena by standing as an Independent candidate in St. Mary's Ward, Prestwich. The 32-year-old wildlife consultant developed close links with St Mary's Ward residents when they enlisted his help in their fight against Bury Council's damaging land reclamation projects in the Irwell Valley. more...
Beverley and Bob take ballroom titles
Former resident of Freckleton Drive in Bury, and pupil of Taskers Dance School, Beverley Cayton-Tang has become the Canadian Amateur Ballroom Champion. more...
Local MP welcomes life-saver for deaf
LOCAL MP Alistair Burt has welcomed the first anniversary of a life-saving new service which provides direct access to the emergency services for the region's deaf and hard of hearing population. As Minister for Social Security and Disabled People he attended a parliamentary reception in London, hosted by British Telecom and the Royal National Institute for Deaf People. more...
Navy man Mike awarded rugby colours
FORMER Bury RUFC player Michael Wells has been awarded college colours during his officer training course at Britannia Royal Naval College. more...
Bury South win is crucial to Labour
LABOUR Leader Tony Blair on a trip to Manchester said that winning Bury South at the next election was crucial to the return of a Labour Government, more...
Woodbank undefeated on tour
WOODBANK under 17s returned undefeated from their Easter tour of Holland and brought back two trophies. Seven wins and four draws from eleven matches was no mean feat. more...
Chorley News
Fund-raisers fear free-for-all
A SPECIALIST new AIDS hospice is planned for Chorley - sparking fears of a fund-raising free-for-all. more...
Aids hospice cash fears
A SPECIALIST new AIDS hospice is planned for Chorley - sparking fears of a fund-raising free-for-all. more...
Macclesfield Town ...3 Chorley ...1
CHORLEY have it all to do in the FA Trophy semi-final second leg at Victory Park on Saturday after two late goals gave Macclesfield a decisive edge. more...
Fear-fighting group launched
WITH summer steadily approaching many of us are already looking forward to those warm sunny days out in the open. But spare a thought for the unfortunate folk who break into a cold sweat at the very thought of stepping out of the house. more...
Hall group steps up campaign
MORE support is being urged for a forgotten Chorley hall whose future could hinge on the results of a study shortly to be announced. more...
Wilson killing - two in court
TWO men have appeared in court charged with the murder of Chorley accountant David Wilson four years ago. more...
Hall group steps up campaign
MORE support is being urged for a forgotten Chorley hall whose future could hinge on the results of a study shortly to be announced. more...
Wilson killing - two in court
TWO men have appeared in court charged with the murder of Chorley accountant David Wilson four years ago. more...
Schools land cash aid
SCHOOLS in Lancashire are set to share in £3m worth of funding to help raise literacy and numeracy levels in primary schools - teaching the three "Rs". more...
Schools land cash aid
SCHOOLS in Lancashire are set to share in £3m worth of funding to help raise literacy and numeracy levels in primary schools - teaching the three "Rs". more...
Children step out for a good cause
AN ACTIVE group of Chorley Children will walk a gruelling 70 miles in four days. more...
Darwen News
Fight for Sudell in local elections
THE gloves are off for the third time in 12 months as Labour and Liberal Democrats square up to fight for Darwen's Sudell ward in next month's local elections. more...
Thieves won't beat charity raising marathon man
MARATHON man Gary Mitchell has slammed heartless thieves who stole almost £200 sponsorship money earmarked for the Superscan appeal. more...
Derelict garages cause headaches for residents
A ROW has erupted over a derelict garage site which is causing a headache for residents. more...
Lancashire Business
Grand Slam contract battle
A BATTLE to win a slice of an £800 million missile order is underway. more...
Bingo! Idea with a lotta potential
YOU know the feeling. The last of those six balls has just been drawn by Guinevere, Lancelot or Arthur and you haven't won a sausage. more...
Lancashire News
Village fury over bank branch axe
ANGRY bank users in Barrowford are threatening to quit NatWest if it carries out its threat to close the village branch. more...
