GOLDEN girl Kelly Banner led the way for Tyldesley SC in the Warburton Gala. Six Tyldesley swimmers took part, each reaching a final position. Kelly was clear winner in the 13-Year 200 IM. And there were silvers for Mark Hurst in the 12-Year 100 backstroke
SUPER schoolgirl Janet Marie Morris has won her international spurs. Racing for Great Britain, she raced to a bronze in Czechoslovakia at the weekend, under-cutting her 800 metres PB by an astonishing 22 seconds. "She was well chuffed," said delighted
THERE was a great sense of accomplishment as local youngsters did the town proud in the Great Manchester Youth Games. Some 300 represented the Borough of Wigan for the 10th anniversary of the event. And fifteen varied sports attracted around 4,000 of
ATHERTON finally shrugged off their Summertime Blues. They halted the slump that has blighted their Bolton Association title challenge with a stirring six-wicket win at Spring View. With the home side setting a target of 193-4 the signs were not good.
A YOUNG woman broke down in tears as she told of finding her friend dead in his bed from a drugs overdose. Andrew Robinson, 21, died on June 18 at Avon House, Marsden Square, Haslingden, after taking a lethal cocktail of the heroin substitute, methadone
WELL, the chances are you will have heard the good news - we're moving up in the world - 440ft to be exact to St John's Beacon. So I'll be able to keep my eye on St Helens when I'm broadcasting. We don't actually move until next year, but when we do,
ANGRY neighbours getting steamed up over three extraction chimneys that make a building look "like the Titanic" have been backed by councillors. A planning officer's report to councillors said the chimneys at Macadam's garage, Standroyd Road, Colne, had
CATHERINE Grimes is on top of the world after her childhood dream of becoming a professional actress and dancer took two leaps forward. She has just won the title of Miss Dance of Great Britain and she has landed a part in the touring version of Jesus
LEYLAND'S first McDonald's restaurant is set to be given the green light after councillors approved the proposed drive-thru, providing it meets certain requirements. Members of South Ribble Council's development services committee approved the plan for
STAN Ternent was in talks with three key Burnley players today in a bid to ensure their Turf Moor futures. Chris Brass, Paul Smith and, most significantly, Paul Weller were all having discussions with the Burnley boss about new contracts. And Ternent
ROY Hodgson has no immediate intentions of bringing in another costly import to slot into the gap on the right-hand side of his squad caused by Stuart Ripley's departure. The Blackburn Rovers boss believes he has more than enough cover on the right flank
PRESTON 130-8 LANCASTER 166-4. THIS was one of Preston's best performances against high-flying Lancaster who came to West Cliff in second place in the league. Preston captain and professional Manoj Parekh won the toss and put Lancaster in to bat. It appeared
EARLIER mention of a character nicknamed Tempy, perhaps better known to Parr's older generation as 'the kamikaze bus driver', brings back another memory from the trolley-bus era. A reader wishing to be identified only as Old Timer turns back the clock
I'M up to the neck in ancient christening shawls! And it all started when reader Brian Lunt of Moss Bank mentioned that he had a mint-condition example, bought 33 years ago. This has since been used for the christenings of nine infants - the offspring
SCHOOL dinners! You either loved or loathed 'em! But one thing for certain, there was no forgetting those canteen offerings - even 30 or 40 years after quitting the classrooms. And childhood memories can be coloured by just how palatable, or otherwise
THE LOCAL district Plan clearly shows that the area proposed for the erection of eight bungalows on Raynor's Field is designated as urban landscape and as such should be free from any development. The letter accompanying the application suggests indirectly
C DANIEL - Citizen July 2 - asks me when I will have the nerve to lobby government to burn over thirty months waste in power stations. Please can I assure them that this takes no nerve at all and is in fact precisely what I've been doing for the past
LEIGH will play a part in the 2nd Wigan Borough Visual Arts Festival which starts next week. A packed programme of events, workshops and exhibitions have been put together all over the borough which include sculpture, textiles, ceramics, painting, photography
LAST week Labour Councillor Barker accused me of not explaining my position over the Blobby side letter. His allegation is the height of hypocrisy coming, as it does, from one of the privileged few who, it seems, knew the truth long before others. My
CRICKET mad MP Lawrence Cunliffe is batting for 'normal' TV viewers. The chairman of the All Party Commons and Lords Cricket Group wants to keep Test match cricket on everyman's television. He said:"I was shocked to hear it is no longer guaranteed Test
A MAN was pulled from his blazing car after it careered into two parked vehicles on Sunday night. A nearby resident helped 22-year-old Christopher Monks from the Ford Orion following the crash just before midnight. The accident happened in Bickershaw
A LOCAL pub wants to raise £1,000 for Leigh Infirmary. Edison's, on King Street, Leigh has already started fund-raising. There will be a series of collections and raffles every Wednesday night in the pub until the end of August in a bid to raise the magical
ROAD junction chaos may be eased by mini roundabouts. They are seen as affordable options to improve traffic flow at noted bottlenecks in Leigh and Astley. Highways experts say two small roundabouts and three pedestrian refuge islands would ease problems
SOFT drinks giant Vimto is building a £12.5m production and distribution centre at Golborne (writes BRIAN GOMM). The Stonecross Business Park venture is part of restructuring plans laid out by J N Nichols' (Vimto) Ltd food group which operates from Haydock
