Archive

  • Eighth wonder!

    Shrimps climb table with a point from old rivals Southport 1 Morecambe 1 MORECAMBE'S run of good results against old rivals Southport continued at Haig Avenue on Tuesday night. A late equaliser from striker Justin Jackson denied the home side all three

  • 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. The 43-year-old woman had stopped at Lytham Road lights at 9.30pm on Monday night (April 15) when the passenger door was flung open and a young

  • 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. Mrs Mary Bennett has been

  • 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

  • Barefoot hero saves dad

    TINY five years old Ben Coope of Hurst Street, Leigh, is a giant of a hero! For Ben, who was staying overnight with his father Paul, 27, in Arthur Street, helped to save his life after Paul suffered an epileptic fit. Ben , a pupil of Bedford Hall Methodist

  • Jimmy blasts 'hidden workforce'

    COUNCIL tax payers are forking out £9 million too much to an overstaffed authority claims rates challenger Jim Daniels. But the men who work out the figures say there is no mix-up and no hidden workforce. Mr Daniels, of Smallbrook Lane, Leigh believes

  • Derelict garages cause headaches for residents

    A ROW has erupted over a derelict garage site which is causing a headache for residents. St James' Residents have slammed a councillor for interfering in their campaign to have the heavily vandalised garages in Ivinson Road demolished. They claim the

  • Pensioners fume at bowls vandals

    MINDLESS vandals have smashed their way into the bowls pavilion at Morley Street Park, Atherton, leaving pensioners fuming. The thugs vandalised the pavilion and caused widespread damage to the front door and brickwork before breaking chairs and crockery

  • 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. The 34-year-old Darwen plumber is all set to pound his way round the gruelling 26.2 mile London marathon course this Sunday

  • 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. The athletes aim to bring back pots of cash for various charities. And all have reasons for putting themselves

  • 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. Liberal Leader Paul Browne has attacked Labour's decision to field sitting Sunnyhurst councillor

  • Nails in slide horror

    VANDALS pushed nails through a children's slide in what has been described as a "sickening incident". An accident was left waiting to happen after vandals targeted the play area at Piccadilly Gardens Day Nursery in Burnley. Fortunately vigilant staff

  • 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. Jack Harrison could only shake his head in disbelief as more than two dozen firefighters from

  • 'Hell hole' estate for sale?

    AN UNPOPULAR part of a Leigh council housing estate may be sold. Residents are being asked for their views on the idea to sell-off homes in the Melrose Avenue and Whalley Grove areas, where there are few takers for tenancies. Around one fifth of homes

  • Last hurrah for Shearer! ROVERS 3 WIMBLEDON 2

    ONE thing hasn't changed, Wimbledon are still capable of spoiling anybody's party. But, at an emotional Ewood last night, no-one was going to cause it to rain on Alan Shearer's parade. Not even these dashing, as opposed to the old destructive, Dons could

  • 'Yellow fever' grips traders

    ANGRY shopkeepers reckon traffic chiefs are suffering from a double dose of yellow fever. With work underway on the Shuttle Street diversion, shopkeepers in Tyldesley's east end say roadside marking plans have left them gutted. Cutting Milk Street out

  • 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. Accountants and shop owners of the Christmas Lighting Association are planning to bring a

  • 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). And super sub Graham Fenton kept Rovers Euro dream alive with a 58th minute winner

  • Carol's on the watch

    CAROL Hendey is a woman with a mission. For Blackburn's new neighbourhood watch officer aims to improve one of the biggest schemes in the county. With 218 schemes in the borough already, Carol is looking forward to her new challenge. She said: "I will

  • Andy's our man

    STAR striker Andy Saville has shot his way to the Citizen's Player of the Year award. The bald-headed goal-getter swooped to claim our Player of the Month title for a superb THIRD time and has now been declared Player of the Year. Saville arrived at Deepdale

  • Musicians celebrate £32,000 Lottery handout

    A BRASS band has received some 'big notes' from the Arts Lottery Fund...£32,400 to be exact! Balderstone Brass Band based in Mellor were over the moon when they heard they had scooped a share of the latest Lottery handout. "We are absolutely delighted

  • Home, sweet home

    HOMES have been found for two stray cats after an appeal in the Citizen. Lancashire Cat Resue contacted your favourite weekly asking people to come forward if they could offer loving homes. Christine at the Rescue said: "We are extremely grateful to the

  • 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. And your number one free community newspaper has teamed up with Age Concern once again to

  • 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. The sale of this particular site must be placed in the context of the council's

  • 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. Coun. Malcolm Doherty, 54, will take a break from campaigning in his Mill Hill ward to pound the streets of London in

  • 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. The very next day the Princess was hitting the headlines in the tabloid press with news of her daughter,

  • 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. A white-hot atmosphere is guaranteed for Blackburn Borough Council's planning and highways