Terrified kids hide from weirdo stranger
TWO terrified children spent half an hour hiding in a back garden after they were chased by a man who tried to entice them into his car. more...
Finger found after search
A 13-YEAR-OLD boy lost part of his finger while climbing over a railing. more...
Fast food
THIS weekend thousands of runners, many from of them from East Lancashire, will take part in the London Marathon. more...
Teen drug drivers putting lives at risk
TEENAGE motorists in Lancashire are putting lives at risk by taking to the road under the influence of mind-altering drugs, a report reveals. more...
Rumpus over pelican crossing in Oswaldtwistle
WORK on a new pelican crossing in Oswaldtwistle will start in the summer for it to be in place for the new school year. more...
Real home cooking!
AN ENGLISHMAN'S home is his castle, they say, but when you live in a Ribble Valley mansion house, home is big business and a lot of hard work. more...
'Drug link' in violent gun robbery
TWO people subjected to a violent attack knew their assailants, police have revealed. more...
Tin Man Wizard of Aus
MISSING soccer star Ted McMinn was today tracked down to Australia by the Lancashire Evening Telegraph. more...
Plan a kick in the teeth
REGARDING the 'revised' local plan for Hyndburn. Can the Council justify completely surrounding Huncoat village with industry and housing? more...
Chain attack near school
POLICE are appealing for witnesses following an attack on a man who was taking three young children to school. more...
Conjuring with kids' futures?
THERE is much conjecture in Labour's claim today that the government's £1,1000 voucher scheme enabling parents of four-year-olds to buy nursery school places will wreck the local authority-run pre-school sector by taking huge amounts of money from it. more...
Bankruptcy gets worse
0I FOUNDED the Bankruptcy Association well over a decade ago after my eldest brother fell into bankruptcy. Since then, our Association has advised tens of thousands of people with their bankruptcy problems. more...
BSE victims too
SOME laid-off staff at a Ribble Valley slaughterhouse head back to work as the BSE-in-beef scare subsides - thanks, in large part, to sales picking up on the back of the price cuts caused by the panic. more...
Poetic efforts are a pleasure to read
REMEMBERING Alice McNulty who, up to her leaving us a year ago, gave us the pleasure of reading her interesting and well-written poems in 'Poet's corner,' I have saved all 'Poet's Corner' cuttings ever since its inception, so can re-read all of Alice's exceptional poems. more...
Into the red
ODD, isn't it, that just as banks are shutting High Street branches at a worrying rate - as we saw only this week in East Lancashire - now they might be opening up in supermarkets?. more...
Gloves a must
IN reply to the deputy manager of Morrison's, Blackburn store (Letters, March 20). She says the use of gloves at the salad bar is 'so important.' But if thats so, why is it, with the present set-up, you are lucky if one in six customers uses a glove. more...
Veterans call
MAY I ask veterans of all services - but especially of the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy - to write to me about their wartime experiences for a book about the Malta Convoys of 1940-42. more...
'Morphine overdose' theory in nursing home death
DETECTIVES are probing the death of a cancer patient who may have been given a lethal dose of painkilling drugs by mistake. more...
Barry's funeral a rave to the grave
DRUG-shaped flowers were today surrounding the coffin of a banned driver killed in a road crash. more...
Thousands gather for youth games
THOUSANDS of young people from the region will be taking part in a top games tournament hosted by Blackburn Borough Council. more...
Nails in slide horror
VANDALS pushed nails through a children's slide in what has been described as a "sickening incident". more...
Runners get set for London Marathon
RUNNERS from East Lancashire are hoping the pavements of London will be paved with gold when they race in the capital's marathon on Sunday. more...
Lancashire Sport
Shearer smashes new record before op ends his season
ALAN Shearer last night spoke of the heartache behind his decision to bring a premature end to another sensational scoring season. more...
Happy heath!
ADRIAN Heath (pictured) was delighted by Burnley's battling display at the County Ground last night, when they held Second Division title favourites Swindon Town to a goalless draw. more...