SOLDIERS in Preston's reserve forces have been left playing the waiting game after the Government announced the size of the Territorial Army is to be cut by a nearly a third. Defence secretary George Robertson said this week that 14,000 of the 54,000
ELAINE HAMER, boss of Blackburn-based Canine Companions, is hoping to extend her dog dating agency service to Preston. Despite advertising her firm all over the county, dog lover Elaine has just one dog on her books from the Preston area. And as that
MORE than 20 jobs have been axed at bus operator Stagecoach Ribble's Preston depot. The losses come as a result of plans to merge the firm's regional accounts and payroll offices at Stockport. The Frenchwood Avenue centre will close in November, and bosses
THE NHS has received a glowing commendation from a local councillor recovering from a heart by-pass op. Local health campaigner and Longton councillor Jim Breakell has praised staff at two local hospitals after he was rushed in for a major operation three
TROOPS at Fulwood Barracks were in mourning this week following the tragic death of Lance Corporal Jason Lawrence, a member of the 5 Field Ambulance. Jason, 23, was based at the local barracks although originally from the Midlands. He died in the course
A PRESTON supermarket has been forced to give some of its produce away for free after a new barmy European Union rule banned certain sizes of peaches! Bosses at Asda's Fulwood store were forced to give away the produce to children over the weekend after
POLICE in Leyland are being besieged by bogus burglar alarm calls from homes throughout South Ribble, according to new statistics. Just two in every 100 alarm call-outs are genuine, and police are urging residents to ensure that their security systems
HAVING David Beckham's looks is something most men would be very pleased about - especially when it comes to pulling the girls. But when Beckham look-alike Stephen Hickey lined up with other football look-alikes at Wembley to mark the start of World Cup
THE village of Longton could be split in two - if residents vote for a political shake-up. South Ribble Council is canvassing local opinion about the creation of a breakaway parish council. They want to know whether Longton Parish Council should be split
DEATH rig driver Tony Payne vowed never to return to the North Sea platforms where scores of his friends perished. "I've seen too much," the shattered 24-year-old told his worried family in Slackhouse, Haslingden. Brave Tony shinned down a rope from the
PARENTS said they would boycott schools in Burnley - because their children did not have places at Habergham High School. An 18-strong pressure group said they will refuse to send youngsters to other schools they were allocated because Habergham was over-subscribed
POLICE took the rare step of spraying CS gas after being called to a disturbance at a wedding reception in Clayton-le-Woods. Shocked onlookers at the Pines Hotel, watched as officers, who were forced to call for back-up, attended an incident on Saturday
RADIOTHERAPY bosses at the Royal Preston Hospital have admitted that they are 'struggling to keep our heads above water'. The disclosure was made this week, as a nationwide report revealed that cancer sufferers in the North West face the longest radiotherapy
THE parents of Preston schoolgirl are still battling for her GCSE grades to be re-marked TWO years after sitting her exams. Peter and Gillian Wearden have vowed to take their protest to the House of Commons after exhausting all other channels. They want
IAN Britton has made a quick return to non-league football by linking up with former Burnley team mate Billy Rodaway at Accrington Stanley. The Reds boss has added the ex Claret to his backroom staff, appointing him as assistant manager. Britton became
THERE have been many letters sent in recently, both for and against the use of animal experiments in medical research. I would find it much easier to accept the use of animals in such research, if at the same time, there was a general appreciation and
THE future of the town's Theatre Royal is once again hanging in the balance after dramatic news that an estimated £150,000 needs to be found for urgent repairs to the roof. The shock announcement comes after the Theatre Royal ( St Helens) Trust spent
NEIL Fairbrother is gunning for Lord's yet again. But first the Lancashire veteran, who steered them to a tense victory over Yorkshire in the NatWest Trophy yesterday, must beat old mate Jason Gallian in the last eight. Lancashire were today drawn at
TONY Jackson and Jason Ashton warmed up for their Open qualifying challenge by featuring in the Blackburn A team which clinched the Inter-Town League with a victory over Accrington last night. Both players are just one step away from fulfilling their
AS the Millennium approaches I feel Leigh should now move with the times. Gone are the days when Leigh had annual "wakes weeks" and everyone had to go on holiday at the same time. Holidays are on offer all year round and families should be entitled to
IN the article entitled "Well-deserved recognition for the Rev Herrick Daniel" (LET, July 1) on his appointment as the first black canon of Blackburn Cathedral, there are two errors which need to be corrected in the interest of fairness to the previous
NINE years ago approximately 600 signatures of protest against the sale of farmland for development of high tech buildings, landscaping and also a lake etc. were collected by six senior citizens. Letters from many individuals, some of whom didn't live
IN the third round of the Lancashire Cup at Broadwater on Sunday (July 5), Fleetwood started disastrously losing their first four wickets for just 12 runs. Despite the efforts of the later batsmen they failed to recover sufficiently to set St Annes a
