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Stories for 12 July 2000
Accrington News
Fury as IRA terrorist is freed
A TERRORIST who plotted to blow up strategic locations in Britain from a base in Accrington during the height of the IRA's reign of terror has been freed -- less than six years into a 25-year jail sentence. more...
Jon is absolutely Fab-ulous
AT first glance, many people may think that Jonathan Chadwick is Manchester United's new £7million signing Fabien Barthez. more...
Woman 'mown down' in feud court told
A YOUNG wife was allegedly mown down in the street by a woman neighbour whose family was feuding with hers, a jury was told. more...
Girl hunt hots up
A NATIONWIDE search has been launched as the hunt for Ruksana Khatun, who vanished from her Accrington home on June 10. more...
Blackburn News
Soccer quiz king aiming for double
SOME cynics will label Nick Makinson as a football anorak but his sporting knowledge has long since earned him the unofficial title of East Lancashire's soccer quiz king. more...
Council gets a watchdog
A LEADING policeman, a retired magistrates' clerk and a council of mosques secretary are set to be joined by a borough resident on a new standards panel set up by Blackburn with Darwen Council. more...
'No room' at schools for Lucy, 7
THE parents of a seven-year-old girl say they are being forced to teach her from home because there is no room for her at local primary schools. more...
Water supplies mostly up to standard
DRINKING water quality in the north west is the best it's ever been, claim inspectors -- despite a bug outbreak which threatened 10,000 East Lancashire homes this year. more...
Mum's vice mistake in fight for kids
LOUISE Ann Scott was caught in a vicious circle as she tried to get increased access to her children who had been placed in foster care. more...
Mast would be safe, says boss
THE boss of a company which lost more than £300,000 last year today said he was considering installing a controversial mobile 'phone mast in a bid to save jobs. more...
Fall in street caused fatal injuries
RETIRED child psychiatrist Delbert Tolton Goates died of head injuries sustained when he fell in the street and banged his head on the floor. more...
Physio patients face longest wait
PATIENTS are waiting up to 13 months to be assessed at physiotherapy outpatient clinics before they can start treatment. more...
End of era as school closes
THERE were tears as well as cheers when Blackamoor School broke up for the holidays for the very last time. more...
Trains service 'shoddy and too dear'
VIRGIN Trains' "shoddy and shabby" service to the North West has been condemned by MPs. more...
Bolton Business
Beauty at your fingertips on new website
TWO entrepreneurial mothers are hoping to make-up ground in the cosmetic market with an on-line rival to the beauty industry's main high street names. more...
Business scheme set for third year success
Pictured standing, left to right, are John Musso, Village Night Clubs, Andrew Dickson, St Andrews Travel, Paul Wild, Bolton Evening News, Daniel Robinson, Vizcom Design and Marketing, Mike Kramer, Kramer & Co and Mike Clarke, National Westminster Bank. Sitting, left to right, are: Bill Singleton, Bolton Enterprise Services, Tim Clarke, Business Link Bolton and Bury, Ross Bullock, Kay Gregson, Bolton & Bury Chamber and Helene Collins, Inter-Alliance. BOLTON'S successful Young Entrepreneur Programme is preparing for a third successful year. more...
Travel agency scoops awards
Andrew Dickson savours his company's success A LOCAL independent travel agent has won five coveted industry awards. more...
Bolton Leisure
THURSDAY
LEISURE, SPORT AND KEEP FIT BOLTON Excel, Lower Bridgeman Street, tel: 334456: 50+ badminton, table tennis, squash and gym, 1pm-3pm; body conditioning, 2pm-3pm. more...
Bolton Summer Proms 2000, Lunchtime Recitals, Albert Halls, Bolton: Caroline Foster
CAROLINE Foster from Bolton showed a mastery of the organ which belied her years at this second Proms lunchtime recital. more...