Goal ace Alan ends season in style
RAY Harford saw Graham Fenton grab himself another slice of glory at Ewood last night and suggested the young Geordie can go on to become a genuine hero for Blackburn Rovers. Fenton grabbed the winner in a game dominated by Alan Shearer's record-breaking strikes - again! - before he headed for hospital and the Rovers boss said: "Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Maybe Graham can make a name for himself in the remaining games." more...
I can't believe Shearer was injured - Kinnear
JOE Kinnear was only half joking when he said: "As soon as I found out Alan Shearer (pictured) was having the operation today, I tried to get the fixture changed!" more...
Mullen in line for Scunthorpe job
JIMMY Mullen is battling against another Turf Moor old boy Mick Buxton for the manager's job at Scunthorpe United. more...
In good cause
A SPECIAL benefit game is being played at Haslingden on Sunday (kick-off 2pm) in aid of Ewood Bridge player Russell Proctor. more...
SWINDON TOWN 0 BURNLEY 0: Heath's troops edge closer to safety
BRAVE Burnley spoiled Swindon Town's promotion party - and edged another point towards safety. more...
Last hurrah for Shearer! ROVERS 3 WIMBLEDON 2
ONE thing hasn't changed, Wimbledon are still capable of spoiling anybody's party. more...
Lancaster News
Hero Brian boxes clever
HERO Brian Dodds saved the life of a Morecambe man this week armed only with knowledge learned from watching the television. Now, fire chiefs in the town are recommending the contract worker for a bravery award after he dragged the unconscious body of Michael Docherty from his smoke-filled Morecambe flat. Brian, 42, was on his way to work on Monday morning when he noticed smoke pouring out from the block of flats on Chatsworth Road. more...
Cancer unit needs your cash
THE generosity of people living in Lancaster and Morecambe is set to be tapped by health bosses planning a new cancer unit in the city. Doctors at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary have plans on the drawing board for an £850,000 cancer treatment centre in the Royal Lancaster Infirmary but they need public money to help them do it. A public appeal will be launched on Thursday May 23, in conjunction with the Cancer Relief MacMillan Fund, asking people to donate cash to the unit which doctors say is desperately needed. more...
Swing out sister
SHE may be a fair way past her 80th birthday but Morecambe's Alice Richardson is still very much on par. Morecambe Golf Club member Alice, 87, still plays off a handicap of 30 and has recently found a bit of fame as the head of an incredible golfing family. Alice, of Oak Avenue in Bare, picked up the gauntlet laid down by a national golf magazine recently when they began searching for families with generations of female golfers. more...
Net gain for tourism
THE delights of Lancaster and Morecambe can now be seen across the globe thanks to the Citizen and the information super-highway. This week, thanks to your pioneering Citizen, specially designed tourist pages containing information about the area became available on the Internet for the first time. Now millions of net surfers all over the world can be instantly transported to settings such as The Ashton Memorial, Happy Mount Park or Heysham Head all at the touch of a button. more...
Guard of honour
LANCASTER'S pioneering prison for young offenders has been called a "shining example of dedication" by a Government minister. Ann Widdecombe, the Prisons Minister, was in the city last week to visit both Lancaster Farms and the Lancaster Castle prison. And she left the ground breaking young offenders institute on the outskirts of the city, her 50th prison visit on a national tour, with an upbeat message. more...
As easy as U.F.O.
UFO studies could soon be on the timetable for local schoolchildren if researchers on the subject have their way. more...
MP told to butt out
LANCASTER'S MP Dame Elaine Kellet-Bowman has been told to "mind her own business" when it comes to city council affairs. more...
Blaze at Forbo's
WORKERS fled from the Forbo Lancaster wall-coverings factory on St George's Quay when a machine caught fire yesterday morning (Wednesday). more...
Eighth wonder!
Shrimps climb table with more...