A GOLF trip to Portugal awaits amateur Richard Martland and Grange Park Gold Club PGA professional Paul Roberts if they can come through the next stage of Europe's biggest pro-am competition, the Lombard Trophy. Richard Martland won the club qualifying
THE local heats of the Merseyside Police 5-a-side competition take place at the Sidac sports ground, Sutton Leach, on Sunday, July 26. Winners of each age group will go on to the next stage in Liverpool and may qualify for the grand finals, at Anfield
FAMILIES in Westleigh Lane, Leigh, were astonished when they were woken up at 12.10am on Friday by the sounds of a trundling wheelie bin. They were even more shocked to see the probably-piddled-up-pillock pulling it, discharge its contents all over the
ECCLESTON CC were comfortably beaten by Glazebury at Bobbies Lane on Saturday. Having won the toss Eccleston elected to field, but Glazebury amassed 151-5 in their allotted overs with Green 66 not out. In reply Eccleston batted poorly, with only two batsmen
THE government has been asked to persuade local authorities to switch their vehicle fleet to pollution-free compressed natural gas - possibly saving jobs at a Burnley factory. Pendle MP Gordon Prentice urged Environment Minister Michael Meacher to ensure
BLACKPOOL MPs are pressing for urgent action to update the resort's Winter Gardens complex and make sure Labour brings its conference back after 2001. Despite the disappointment of losing the party's year 2000 gathering, Blackpool South MP Gordon Marsden
REGARDING the provision of a sculpture to the honour of Atherton's nail industry. This basically is an idea flawed. True, the industry was a going concern over many years past, but it was never an original trade. The fact that in the Middle Ages, up to
ST HELENS Nissan dealer Andy Middlehurst will share centre stage with the world's leading race drivers at Silverstone in Northamptonshire this weekend (July 9-12) when round eight of the 1998 Dunlop National Saloon Cup appears on the supporting programme
THE Blackbrook amateur Rugby League club is to host a mouth-watering pre-season 13-a-side competition. It's the Alex Murphy Trophy, which starts on Saturday, July 25, and ends with the final on Saturday, August 8. The first round draw includes: Saturday
FLEETWOOD'S 60-year-old Marine Hall could sail into the new millennium as one of the North West's top entertainment venues. Wyre Council hopes lottery cash will help launch an ambitious redevelopment of the seafront hall, its theatre, cafe, bar and backstage
MORECAMBE motorcycle racing star, John McGuinness (pictured) experienced the highs and lows of racing as he took part in the biggest event of his life this week. He delighted himself and his legion of fans with a stunning twelfth place in the world championship
DURING the past decade, and not always with the blessing of traditionalists, Rugby League club colours have frequently changed, and no more so than at Knowsley Road. One need look no further than commercial reasons and the clamour for replica jerseys
IN nearly 40 years, I have never seen Poulton so messy. Although there are litter bins within easy reach, a great deal of rubbish of every kind is thrown to the ground. On festival day beer drinkers were using the gravestones in St Chad's churchyard as
HUNDREDS of jobs and a long-awaited new link-road are on the way in return for a massive development across Fylde's green acres. A multi-million pound B&Q centre, creating 250 new jobs, which has just started on the edge of Blackpool, marks the beginning
SIR, - AS a president of Royles Brook Primary School PTFA in Thornton I would like to respond to an article which referred to problems with the PTFA float in the Thornton Cleveleys Gala (Citizen, June 18). The bad weather affected everybody, the pedestrian
THERE was more disappointment for St Helens Recs when they visited Hightown on Saturday. Hightown elected to bat first, but wickets fell at regular intervals with all the Recs bowlers putting in good performances, Ford being the pick. The Hightown batsmen
A YOUTH from Clayton-le-Moors has been interviewed by police in connection with an alleged assault on local borough councillor Tim O'Kane. The juvenile was released on police bail pending further inquiries. Coun O'Kane, 43, suffered a broken nose and
DETECTIVES are hunting four youths who attacked a teenager in Great Harwood town centre while he was out with a wheelchair-bound friend. The 19-year-old victim was hit in the face and was unconscious for a couple of minutes. The attack happened as he
LANCASTER City are considering signing an unknown centre forward. Peter Thompson from Manchester will train with the team on Thursday night (only their second training session of the pre-season) with a view to signing with the Blues. Other new-comers
RADIO Briars Hey will be broadcasting again from midnight Friday, August 28 until midnight Thursday, September 24 on 105.8 FM. The station is on air to help raise funds for Save The Children and if you want to try your hand at presenting a programme then
DOMINIC WRIGHT slept through his first day at school! But he can be excused - because he was there FOUR YEARS too early. Dominic - or to give him his full name Dominic Matthew Paul Wright - was one of the principal guests at the 90th birthday celebrations
ROY Hodgson has no immediate intentions of bringing in another costly import to slot into the gap on the right-hand side of his squad caused by Stuart Ripley's departure. The Blackburn Rovers boss believes he has more than enough cover on the right flank
BUSWAY protesters brought Leigh town centre to a Saturday mid-day standstill as they showed their disdain for transport plans. Horse riders, walkers and conservationists gathered on Leigh Civic Square then wound their way to Tyldesley along the proposed
A DRINK-drive warning is being issued to "morning after the night before" motorists in Accrington. Police have launched a breakfast time breath test blitz on drivers heading into work while still over the limit. The operation is targeting exit roads from