  • Sneaky: police warn shops

    DETECTIVES in Preston are warning town centre businesses to be on their guard for sneak-in thieves. Dozens of offices and shops have been targeted by thieves who are nipping in staff rooms and pinching personal belongings. Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant

  • 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. Mr Pomfret, 39, of Ribbleton Avenue, Preston, is to be the official representative of Preston North End Football Club at this year's event

  • '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. Bessie Aspin, 79, died at Riverside Court Nursing Home, Sawley, last Friday. Police are investigating the possibility that she

  • 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. DAVID A THOMAS, Cedar Lodge, Church Lane, Sheering, Bishop's Stortford

  • 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. The condition of the people of the United Kingdom

  • Bank pulls out of Barrowford

    NATIONAL Westminster Bank officials have dashed claims that the busy branch in Nelson centre is to close. But, they say, Barrowford will be a casualty of the bank's latest cut backs. The sub branch - the last bank in the village - will shut on May 17.

  • Air war over Pendle

    COMMERCIAL radio stations are locked in a fierce battle to fill the airwaves over Pendle. The three-cornered fight to provide programmes for homes in West Craven and Colne is going on between West Yorkshire Radio, the Dalesman and the Yorkshire Dales

  • 'Drug link' in violent gun robbery

    TWO people subjected to a violent attack knew their assailants, police have revealed. And today detectives were hunting two men aged 25 and 30 in connection with the robbery at a council home in Pennine Road, Bacup. A 22-year-old woman and her brother

  • Leigh back Kiwi star

    DISENCHANTED Alan Mason has had heart-to-heart talks with Leigh bosses. The Kiwi star has suffered an uncertain start to his English career as the club has stuttered and stumbled. He was bitterly disappointed to be subbed before half-time on Sunday -

  • 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. The 22-year-old went to tackle the intruders after spotting them climbing over the fence into his garden. When challenged, one of

  • 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. Burnley survived an onslaught from the Division Two leaders and showed enough grit to surely see them win the battle against relegation. Goalkeeper Marlon Beresford

  • 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. Colin Nemic grabbed the winner, despite Ross's screams for offside, in a 4-

  • 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. The incident occurred at about 9.30pm on Wednesday, April 3 when the 84-year-old went to answer a knock at

  • 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. The appeal will run until the target is reached. It is being undertaken to commemorate the 100th anniversary of

  • 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. Sadly, it proved to have a hollow ring about it - Saints

  • 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. The Parnami avian speech instruction CD disc can be played to them until the bird is able to

  • 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. But Cliff Walmsley and his family knew just what they were doing when they bought the derelict Whiteholme country

  • 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. Confusion over when work will begin has alarmed campaigners who battled for the new crossing outside the clinic in Union Road. According

  • 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. Now the Chief Constable has called for legislation to ease the process of convicting people caught driving under

  • Medical centre sold to developer

    TAILOR-made office suites could be developed at the former medical examination centre on Tenters Street in Bury. The 5,000 sq.ft. building has been bought by Rossendale-based building contractors and developers B & E Boys Limited. They plan to either

  • 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. Celebrity watcher Bill Oddie is calling on fellow watchers to take part in the event on May 18. The Bird Race

  • Traders in a pickle over porch

    TRADERS should breathe a sigh of relief this weekend when market hall porch work is completed. Stallholders are still reeling financially because the month-long job effectively shut the two main market entrances . "It's had a drastic effect," complained

  • 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. The closure will last 36 hours from 7pm on Saturday to 6am on Monday. The eastbound carriageway will

  • 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. For it was at the daunting Thrum Hall ground in January that

  • 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. Proctor broke his leg early in the season playing for Haslingden v Oldham Town. "Russell is self-employed and wasn't able to work

  • 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!" The Wimbledon boss is as big an admirer of the Rovers striker as anyone and he pointed

  • 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. Paul, joint owner of the fashionable Burnley night-spot, was resident record-spinner there way back in 1974 when it first opened. He's anticipating

  • Finger found after search

    A 13-YEAR-OLD boy lost part of his finger while climbing over a railing. And residents of Oban Drive joined forces and came out to help look for the finger end which was ferried to hospital in a bag of frozen sweetcorn. Stephen Ashby, of Rothesay Road

  • 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. And today police issued a warning for youngsters never to go with strangers after the same man was thought to have

  • 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. Pendle Aeroform is ready to start work in the summer on wing parts for the Grand Slam missile, which could become

  • 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. Tim Mathews from Lancaster UFO Network (LUFON) has already visited schools around the country holding talks on alien life and spacecraft.