Final push for Lancaster
Lancaster City 2 Eastwood Town 2 CITY'S fans will be hoping that they can put their calculators away on Saturday evening and start the promotion celebrations at last. The Blues travel to fourth-place Curzon Ashton, a side now out of the promotion hunt after their 3-1 defeat at the hands of Whitley Bay on Tuesday night, knowing that three points could mean guaranteed promotion. The battle for the championship looks set to run for at least another week but with two promotion places up for grabs, City are still nine points clear of Alfreton Town in third. more...
Leigh News
Dunblane tragedy family's thanks
AN Atherton family who are still trying to come to terms with the tragic loss of their five years-old niece in the Dunblane massacre have this week thanked local people for their support. more...
East Lancs traffic facing delays
MOTORISTS are being advised to find alternative routes while a stretch of the East Lancashire Road at Golborne closes for resurfacing work this weekend. more...
Traders in a pickle over porch
TRADERS should breathe a sigh of relief this weekend when market hall porch work is completed. more...
'Rat run' around the cul de sacs!
I AM disgusted that the council didn't have the courtesy to inform all Hindley Green residents affected by their "Rat Run" proposals. I didn't know anything about it until I read The Journal. more...
Wesley Guild: selling it for the community
WHAT a remarkable letter sent to The Journal by the Conservative candidate for Hope Carr ward. The asking price for the land at Wesley Guild is £350,000 and not the figure quoted. more...
Call MPs on hardship
I WONDER if any other pensioners in this area have been affected by the government's decision to reduce earnings-related as from March 31. This has caused hardship for myself and my wife - and, in my opinion, is legally and morally wrong. Could I urge others who have been affected by this change to contact their MP. more...
Jenny's sex-change: It's strange but true
STARTLING revelations that the writing partner of Lowton author Peter Hough had once been a man will not affect their working relationship. more...
'Yellow fever' grips traders
ANGRY shopkeepers reckon traffic chiefs are suffering from a double dose of yellow fever. more...
'Hell hole' estate for sale?
AN UNPOPULAR part of a Leigh council housing estate may be sold. more...
Fire ravages warehouse
THE managing director of a Leigh chemical company stood in shocked silence as flames ripped through a Victorian warehouse causing more than £250,000 damage. more...
Mystery of missing 'dogs of war'
AN ATHERTON woman fears her daughters' Christmas surprise pup might end-up in the dog fight underworld. more...
Joanne saved lives - so can you
A YEAR after a life-giving schoolgirl's tragic death her parents are urging organ donors to follow her example. more...
Pensioners fume at bowls vandals
MINDLESS vandals have smashed their way into the bowls pavilion at Morley Street Park, Atherton, leaving pensioners fuming. more...
Jimmy blasts 'hidden workforce'
COUNCIL tax payers are forking out £9 million too much to an overstaffed authority claims rates challenger Jim Daniels. more...
Barefoot hero saves dad
TINY five years old Ben Coope of Hurst Street, Leigh, is a giant of a hero! more...
Leader Mary's Unitarian welcome
LEIGH Unitarian church's lay leader was greeted by the President of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches at the recent General Assembly conference anniversary service in the University of Glasgow Chapel. more...
Leigh Sport
Paul paddles towards Olympic gold
DREAMS of Olympic gold began for Paul Ratcliffe on a memorable day in the Lake District. more...
Now Colin's going to Church!
UNION ARMS B will be going to Church on May 6. The two teams will meet in the Sharman Cup Final - both scoring narrow wins in the Leigh & District Amateur Football League. more...
Leigh back Kiwi star
DISENCHANTED Alan Mason has had heart-to-heart talks with Leigh bosses. more...
Leyland News
Lighting up the town
MOST of us haven't even thought about our Summer holidays yet. But one group of of merry tradesmen in Leyland are already counting down the days until Christmas. more...
Preston News
One 'L' of a wait
LEARNER drivers desperate to avoid sitting a written examination have sent waiting lists for driving tests in Preston soaring as the July 1 deadline approaches. more...