MILLENNIUM magic has turned Astley green. The one time pit village which straddles the Bridgewater Canal is living up to its full name having just been granted Millennium Green status for its Whitehead Hall Meadow project. The Countryside Commission has
TWENTY-one competitors from as far afield as Australia hope to win a Blackpool contest for crying out loud. Melbourne and Castlemaine town crier Neville Stonehouse is coming 12,000 miles to add his own brand of XXXX to Blackpool's second annual town crying
MOVING to a new landscape has given artist Christine Haworth's business a fresh perspective! Crisalis Collection was launched five years ago to market Christine's greetings cards designs. Since then the business has grown rapidly and now Christine's creations
SANDIE Shaw was barefoot and the Beatles had the younger generation swinging all round the world. Soccer fans wanted to get on the bandwagon and the World Cup seemed the ideal vehicle. England manager Alf Ramsey was his own man - he was boss, in charge
Food News, with Christine Rutter ELEPHANT, bear and rhinoceros were on the menu at Britain's first-ever barbecue half a million years ago. According to findings from an archaeological dig, the nation's first barbecue took place in a forest just outside
ST ANNES Parish Operatic Society's new version of Finian's Rainbow will be bringing back more than a few memories for director Pam Eve and star Peter Hall. Pam played the lead role of Sharon McLonergan 21 years ago and Peter played Woody - this year he
JOBS at a factory which supplies the shoe and slipper industry are on a firmer footing after a major investment programme. Gilleade & Ashworth has invested £50,000 in an advanced computer system and the transfer of its embroidery unit from Blackburn
THE manager of a window company is offering a reward for information leading to the return of a company vehicle which was stolen on Friday, July 3. The white Ford Sierra P100 pick-up van, registration number A11 ATP, with the St Helens Windows logo on
LEIGH is "home" to the highest proportion of lost dogs in the borough. "We have more lost dogs brought here than anywhere else in Wigan," explained Leigh Police Inspector Jim Bondworth. Now Leigh Police station has an indentification chip scanner which
Leyland DAF 117 - Chorley 118-2. LEAGUE leaders Leyland Daf suffered their first defeat of the season when Chorley beat them easily by eight wickets at Sandy Lane. Chorley captain Roland Horridge won the toss and put Daf in to bat. It looked a prudent
THE Liberal Democrat members in the North West have selected their team who will lead the party into next year's election battle for the European Parliament. New arrangements mean that all the existing Euro-constituencies, including Liverpool East, held
THE Nalgo Social Club in Bishop Road, St Helens, will change its name to the Unison Club if members give the go-ahead at a Special General Meeting to be held at the club on Wednesday, July 15. Since it opened in 1957, only members of Nalgo, the former
WHEN Jan Jennings received an invitation to a wedding little did she realise it would be her own. She found out only hours before the Leigh Town Hall ceremony that it was just for her and husband-to-be, Bill Evans, who had arranged the surprise behind
ST HELENS College is one of 13 organisations from the North West which has been chosen to close the skills gap in IT and high technology. The college along with 12 other centres, successfully bid for £8 million of Government money for the North West to
MARATHON man Joe Griffiths is looking forward to a well-earned rest after four months of hectic fund-raising on behalf of a worthy cause. Big-hearted Joe from Charnwood Street in Parr, launched his bid to help little cerebral palsy sufferer Ryan Hull,
NEWTON Business Environment Association (BEA) is holding another breakfast seminar on Wednesday, July 15 at the Kirkfield Hotel, Church Street, Newton-le-Willows. Its purpose is to inform businesses on their responsibilities in respect of the Control
FURIOUS Saints have expressed dissatisfaction of the handling by referee Russell Smith of their Super League game at Wigan on Sunday. Said chairman Tom Ellard: "I have spoken with Director of Referees Geoff Berry and pointed out that we were unhappy with
NEW closed circuit TV cameras are helping to make the streets of Newton-le-Willows safer for shoppers and traders alike - thanks to the installation of a £130,000 Eyes Over Newton security system. The scheme has been part-funded by the European Single
BRAVE Leigh threw everything they had at Hunslet. If there had been a kitchen sink to spare that would have gone too. Sadly, the end result was the same as the previous eight. Defeat! Sunday's 18-6 loss at Hunslet was Leigh's ninth on the bounce. And
OFSTED inspectors have given District CE Primary School a glowing inspection report. The school in Patterson Street, Newton-le-Willows, is described in the report as "a very good school, which provides education of high quality for pupils of all abilities
LIBERAL Democrat councillors in Sutton are calling upon the bosses of Hays Chemicals to reassure local residents worried about the safety of the plant following a gas leak last month. Residents living near the Lancots Lane factory were awoken in the early
A MULTI-million pound retail and leisure park development has been given the go-ahead by St Helens Council for the second time. Original plans, approved by the authority, for the major retail and leisure development at the Ravenhead Park site were rejected
THREE local women have been honoured for their years of hard work and devoted service. Yvonne Moore, Margaret Hayes and Jane Dearden have received Duncan Medals for their work to help improve the health of the community. The medals commemorate the work