Bolton News
Quick-thinking paperboy Philip praised by ambulance chiefs
A PAPERBOY was praised by ambulance chiefs today after alerting neighbours to a woman's cries for help as he was delivering on his morning round. more...
Irate councillor slams house repair service
ANGRY Margaret Rothwell has launched a blistering attack on Bolton's council house repair service -- just nine weeks after being elected to the council. more...
Couple's fostering message
JAYNE and John Trevett would urge anyone thinking of becoming foster carers to seize the day and give it a whirl. more...
Council pledges action on property misery
ACTION will be taken against homeowners whose neglect of their property makes life a misery for their neighbours, vows Bolton Council. more...
Enforce phone ban
MOBILE phones have come in for a lot of stick recently from BEN readers. more...
Strikes loom as talks break down
Bus strike loom again THE threat of further bus strikes is looming as both sides in the First Manchester dispute failed to get back to the negotiating table. more...
My week in Europe
By Gary Titley, Bolton's MEP THE snow-covered landscape was desolate, just like a scene from a John Le Carre spy novel. more...
Potholed roads are legal says councillor
BOLTON'S potholed roads may not perfect but they are legal, according to a senior councillor. more...
Driver on mobile phone allegation
A BUS company is investigating a claim that the lives of young children were put at risk by a driver talking on his mobile phone. more...
Man attacked for the way he danced
TWO men who objected to the way another man was dancing followed him into the toilets and punched and kicked him to the floor, a court was told. more...
Bulldozers ready
BULLDOZERS are set to move in on the Abbey Lane Estate in Leigh, clearing 18 former council houses to make way for a new homes for sale scheme. more...
Stormy seaside ride(12bikers)
PEDAL power took on the elements as riders raised cash for charity. more...
From the BEN files
25 YEARS AGO more...
Picture sets the scene for Hippodrome . . .
When a reader rang me about a totally different subject recently, she commented that she used to live near the Hippodrome in Deansgate, but had not seen a photograph of it in Looking Back. Well, I know that over the years I have certainly used such pictures, but here is another. The Hippodrome, for those who are not aware, was mainly a repertory theatre, with plays, and was, as you can see from the picture, almost opposite the Post Office. A car park is now on the site. more...
Knife attacker has sentence reduced
A MAN who stabbed a friend in the back with a craft knife during a barbecue has had his jail sentence cut by the Court of Appeal. more...
Council pair in vote rigging probe
TWO Bury Conservative councillors have been arrested by police investigating an allegation of vote-rigging during May's local elections. more...
Inquest to open into double killing(12christopherpomeroy)
BURY coroner Barrie Williams will begin piecing together the final moments before a jilted husband shot his wife and mother-in-law at their home in Prestwich. more...
Train service railroaded over poor standards
VIRGIN Trains' "shoddy and shabby" service to the North-west has been condemned by MPs. more...
Thief on the run stole purse
A CRIMINAL on the run from jail entered a house and took a purse, a court was told. more...
Degrees of success for students
SEVEN students from Bolton have successfully completed degrees at Edge Hill College of Higher Education, Ormskirk. more...
Top swimmer to take the plunge
OLYMPIC hopeful Anthony Howard will take the plunge at the official opening of the Jubilee Pool, Halliwell, after a £163,000 revamp. more...
Oasis tickets for sale
OASIS fans have one last chance to grab tickets for this Saturday's Reebok Stadium gig. more...
Bolton crime fight pledge by Chief Constable
THE people of Bolton were this afternoon given a crime fighting pledge by the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester. more...
Blair's New Labour - champion of the rich
IN 1997, New Labour was greeted as Robin Hood -- the financial champion of the ordinary people. By 2000 many ordinary people now see it as the Sheriff of Nottingham -- the financial champion of the rich. more...
Bills explanation a lot of gas
AS was to be expected, the reply from Andrew Hanson of British Gas (BEN, June 23) does not explain why customers who pay quarterly bills promptly are charged more per kilowatt hour for gas used than those who pay by direct debit. more...