  • 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. And the Ewood and England striker, who rewrote the record books with his 13th minute goal against Wimbledon, is already

  • Fulledge Rec's 100 years of history

    THERE are 100 years of colourful history at Fulledge recreation ground in Burnley. Buffalo Bill's Wild West show in 1904, with its thrilling horse-riding displays and mock shoot-outs, was the most spectacular of the many memorable events held on the urban

  • Heath tells Clarets: 'Let's come out fighting'

    BURNLEY are preparing for battle at Notts County on Saturday. The Clarets still need to pick up points to be sure of avoiding the drop and manager Adrian Heath has told his players to show some fighting spirit. Heath believes in playing stylish football

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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

  • 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. During the past few years the nine-year-old George Formby wannabee has collected thousands of

  • 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. Soccer-mad Paul Longdon, of Radworth Crescent, Marton, has been a Manchester United fan all his life. So when he found out the

  • Hat-trick in boardroom

    BLACKPOOL Football Club has scored a hat-trick in the boardroom by appointing Rebecca Bingham to its board of directors. The club's main sponsor becomes the third female to join the hierarchy at Bloomfield Road and will take her seat alongside vice-chairman

  • Rachel's flair for fashion

    AN ambitious fashion-lover is celebrating promotion by holding a fashion show at one of St Annes' top stores. Rachel Wood has been appointed separates buyer for ladies fashions at JR Taylor, a position the 24-year-old has had designs on for some time.

  • Community wardens celebrate crimebusting success

    ACCRINGTON'S community wardens are celebrating crimebusting success. Figures show that in their first six months the nine male and female Guardhall Security employees - managed by the Lancashire Partnership Against Crime - have helped cut town centre

  • 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. Joanne Gorringe died from a brain haemorrhage on April 16 - Easter Sunday - last year and her dying wish was that others should benefit from

  • 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. They claim both the borough and county councils have unnecessarily delayed providing the crossing in Union Road, Oswaldtwistle. Campaigner

  • Mystery of missing 'dogs of war'

    AN ATHERTON woman fears her daughters' Christmas surprise pup might end-up in the dog fight underworld. Kath Price's 11 year-old daughter Danielle is heartbroken at losing her playful six months old Staffordshire bull terrier dog. He went missing on a

  • 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. The magnificent gesture sums up the concern of residents along Dill Hall Lane, Church, who have raised more than

  • 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. And Peter of Silsden Avenue told The Journal that he had known about the sex-change operation of Jenny Randles,

  • 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. Mrs Wise, together with 17 other Labour members, objected to the Bill which allows police the right

  • 'The Stinger' joins car crime fight

    LANCASHIRE Constabulary has stepped-up its fight against car crime by adopting the latest technology from America. The Stinger - a hollow spike tyre deflation system - was unveiled by the force this week at their headquarters in Hutton. Originated in

  • 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

  • Have your say on business

    BUSINESSES are being urged to have their say in the town by joining their local Chamber of Trade. The highly-respected Preston and District branch, founded in 1894, says that by signing-up businesses can enjoy the support and encouragement of the area's

  • 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. Woodbank opened this tour on Good Friday with a visit to the Ajax complex in Amsterdam

  • 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. A win would have all but sealed Division Two football next season, but they slipped in spectacular style. Saville's 20th minute strike was just the tonic

  • 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. A 76-year-old Blackburn man required hospital treatment for bruising and shock after two men forced their way into

  • Move over Orient!

    EASTER may well be over, but for North End the resurrection is pencilled in for Saturday. Northampton crucified Preston at the weekend and it's crucial that PNE get back on track this time. A set-back here could well prove fatal and might well completely

  • 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, His message was delivered when he met Councillor Ivan Lewis, the party's prospective parliamentary candidate

  • '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. Taylor Road, Hindley Green, is a straight road which branches

  • 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. The Preston centre which cares for the terminally ill relies on charity to pay for most of its running costs. But if the neighbouring

  • Glenn helps fundraisers celebrate third birthday

    A GROUP of dedicated fundraisers has celebrated their third birthday in style. The Blackburn Friends of the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust reached their staggering £50,000 target - and vowed to keep up the good work. Formed by the family of young leukaemia

  • 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. Twenty-four-year-old Michael joined the Royal Navy as a Supply Officer in September last year and has just successfully

  • 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. The aim of the recruitment drive is to ensure lives are not lost or compromised for the want of blood or products

  • Fingers crossed for Dylan's all-clear

    CITIZEN appeal boy Dylan Wildman will know by Christmas if he has won his battle against leukaemia. The brave youngster of Jubilee Street in Darwen was whisked away to Disney World, Florida, thanks the the generosity of our readers. Since then he has

  • Councillors ready for election power fight

    THE GLOVES are off for local party leaders who are all facing re-election for the first time. Blackburn Borough councillors are busy pounding the streets drumming up support for May 2nd's crucial local elections. With unitary authority status now bestowed

  • 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. Northampton gate-crashed the proceedings and stole