MORE than 100 archers from throughout the UK gathered for the 46th annual championship and open tournament. It was organised by the Lancashire Archery Association at St Joseph's College, Upholland, and hosted by Orrell Archers. Many of the prizes were
PICTURED: YVONNE, Margaret and Jane receive their medals and certificates from John Dray, chairman of St Helens and Knowsley Health. Also pictured is chief executive, Joanna Wallis (second left). THREE St Helens women have been honoured for their years
BLACKPOOL gained only their second Vaux Northern League Division One victory of the season at St Annes on Saturday. After they had lost three wickets for just 23 runs, Blackpool captain Gavin Wiggans, in the face of some ferocious fast bowling from St
A TEAM of brassy blond bombshells are turning heads as they tackle fires in East Lancashire after Red Watch became Yellow Watch during a charity stunt. The boys from Darwen Fire Station are sporting striking bleached locks after spending two hours in
AFTER 32 years 'on the beat', Superintendent Ann Moore, the highest-ranking police officer in St Helens, has decided to call it a day. Ann, who lives in Maghull with her two daughters, Joann (28) and 19-year-old Linda, was appointed Area Commander for
A BABY boy has died after being found lying injured in a bedroom by his distraught mother. One-year-old Keiran Hetherington was taken to Burnley General Hospital where he was pronounced dead after paramedics were called to a mid-terraced house in Bridge
DOUBLE act Kane Kersnovske and Dave Dove has put Leigh in sunshine mode. Their opening partnership of 118 was the platform for success against St Helens. Skipper Dove posted his best of the season, a solid 60 including four fours, while Kersnovske smacked
RIBBLE Valley MP Nigel Evans has warned that taxes on cars entering major towns or parking outside supermarkets will hammer thousands of East Lancashire village dwellers. He tackled Transport Minister Gavin Strang on proposals being considered as part
A DISPUTE between neighbours ended in court with a 63-year-old agreeing to behave himself. Kenneth Shepherd, of Lee Brook Close, Rawtenstall, has been given a year to prove he can be a good neighbour. Rossendale magistrates heard he and his neighbours
FIFA's intentions have been noble enough but their application of those intentions typically woeful. Attempts to abolish the tackle from behind are a positive move. But to try and introduce them, without experiment, in the World Cup finals was a bizarre
WITH interest in the Titanic showing no signs of sinking, an exhibition of memorabilia surrounding the great ship and its times is drawing in visitors to a Pendle library. Colne local historian Jack Greenwood and librarian Darran Ward have teamed up to
THE top jobs on Lancashire Probation Committee have been secured by Malcolm Smith from Blackburn and Burnley magistrate Susan Hughes. Mr Smith began his public service in 1976 when appointed to a probation hostel management committee and in 1986 he joined
STAFF at Blackburn's Citizen's Advice Bureau held a public meeting to answer questions about its annual report. The meeting heard that the bureau was contacted most often about issues relating to benefits and there were a significant number of calls and
STAN Ternent hit back today at Damian Matthew and Jamie Hoyland who have left Turf Moor this summer and told the fans - "I want you to know what has happened." The Burnley boss also revealed that he doesn't know what Chris Vinnicombe intends to do, because
MODERN bootleggers are turning their attention from beer to brand name soft drinks in a bid to make a legal profit, according to Trading Standards officers. The unofficial, grey market of brand name soft drinks has opened up in Lancashire as products
SHOPPING centre bosses in Blackburn are planning a major revamp of Lords Square as the battle for trade in the region steps up. The refurbishment will be the final piece of a multi-million jigsaw which has seen the transformation of the once run down
BLACKPOOL Illuminations are set to be the focus for an ambitious Millennium scenestealer for the resort. Details of the seafront spectacular are 'in the early stages' according to council bosses. But Labour leader Coun Ivan Taylor sowed the seeds for
THE ivory-tickling fingers of Jack Harrison produced music that was a joy to the ear in the halcyon days of the pub concert rooms. Memories of pianist Jack have been revived by his son and daughter after they spotted him in a flashback photo from the
Janet Anderson MP Surgery, Sudellside Community Centre, Darwen, 5.30-6.30pm. Jack Straw MP Advice Surgery, Mill Hill Community Centre, New Chapel Street, 4-5pm; also Bank Top Neighbourhood Centre, Oakenhurst Road, 5.30-6.30pm, both Blackburn. Souls and
THE story in last week's edition of the Citizen (July 2) about a member of the Christian Brethren who had allegedly sexually abused his daughter. Will you please make it clear that Christian Brethren are not a cult. In Lancaster the Brethren worship at
HILTON Dawson is naive to think that Richard Branson will use the West Coast Mainline through Lancaster for his new Eurotrain. He runs a commercial service not a social service and will use the East Coast Mainline to Scotland because it has massive new
LEIGH'S mega music festival has been given the thumbs up! The two day August Bank Holiday bonanza 'Hilton Park '98' was given the green light by Wigan Metro licensing chiefs on Friday. Stars expected at the event include Leo Sayer, Sonia and Alexandra
A DRUG-busting team from Clitheroe returned from a conference armed with new ideas aimed at tackling the problem in East Lancashire. The Drug Abuse in Rural Communities seminar, held in Sheffield, highlighted fresh initiatives in the fight against drug
PENSIONERS have had £500 stolen by people posing as charity collectors and contract workers. And police fear the thefts in Golborne - by three women and two men - could have been co-ordinated. The thefts took place within 20 minutes of each other in Heywood