Why late mourning over mill stacks?
The Kearsley Power Station chimneys go down in the 1980s ISN'T it a bit late in the day for the BEN (July 5) to have a conscience regarding the fate of Bolton's famous mill chimneys? more...
D-Day visit that I will never forget
RECENTLY I was privileged to accompany some veterans of D Day to see the beaches, bridges and museums in Normandy, where the allies landed in 1944, and to visit the graves of those who took their part and never returned. more...
Can you help flood victims?
DISASTERS come in many forms and it's usually nature that dictates which. Man's attempts to foresee and channel such forces are sometimes not enough. more...
Cyclists are not funny
SO Alison Meadows (Your Views, July 5) thinks "Name and address supplied" and myself should grow up instead of complaining about cyclists on the precinct. more...
Clear up your own rubbish
IN reply to your story (BEN, July 5) about Hayward School's snapshots of Great Lever. While I agree there is a lot of problems in this area, there are also a lot of people who take care of their gardens and properties. more...
Great Queen Mum
I MUST write to protest about the views of 'Brava' (Your Views, yesterday): No name and address, just a nom-de-plume. What a jaded and miserable person he or she must be. more...
Bank charges
I AM following up on your article on Tuesday, July 4, regarding cash machine charges. more...
Car Rat of the Week
I NOMINATE "Rat of the Week" as the thieves who stole my car off the drive to save themselves a taxi fare home from a nearby party in the Green Lane area of Bolton. more...
End cull of badgers
THE past year has proved that Krebs experiment is seriously flawed and any results will be scientifically meaningless. There is absolutely no point in the Government continuing with this futile experiment of culling badgers. more...
Meetings are open
YOUR "In Brief" column on P15 of the BEN (July 10) says that scrutiny committees "are held behind closed doors". more...
Sarah's thanks
WE would like to thank Dorothy Marriott, Lorraine Scofield, Maxine Broughton and the members of Somerset U R Church, also the entertainers Little Lever Drama Club, the RJ Majorettes and the singers who helped to make the Rose Queen Day a very successful success. more...
Bolton Sport
BADMINTON: Chris plans coaching role
BOLTON'S international badminton star Chris Hunt has another glittering prize in his sights beyond September's Olympic bid for medals. more...
SOCCER: RMI look to add finishing touch
LEIGH RMI manager Steve Waywell reckons one more signing will be enough to give his side a fighting chance to establish themselves in the Nationwide Conference. He already has brought half-a-dozen new faces to Hilton Park and he hopes that during the club's tour of the Isle of Man this weekend, he will have signed Mark Patterson, the last piece in the jigsaw. more...
CRICKET: Schools u-15s earn final date
BOLTON Schools U15s comfortably beat Rochdale Schools by seven wickets at Milnrow Cricket Club to progress to the final of the Ainsworth Trophy on September 2 at Old Trafford. Rochdale were put in to bat and lost opener Hall with the first ball of the match to an excellent stumping by Danny Guest off the bowling of Neil Hyde. more...
RUGBY: Fans give Leigh RL the edge
LEIGH Centurions' coach Paul Terzis has revealed Leigh's secret weapon in their astonishing play-off win over Dewsbury - the travelling fans. "They were awesome, absolutely awsome," he said as he reflected on Leigh's 29-12 win at the Rams Stadium. more...
CRICKET: Zimbabwe fail to woo Lancs fans
ZIMBABWE have failed to pull in the fans for tomorrow's day-night clash with England at Old Trafford. more...
Wanderers snap up two for the future
WANDERERS this afternoon signed two new players for the future. more...
Just testing the new service
Why not send us a letter more...
White Army on the march
THE White Army turned their attention to Europe today as they followed Wanderers on their three game trip to Denmark. more...