Evelyn's life of music
EVELYN Glennie, arguably the world's leading percussionist, has been deaf since the age of six yet she has devoted her life to making music. more...
James in 26 mile footslog
FOOTBALL crazy James Pomfret will fly the flag for his home team when he makes his debut run in the London Marathon. more...
Sneaky: police warn shops
DETECTIVES in Preston are warning town centre businesses to be on their guard for sneak-in thieves. more...
Charity free-for-all fears
A SPECIALIST AIDS unit planned for Chorley has sparked fears of a cash crisis at St Catherine's Hospice in Lostock Hall. more...
North End 0 Northampton 3
WHAT a load of cobblers! It was meant to be another step towards clinching promotion, but as with all parties, North End behaved like the disgruntled late-comer who always looks like he can't be bothered. more...
On the blood trail
THREE thousand new blood donors are being sought in seven days when the National Blood Service launches a new campaign in Preston this weekend. more...
Tracy stands-in for Princess
HUNDREDS of supporters of a Preston cancer charity turned up to see HRH Princess Alexandra - only to be told she had cancelled at the last minute. more...
Hospice cash fears
A specialist AIDS unit planned for Chorley has sparked fears of a cash crisis at St Catherine's Hospice in Lostock Hall. more...
Move over Orient!
EASTER may well be over, but for North End the resurrection is pencilled in for Saturday. more...
Cambridge Utd 2 Preston North End 1
PRESTON played one of their worst games of the season to crash 2-1 at Cambridge on Tuesday, April 16. more...
Have your say on business
BUSINESSES are being urged to have their say in the town by joining their local Chamber of Trade. more...
Home, sweet home
HOMES have been found for two stray cats after an appeal in the Citizen. more...
'The Stinger' joins car crime fight
LANCASHIRE Constabulary has stepped-up its fight against car crime by adopting the latest technology from America. more...
Andy's our man
STAR striker Andy Saville has shot his way to the Citizen's Player of the Year award. more...
Wise under fire for IRA vote
PRESTON MP Audrey Wise has come under fire from the local Conservative Association for voting against tougher measures to crack down on IRA terrorism. more...
St Helens News
Workers march in bid to save jobs
HUNDREDS of workers, still stunned by the bombshell news that their factory is to close, are to march in a massive protest and demonstration this Saturday. And they are urging other townsfolk to get in step with them and join the rally. One senior councillor slammed the shutdown move as 'scandalous', adding that it will 'devastate the local community'. more...
Looking back with Alan Whalley
THERE's been a flood of response to my appeal for the original lyrics to Saints' Wembley ditty from 1953, sung to the tune of 'Side By Side' and lionising the superb Knowsley Road squad of that era. more...
Kiddy appeal bang on target
CARING townsfolk of St Helens have raised the first £33,000 towards the Centenary Appeal target of £65,000 in aid of the NSPCC in the town. more...
New playmate on the way for John
A COUPLE are hoping the troubles of the past year are now far behind them now as they prepare for a happy event in August. more...
Facing up to the challenges of disability
DISABILITY Network, a national charity with its HQ in St Helens, is holding a conference on Saturday, April 27 at the Chalon Court Hotel, to discuss key issues facing people with disabilities. more...
Heartless thief stepped over OAP
POLICE are hunting a heartless thief who stepped over the body of a helpless pensioner - who had collapsed - before making off with her TV set. more...
Man cut after chasing two intruders
A MAN who confronted two trespassers in the garage of his home in Stoneyhurst Close, Haresfinch, was cut on his forehead. more...
St Helens Sport
Denis Whittle talks with Shaun McRae
NO more than a 50-50 performance, but several lessons were hopefully learned for the 'action replay' at Wembley. These were the views of Saints' boss Shaun McRae (pictured) after his side's narrow win over Bradford Bulls. more...
Saints out to outfox Sox
HAVING won their last eight games, Super League leaders Saints will put thoughts of next week's Cup Final on hold when they travel to Halifax to settle an old score on Sunday, kick-off 6pm. more...
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