MILLENNIUM magic has turned Astley green. The one time pit village which straddles the Bridgewater Canal is living up to its full name having just been granted Millennium Green status for its Whitehead Hall Meadow project. The Countryside Commission has
COUNCILLORS in South Ribble have thrown their weight behind plans to form a multi-agency panel to combat racial abuse in the county. Members of the council's policies and resources committee, who met on Tuesday, have nominated council leader Gina Lewis
ONE of Preston's historic tourist attractions has been hit by artful dodgers. Creative crooks have helped themselves to a £15,000 statue from the courtyard of Samlesbury Hall, in Preston New Road. The marble artefact, Dante's Inferno, has sat on top of
LEYLAND folk are being urged to name some of the area's most dangerous drivers after local police launched the county's first shop-a-drink-driver telephone phone line. Drink Link went 'live' last week, with officers confident that, with the help of the
RIBBLE Valley MP Nigel Evans has urged all North West MPs not to overturn a House of Lords amendment to the Teaching and Higher Education Bill. The amendment ensures that students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland will not have to pay more than
SAPPI the young tawny owl was one of the star attractions at a a high school's summer fair. But he, or she - his owners are not quite sure which yet - could quite easily not have made it to the show on Saturday, had it not been for the generosity of one
THE Beckham backlash is already fully unfurled as we have seen this week at local sports shops where sales of paraphernalia of the talented but petulant star have all but drawn to a standstill. But maybe it is not just Beckham that has caused the falling
WAR veterans can look forward to a new-look Remembrance Sunday in Leyland after councillors and Royal British Legion bosses decided to work together for the first time. For the past few years, South Ribble Borough Council has held its own service at St
PRESTON rail travellers could soon be left standing at the station. Ambitious plans to develop a direct regional train service to Europe will hit local services. The multi-million pound transport initiative - proposed by Richard Branson's Virgin company
THE future of a Leyland trader's business hangs in the balance after a supermarket giant decided to axe all small firms within its stores. Kathleen O'Flanagan, who runs Allsortz Newsagents inside the Kwik Save supermarket on Towngate, Leyland, is among
STRESSED-out youngsters in Preston are being urged not to make themselves ill over impending exam results. Bosses at the Preston branch of the Samaritans are telling teenagers besieging their helplines not to worry about exam results, due out in August
REGARDING John Blunt's comments on body piercer Jason Pickard-Wright (LET, July 1), Hitler tried to force his ideas of the 'norm' upon people and my grandparents and their generation fought and died to give future generations freedom of choice. The arts
THE half-page advertisement taken by Hyndburn Council to advertise a 'Public Question Time' on the face of it, appears a conciliatory, democratic response to mounting criticism of this otherwise autocratic and arrogant council. Has this Council leopard
BLACKPOOL Football Club has announced the signing of defender David Bardsley. David, aged 33, joins the club from Queens Park Rangers, where he played more than 300 games since joining them from Oxford Utd in 1989. Manager Nigel Worthington said: "I am
I HAVE read that some of our local schools will become part of an "education action zone" being set up by the Education Authority. My son attends one of these schools, Bedford High, which we have been told is very successful in getting good GCSE grades
WHEN he is playing for his adopted Lancashire he is deemed an angel but when he is playing for his country, Pakistan, and wrecking England's chances of success he is the devil incarnate. Wasim obviously enjoys both roles and in his newly published autobiography
REGARDING your report "Fast-track idea to aid pub swops" (LET, July 4) on Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans' support for a split licensing system for public houses, while I wholeheartedly support his backing for these new proposals, this is not a particularly
I'M not a fan of body piercing at the best of times. One pair of earrings at a time and that's the limit. I've got used to seeing young lasses with studded noses, Indian style, and those with a row of sleepers all along the ear. This week I spotted a
THE NHS has made a great difference to people's lives, so says one of the first mums to give birth under the free service. Dorothy Flavill celebrated her new arrival Marcia on July 5, 1948, at the Glenroyd Maternity Home in Blackpool when the pre-natal
I FEEL I must make a stand for the plight of the humble fairground goldfish. A friend of mine recently visited an out-of-town fairground with my children and returned with two goldfish they had won. These poor creatures were in plastic bags, who knows
LEIGH is the home to the highest population of lost dogs in the borough. Another title to be ashamed of! Now thanks to vet Richard Weston, of Anrich, Leigh Police Station has a scanner which can read microships implanted in animals and help reunite them
ANGRY residents and shopkeepers in South Shore fear a huge loss of trade as North West Water installs a huge underground tank on Bloomfield Road car park. Hoteliers and shopkeepers are worried that if NWW starts work on the car park now, they will lose
AS you are probably aware by now there is a road traffic calming scheme on Astley Street. This is what you can call one of the council's worst thought-up schemes this century for wasting money. The residents did not get any consultation when this work