Sam's International Brigade
THERE will be an international flavour to the Wanderers side that lines up for the first of their pre-season friendly games in Copenhagen tonight. The squad that faces top Danish side Brondby could contain a Dutchman, a couple of German players and a Scotsman as well as the usual sprinkling of Scandinavian stars. more...
Who are Bolton's Sportin greats?
THE race is on to find the cream of Bolton's sporting talent. more...
Last year's honours
Sports Personality: May Barlow - for services to cricket in Bolton. more...
Burnley News
Plea for funding air ambulance
HEALTH watchdogs in East Lancashire have made a plea for funding for the North West air ambulance. more...
Freedom for man who hit PC
A MAN who hit a police officer during an early hours street fracas kept his freedom after magistrates said the blow was neither malicious nor intentional. more...
Millions to pour into poor areas
PEOPLE living in one of the poorest areas in Lancashire will have their say on how a £21 million housing redevelopment should take shape. more...
Guides salute brave Brownie Charlotte
THE Guide Association has awarded Brownie Charlotte Fennell the prestigious Star of Merit in recognition of her brave battle for life. more...
Burnley's bloomin' marvellous
COUNCIL staff and community groups are working round the clock to ensure blooming Burnley looks its best for Friday's visit of the North West in Bloom judges. more...
Four held in dawn drug swoop
FOUR people were arrested in early morning police raids on houses in Burnley today as part of a crackdown on burglary. more...
Post office vacancy still not filled
VILLAGERS will be left without vital post office services if a new subpostmaster is not appointed within the next seven days. more...
Bury News
Councillors arrested in vote-rigging probe
TWO Bury Conservative councillors have been arrested by police investigating an allegation of vote-rigging during May's local elections. more...
Bury Sport
Greenmount youngsters are just ace
GREENMOUNT County Primary pupils are officially ace. more...
Chorley News
Brain drain
CHORLEY'S mental health services are set for a big shake up to help improve the care of patients and halt the drain of skilled staff. more...
Flying high for charity
A DAREDEVIL dad and his son have taken to the sky to raise vital money for charity. more...
Dream show
'MY kingdom for a stage, with princes to act'. more...
Scouting for a new leader
A CHORLEY scout group will fold -- unless a leader can be found. more...
Dancers seek double decker
TRAVEL arrangements are an expensive step for Coppull Morris Dancers at the moment. more...
Funny girl is all smiles...
SEVEN-year-old Danielle Smith has been voted Chorley's funniest comic in a competition -- beating hundreds of other youngsters to the punch-line. more...
Travellers told to move on
TRAVELLERS who made their camp in Chorley have been ordered to leave. more...
Campaign is aimed at alerting men
CHORLEY men need to be more aware of testicular cancer, says the Cancer Research Campaign. more...
Look before you lop
CHORLEY residents are being warned not to pay for tree surgery or lopping unless they are sure it has been properly carried out. more...
Chorley Sport
Rain wrecks win chances
CHORLEY 190/8 BLACKPOOL (Did not bat) more...
Victory over Fold
CHORLEY Tennis Club's under 16 team gained a 6-2 win and suffered a 6-2 defeat in recent matches. more...
Clitheroe News
£¼m to monitor Castle Cement
MORE than £250,000 has been spent on policing Castle Cement's effect on the environment in the last two years -- believed to be more than any other site in the North West. more...
Consumer advice goes on the road
ADVICE to local consumers and businesses will be offered by the Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards department, who are going on the road in the county this summer. more...
Colne News
Advice at Asda
SHOPPERS at Asda in Colne got more than they bargained for when police and fire officers set up shop to hand out bags of advice on crime prevention and fire safety. more...
Darwen News
Cards give hospice funds a boost
CHRISTMAS has come early for the East Lancashire Hospice Appeal, as young artists from Darwen schools have drawn up new ways to raise cash. more...
Lancashire Business
Home is away with an angel
A BUSINESS angel has touched a nursing home to give it wings. more...