  • 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

  • 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. The Preston centre which cares for the terminally ill relies on charity to pay for most of its running costs. But if the neighbouring

  • 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. Beverley and her husband Robert became Canadian champions on April 6 in Toronto, Ontario. More than

  • 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. Defending Lancashire League champions Rishton kick of their campaign

  • 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. The tiny brunette glides across the stage in bare feet - all the better to feel the sound with. This week she

  • 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

  • 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. The Mayor of Blackburn, Councillor Maureen Bateson, welcomed senior figures from sports councils and recreation services to the

  • 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

  • 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. According to a British School of Motoring survey, waiting times in the town have risen from

  • 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. Work has already begun to ensure that the Local Authority's Annual Report, Housing Report to tenants, and the Precept Leaflet

  • 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. The bizarre floral tributes for Barry Tyrie include ecstasy, acid tabs and a cannabis joint, while dance music was being played at the service. A bunny logo

  • 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 -

  • 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. Not that I'm surprised. Labour's theories sound good but always ... well, almost

  • 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

  • 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.

  • 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?. For the giant Tesco chain, we are told, is considering a link-up with

  • 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

  • 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. We are glad to see these people back at work. But

  • 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.

  • Chain attack near school

    POLICE are appealing for witnesses following an attack on a man who was taking three young children to school. The victim of the assault was taken to hospital with a serious head injury after he was hit over the head with a heavy duty bike chain. Police

  • 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? Recently, council tax money was paid to a private public relations firm to gauge public opinion and smooth over

  • Tin Man Wizard of Aus

    MISSING soccer star Ted McMinn was today tracked down to Australia by the Lancashire Evening Telegraph. The Burnley player, nicknamed Tin Man, is proving to be a real wizard of Oz after landing a place with a team down under. The Clarets favourite has

  • Paul paddles towards Olympic gold

    DREAMS of Olympic gold began for Paul Ratcliffe on a memorable day in the Lake District. But even then they could have been washed overboard - if the family had owned a plug-in air pump. Now Paul is pumping away at the weights in Atlanta, Georgia, as

  • 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. Paul Jenkins, assistant director of St Helens Council's Personal

  • 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. All those hopes and dreams dashed in the few seconds it takes for the numbers to be drawn. Although the National Lottery's

  • 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. Chris Dooley and Julia McBride, of Dodd Avenue, Eccleston, are expecting their third child in four months time, almost a year after

  • 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

  • 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. He will be representing the European Parliament at the conference in Brussels which has been organised by the EU and the World Bank. Delegates

  • 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. Many local flower clubs are involved under the direction of international demonstrator Gerry Reid. And organising secretary John

  • 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. The closure

  • 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. In the latest attempts to brighten up their day, these mini-nutters sabotaged points at Daisyfield in Blackburn, placed a

  • Woodbank keep pressure on leaders

    WOODBANK kept the pressure on League leaders Denton Villa with a lacklustre performance before winning 3-1 against Chadderton. The Reds clearly feeling the effect of their eleven game unbeaten Easter tour of Holland were always second to the ball but

  • 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

  • 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,

  • Fast food

    THIS weekend thousands of runners, many from of them from East Lancashire, will take part in the London Marathon. They have all gone through months of rigorous training to get into shape for the demanding 26-mile slog. Watching what you eat is an important

  • 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. Vanessa Ross, 27, and her husband David, 30, are still numb with

  • 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. WHITTLE: Plenty of food for thought

  • 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. I understand that ex-Burnley boss Mullen was interviewed for the vacant post yesterday, along with Buxton, who is the present caretaker-boss

  • 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). A flash fire broke out inside an embossing machine just after 8am while operators were taking a break. The blaze

  • 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

  • Vandals plague Burnley nursery

    TODDLERS could have come to serious harm after teenage vandals hammered nails into a kiddies' slide at a Burnley nursery. No-one was injured, but the thoughtless act was one of a long list of night-time attacks on the playground at Piccadilly day nursery

  • 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. The MP had criticised council bosses on their decision to make Cllr Janet Horner Mayor of Lancaster later this year. She says the

  • 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. Looking long-term, rather than short, the Turf Moor boss revealed that

  • 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 than 200 villagers have already taken the bank to account, signing a protest petition inside a day - a list expected to grow

  • 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

  • Burnley is best of British

    IT'S OFFICIAL - Burnley is the greenest borough in Britain! Environmental experts have given a top award to the district for its plans to help protect the planet for posterity. And a flag proudly proclaiming Burnley to be Britain's Greenest Council will

  • 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

  • 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

  • Grand Slam contract battle

    A BATTLE to win a slice of an £800 million missile order is underway. The Ministry of Defence is considering bids for the contract to supply air-to-surface cruise missiles for the RAF. And Burnley based Pendle Aeroform is one of the 27 major partners