PORTICO A bounced back from losing the first game of the tournament to win the annual Haresfinch Sevens by beating Haydock 24-12 in the final. Earlier, Blackbrook had topped Group A with wins over runners-up Portico A and Parkside. Meanwhile host club
RAINHILL CC after a blank Saturday due to rain drew away to Port Sunlight. Captain Peter Woods won the toss and elected to bat on a dry firmish wicket. Progress was slow as the wicket. With the score on 28 Peter Woods was bowled for 19 with Rainhill batting
A MODEL for a children's orphanage has been unveiled by Blackpool students, completing the first phase in the Christian project Bartimaeus Romania. It was the vision of Jan and Bob Sutton of Cleveleys to build an orphanage after witnessing the devastating
HAYDOCK first team slipped to defeat at the hands of Tarleton at Lyme Park on Saturday. Batting first, Tarleton made 192-5 at tea. Darren Mathews was the pick of the Haydock bowlers with 2-16 while Martin Clarke 1-21 and Andy Bentham 1-17 deserved more
WHAT a wonderful way for the Thornton Cleveleys Brass Band to say thanks for lottery money - their free concert entitled Thank You For The Music was just great. Chris Andrews was on great form, as were the band and their guest conductor Derek Broadbent
PILKINGTON Recs have confirmed their coaching and fitness regime ahead of the coming season. Former BARLA international tourist Eric Frodsham and ex-Saints star Johnny Smith will be head coaches. Eric was formerly in charge of Recs under 18s teams. Fitness
DON'T be surprised if accident-prone Joe Pasquale has to visit Victoria Hospital at some point during his summer in Blackpool. In previous shows the squeaky-voiced comic has broken a toe, his hand and even knocked himself out, all in pursuit of a comedy
RAINFORD Cricket Club's fine mid season form continued at the weekend as both senior sides recorded victories against their Halsall counterparts. The first XI travelled to Halsall and were entitled to expect a harder game than they encountered. The hosts
Wigan Warriors 38 Saints 14 SUFFERING Saints' play-off chances hang in the balance after this Super League mauling by the table-topping Warriors at Central Park on Sunday night. For, although they clung onto the crucial fifth place, this sixth defeat
SUTTON were involved in a high scoring draw with Irby on a superb New Street wicket. Batting first, Irby took full advantage of some poor Sutton bowling and fielding to run up 204-3 in quick time. Danger man Mike Newman was dropped on 25 and went on to
I REFER to the letter, Growing Alarm Over Leylandii (Citizen, June 25). I actually wrote to my MP, Hilton Dawson, to ask if it was true that legislation would limit these fast-growing trees to 15ft tall. In true Tory style - that's how I regard today's
Lancs Lynx 32 - Barrow Border Raiders 14 AS the hooter sounded, Lynx walked from the field as if they'd lost. The fact is they'd won convincingly, but still couldn't hide their disappointment as they failed reach the Trans Pennine Cup final. Over six
A LIFE-THREATENING brush with cancer has sparked a 60-mile charity cycle challenge this weekend from two of the victim's closest friends. Since Sheila Peacock underwent radical surgery just eight weeks ago, her brave fight has inspired a fundraising campaign
ST HELENS almost made it a clean sweep of victories at the weekend. But the First team fell at the last hurdle, chasing a Leigh total of 200-2 declared which included 109 not out from Australian Kane Kersnovske. St Helens knew it was not their day when
MOST people would welcome terra firma after spending three days cramped on Blackpool's Big Dipper. Not so the four coaster fans who reluctantly emerged from the Pleasure Beach ride after their 75-hour marathon. All wanted to carry on, as Dale Smith, who
YOU know you're in Paradise when there's a top ventriloquist, an acclaimed comedy juggler, two well-grounded vocalists and international dancers all under one roof. That's just the recipe Stageworks director Amanda Thompson wanted for this year's Paradise
CHILDREN are being given the chance to go "through the keyhole" at Accrington town hall and meet the Mayor and Mayoress of Hyndburn. On selected days throughout the six-week school holidays they can meet Councillor and Mrs Ian Ormerod who will show them
ALICE Caldwell met a birthday girl when she went to her old school's 90th celebrations. Alice, aged 84, is pictured (left) with six years old Rebecca Agius at Leigh Central School. Mrs Caldwell recalled some of times at the original council school where
ONE of East Lancashire's biggest employers has been taken over in a £188 million deal. Creative Publishing, which owns the Hambledon Studios greetings card factory in Accrington, is being bought by privately-owned US giant Hallmark. Hallmark pledged that
A WHISTLESTOP walkabout is set to bring the scanner chief to the doors of hundreds of campaign fundraisers. The retired consultant will shelve his hospital scrubs and pick up his running shoes for the three-day marathon collection of donations from all
A NEW project aimed at bringing a little sunshine into the lives of cancer sufferers has been completed at St Helens and Knowsley Hospice. The carefully-cultivated Garden of Tranquillity has been created by GNVQ Foundation students at the nearby Carmel
A MAN has been kicked off a Huncoat estate after Hyndburn council were awarded possession of his flat following complaints from neighbours. The council said the lives of residents on the estate had allegedly been made a misery by the behaviour of people
A POULTON company director has been jailed after more than 106,000 bootleg tapes were seized from his and his mother's home. Anthony David Mulberry, of Hodder Way, was imprisoned for six months by Preston magistrates for distributing counterfeit tapes
FOUR local schools are set to benefit from extra classrooms providing additional facilities for at least 400 children. The schools, which have received grant allocations, are Ashurst Primary, Blackbrook; Eccleston Lane Primary; Nutgrove Methodist; and