The price of pollution
BUSINESSES which fail to deal with rubbish properly face fines of up to £20,000 -- and campaign group Water Watch wants to help companies avoid the risks. more...
Andrew signs up for the Dutch
A SIGN firm has proved itself to be in a different league! more...
Panaz panache
A FABRICS firm has booked in a new customer. more...
Lancashire Leisure
East Lancs events for Thursday, July 13
Livesey WI, Livesey Parish Community Hall, York Terrace, Feniscowles, 7.30pm. more...
Lancashire News
Show 'em how it's done, Simon
IT is, of course, the fate of many of football's old-time heroes and even of those from not so long ago -- to have to watch ruefully as even moderately-talented players swap clubs today for astronomic fees and wages while they scrape by on small earnings and savings now their playing years are over. more...
The wheel seems to have come off
THE wheel seems to have come off justice in the case of car-owner Carole Shrubb -- who ended up with a bill for more than her car was worth in order to get it back after it was stolen. more...
five years ago: Dream home at last
LOTTERY millionairess Kath Brindle moved into a £250,000 six-bedroomed mansion within walking distance of her old terraced home. more...
10 years ago: River water for blaze
FIRE crews from Burnley and Padiham fought for 90 minutes to get a blaze at Burnley Paper Mills under control using water from the River Calder. more...
Fury as IRA terrorist is freed
A TERRORIST who plotted to blow up strategic locations in Britain from a base in Accrington during the height of the IRA's reign of terror has been freed -- less than six years into a 25-year jail sentence. more...
Four held in dawn drug swoop
FOUR people were arrested in early morning police raids on houses in Burnley today as part of a crackdown on burglary. more...
Route option risky
CLOSING Church Street in Blackburn town centre to traffic with no clear alternative route is a risky option and would cause congestion elsewhere -- it would be easier to get out of Blackburn than into it. more...
Euro will give better balance
NO party, Tory, Labour or Liberal-Democrat, will move into the euro without a referendum. more...
'Bully-boys' have a cheek
REGARDING the attempt by relatives of the Argentine seamen who died during the sinking of the General Belgrano to claim compensation, prior to the Falklands War, the only role most of the Argentine army played was a paramilitary one involving the bullying of helpless civilians. more...
Drivers an easy target
THE unrelenting attack and, some would say, robbery on the motorist goes on. more...
Mayor's plea for flood help
IN the early hours of Sunday, June 4, devastating floods hit Todmorden, causing damage to approximately 700 homes and 30 businesses. more...
No price help from Tony
IT is quite clear that Tony Blair does not give a stuff about the high cost of petrol and diesel fuel and the problems that this is creating for many people and businesses. more...
Cars are a necessity
REGARDING the price of petrol, I take it Chris Wrigley (Letters, July 5) is not a car owner, with his "I'm all right, Jack," attitude. more...
Flying visits go on and on
Nature Watch, with Ron Freethy more...
We must pay price for lasting peace
Understandable outrage greeted the news that IRA terrorist Feilim O'Hadhmaill had been freed less than six years into a 25-year jail sentence. more...
Lancashire Sport
Local cricket: What's in a name?
SAME game, new name is the verdict of Darwen all-rounder Gareth Cordingley as the Northern Premier League's inaugural season passes the half-way point. more...
Motorsport: Holden holds it all together
SIDECAR racer Dave Holden beat the odds to score his best result in the British Championship this year. more...
Local cricket: Hayes' break
CHERRY Tree skipper David Hayes ended the weekend with a broken arm but solace could come in the shape of more silverware for his team after they stayed on course for a Jennings Ribblesdale League and Cup double. more...
Local soccer: Accrington Stanley fixtures
AUGUST more...
Local soccer: Fans believe Coleman can deliver
ACCRINGTON Stanley supporters are putting their money where their mouth is and backing manager John Coleman to deliver promotion next season. more...
Soccer: Lumsden at Deepdale
PRESTON look set to add Jimmy Lumsden to their coaching staff. more...