KIT manager Brian Hickson is often needed to put his multi-skilled talents to the test while working for Preston North End. The former car mechanic has been in charge of the kit for the past three years and knows his job is very important. He said: "Wherever
VOLUNTEER members of St Helens and Knowsley Fire Education have been supplied with 14,000 badges to hand out to local schools - courtesy of the national Kidde Safety group. The education team, based at Eccleston Fire Station, give talks to schools and
LATEST local planning applications submitted to Wigan Council include: 3 Ashton Road, Golborne - pitched roof over existing flat roof extension to side and new detached garage; 238 Chaddock Lane, Worsley - single storey rear kitchen and dining room extension
A PRINCELY helping hand is steering Fylde jobless youngsters toward the world of work. Ten unemployed 16 to 25-year-olds are currently creating new gardens for schoolchildren, the elderly and disabled in a Blackpool park. It is just one element of a 12
FIRMS are being lent a helping hand to tackle health problems at work. Local councils have launched an awareness campaign to highlight ways of tackling dermatitis, and the Lancashire Association of Chief Environmental Health Officers is co-ordinating
GRANADA Studios, Europe's only TV and film park is celebrating its 10th anniversary on July 20. And to celebrate, The Journal is offering readers an opportunity of a lifetime - to win a pair of tickets to an exclusive Coronation Street gala dinner. After
MYSTERY surrounds Morecambe's biggest nightclub which has closed its doors just weeks after a major relaunch. Clubbers have turned up to get into the glitzy promenade nightclub 'The Lab' but found it closed and doormen have been told not to turn up for
A MAN had his wallet snatched by an opportunist thief as he was about to enter a post office. The 20-year-old victim was on his way to the sub-post office in Ashtons Green Drive, Parr, when the thief ran up and grabbed the wallet, containing about £120
MEMBERS of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra will join aspiring musicians in a series of orchestral workshops at St Aelred's Catholic School next Monday, July 13. Newton Youth Orchestra and pupils from St Aelred's in Birley Street, Newton, will
LEIGH is dreaming of a bright Christmas. And The Journal is today launching a move to make the town centre a shining example by making the first £100 donation to a £40,000-plus super light show. Christmas 98 will go down in the record books - providing
TEENY thieves preyed on a vulnerable, partially-sighted woman when they called at her home and conned her into handing over money. One of the culprits buzzed the 30-year-old woman's intercom system at her home in Sherlock Avenue in Haydock at about 10.30pm
AN EAST Lancashire MP has called on Prime Minister Tony Blair to consider kicking lobbyist Derek Draper out of the Labour Party. The 29-year-old, Chorley-born former aide to Minister Without Portfolio Peter Mandelson, sparked a "sleaze" crisis when he
PLUNGINGTON businesses have called last orders on the increasing number of criminals targeting the outskirts of Preston. Shop owners and publicans have launched a counter-attack against the crooks who are shifting their criminal activity to the suburbs
THE Paras will be guests of honour at Hilton Park on the weekend of July 25/26. But Leigh Academy still want to give them a hot reception! The teams will face each other in a challenge match on the Saturday, the 1st Parachute Regiment RL side travelling
THE organiser of a one-off charity evening which is expected to raise up to £500 for a local teenager, would like to thank everyone who donated their time and effort to make it a success. Sixteen-year-old Derek McDonald from Haydock has suffered from
BOSSES at St Helens Glass have confirmed that up to 71 people are set to lose their jobs at the Corporation Street factory in the next month. It is claimed that the losses are due to the company's bid to improve the efficiency and outlay and Tom Sykes
RESIDENTS at Grosvenor Housing Association's Ravenhead Foyer, St Helens, have given the thumbs-up to National Housing Week, after the local branch of the Halifax marked the occasion by donating a cheque for £1,000 to them. The money has already been earmarked
PICTURED: JACQUIE (centre) seen with (left to right) Bob Hepworth, the council's assistant chief executive (development); council leader Mike Doyle; deputy council leader Austin Whiteside; John Tyrer, of Tyrers Ltd.; and Sue Waller from St Helens Chamber
SIMON GREEN spurred Glazebury CC to an emphatic 75-run win at Eccleston. His flamboyant unbeaten knock of 66 lifted Glazebury to a healthy 151-5. The home side were then shot out for 76, Jon Gibbons taking 4-14 and Andy Durrington 2-33. But it wasn't
A FIRM fined £12,000 by Blackburn magistrates for polluting the River Darwen has had the penalty cut to £5,000 on appeal. But Sapphire Windows Blackburn was told it must still pay £1,055 costs awarded against it at the hearing at Preston Crown Court.
PEDAL power is a crucial factor for Jonathan Rigby as he plans his grand tour. The 20-year-old will be cycling 1,000 miles in the first weeks of August - climbing Britain's four highest peaks. Bar steward Jonathan, of Newbrook Road, Atherton, has been
Pictured: WINNERS of the St Helens Volunteer Awards with their awards and organisers of the special event. ST HELENS Council for Voluntary Services (CVS) has held its first St Helens Volunteers Awards at the Percival Rooms, Ruskin Leisure, when more than
THE devastated owners of a prize-winning, £25,000 racehorse today pleaded for its return after it was snatched from an East Lancashire farm. Lionel Snowden, head of the Sabden-based Valley Paddocks Racing syndicate, has offered a substantial reward for