Motorsport: Hodgson and Walker set for Oulton battle
BILLED as he most competitive British Superbike season ever, north west fans can judge for themselves when the fastest men on two wheels visit Oulton Park this weekend. more...
County cricket: Crawley demands big improvement
LANCASHIRE captain John Crawley today demanded a big improvement as they aimed to get their Championship bid back on track in Taunton. more...
Motorsport: Sargeant passes autotest
EAST Lancashire autotesters represented the north west at the annual inter-association competition at Glasgow. more...
No Turf Moor move for Daws
NICKY Daws doesn't expect to be a Burnley player when the Clarets begin life in Division One. more...
Briscoe joins Clarets
SHEFFIELD Wednesday's Lee Briscoe checked in in time for pre season training as Burnley manager Stan Ternent made his first major signing of the summer today. more...
Motorsport: Stars line up for rally
TELEVISION Grand Prix commentator Tony Jardine and former British rally champions Jimmy McRae and Russell Brookes are just three of the names lined up for John Price Millennium Rally Challenge. more...
Motorsport: Third place for Winn
OULTON Park's ACU Championship meeting featured a packed programme of 11 races for Super Sidecars, Suzuki Bandit Supersport 400 and 600, Grand Prix 250 and Powerbikes. more...
Rallying: Simpson bid
Neil Simpson has entered this weekend's MSA Rally, round five of the Mobil 1 British Championship. more...
Motorsport: Coast to coast run
The Lancashire Automobile Club hosts the annual Coast to Coast run. more...
Stock cars: Ray nets trophy
CHORLEY'S Ray Witts won the John Goodhall Memorial Trophy at Coventry, after eliminating leader Nick Houghton with four laps to go. more...
Rallying: Help appeal
Wallasey Motor Club have appealed for north west marshals to help with the running of the New Brighton promenade rally weekend on July 22 and 23. more...
Motorsport: weekend fixtures
July 15: Grantham, Lincs: MSA Rally, round five Mobil1 British Rally Championship. more...
Foggy signs
CARL Fogarty is to make a special appearance at the Aberdare Park national road race meeting on July 22-23. more...
Grayson in Celtic link
FORGOTTEN man Simon Grayson could be a shock transfer target for new Celtic boss Martin O'Neill. more...
Bassett backing Hignett
BARNSLEY boss Dave Bassett is backing Craig Hignett to lead Blackburn Rovers to promotion next season following his £2.25 million switch to Ewood Park. more...
Bassett rules out bid for Blake
BARNSLEY boss Dave Bassett today ruled out a summer swoop for Blackburn Rovers out of favour striker Nathan Blake. more...
Stig gets longer rest
ROVERS new boy Stig Inge Bjornebye will not link up with his new team-mates until next week. more...
Leigh News
Putting stop to lethal pub crawls
COUNCILLORS have called time on revellers leaving pubs and clubs carrying their drinks. more...
Leigh Sport
MP's join Super fight
LOCAL MPs have backed Leigh Centurions bid to join Super League next year. more...
Nelson News
Teachers face fraud charges
THE head and former headteacher of Mansfield High School, Brierfield, said to have inflated pupil numbers to get more cash, have appeared at Burnley Crown Court. more...
Rawtenstall News
Firm quits town after vandalism
A BUSINESSMAN has moved out of Rossendale and invested £500,000 in new premises in Bury, claiming police have failed to act over fires and vandalism running into tens of thousands of pounds. more...
Churches' intent on lots of fun
EIGHT churches in Haslingden and Helmshore have joined forces to celebrate the millennium with a tent mission. more...
Snapper tempts the tastebuds
TOFFEE-sucking shoppers clicked with artist Margaret Mytton when she snapped their pictures while they were snapping up sweets. more...
Hot police campaign cuts crime
A POLICE campaign in Rossendale targeting out-of-town criminals slashed crime in just two weeks. more...
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