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Stories for 28 December 2000
Accrington News
It's good morning Vietnam!
A COMPANY boss has swapped East Lancashire for the Far East for his firm's 2001 corporate calendar. more...
Crews fear fire-raisers
FIREFIGHTERS' lives are being put at risk by arsonsists who are constantly setting fire to a derelict East Lancashire mill. more...
Night out couple in street attack
A COUPLE enjoying a night out were brutally attacked by a man as they left a town centre bar. more...
Long-serving doctor says farewell
A DOCTOR who has served the Accrington community for the last 44 years is shortly to hang up his stethoscope for the last time. more...
Everyone will be a winner
LUCKY winners took home a variety of goodies in time for Christmas at a local fundraising event. more...
Blackburn News
In the snow lane! Warning as big freeze hits roads
SNOW hit East Lancashire rush-hour traffic today as the white Christmas everyone had been waiting for finally arrived. more...
Battle to shut footpath 'will go on'
CAMPAIGNERS who lost their fight to close a path used by drug users and vandals have vowed not to give up. more...
Road cash paves way to prosperity
A PLANNING boss believes Blackburn's £20m windfall of road improvements will attract major chain stores to the town. more...
Boom in county police recruits
MORE than 700 people have said they would like to join the police in Lancashire as a result of a national advertising campaign. more...
Gifts joy for teen mum
A FORMER trader has offered the entire contents of his old shop to a teenage mum whose home went up in smoke days before Christmas. more...
Family's misery at being left in the cold
A FAMILY'S woes about the lack of gas supply to their new home continued after a new card sent to them failed. more...
Stolen presents in police grotto
POLICE have urged anyone who had presents or property stolen in the run-up to Christmas to get in touch after raids recovered goods worth thousands of pounds. more...
Future of police units remains uncertain
THE future of two Lancashire police units still hangs in the balance after an internal review of their services failed to reach a decision. more...
Eid youngsters hit the high spots
YOUNGSTERS in East Lancashire headed for the bright lights of Manchester as the celebrations for the muslim religious festival of Eid got under way. more...
Mojo's working towards quality
A HAIR salon has proved it is a cut above the rest by getting involved in a training that will lead to new qualifications for its dozen staff. more...
First year a success for forum
A GROUP set up for women in Blackburn and Darwen has celebrated a successful first 12 months. more...
Bolton News
Poised on the edge of the big time
IT was 5.30pm and with two hours to go before teen band TKO were due to appear at Manchester's packed Arena, fingernails were being chewed and the carpets were being worn out by constant pacing. more...
Shoppers go crazy for bargains
SALES fever hit Bolton yesterday as shoppers flocked to the town centre for a spending spree. more...
Fun day out for Romania orphans
CHILDREN saved from Romanian orphanages and now living in Britain gathered for a day of fun in Bolton. more...
Fun day out for Romania orphans
CHILDREN saved from Romanian orphanages and now living in Britain gathered for a day of fun in Bolton. more...
Tragedy of little Jessica Rigby
GRIEVING parents have spoken of their heartbreak after the death of a precious daughter who lived her short life...against "all the odds." more...
Church organ saver is music to their ears
A RARE church organ dating back almost 100 years is set to be preserved thanks to a grant to the tune of £20,000. more...
Youth club back in business
A YOUTH club forced to close when burglars stole all the stock is set to re-open in the New Year after councillors came to the rescue. more...
Youth club back in business
A YOUTH club forced to close when heartless burglars stole all its stock is set to re-open in the New Year after generous councillors came to the rescue. more...
Christmas drink-drive figures double
THE number of drink-drivers arrested in Bolton over Christmas has nearly doubled this year. more...
Bus scheme to get the green light?
SMART traffic lights which turn to green when buses and emergency vehicles approach could be introduced in Bolton. more...
Cheryl comes in from the warm to celebrate with pals
A BOLTON teenager has flown half-way around the world to celebrate her 18th birthday with her pals -- in the cold. more...
Girl, 4, in fire rescue drama
A FOUR-year-old girl was rescued by an off-duty fireman as a fierce fire swept through a Westhoughton off-licence. more...
FAME beckons for Rajan's winning logo
A YOUNGSTER with an eye for design has found favour with community leaders. more...
Blowing strong! Brass band's festival encore
MUSICIANS at Smithills can regard themselves among the Best of Brass -- and that is official! more...
DIY giant's job promise
A MASSIVE B&Q atore is set to be opened in Bolton, bringing the promise of jobs with it. more...
All aboard for New Year fun
EXTRA buses at normal fares will operate for local travellers on New Year's Eve. more...
Tougher time for burglars
BURGLARS are going to have a harder time in the Burnden and The Haulgh areas thanks to a security scheme. more...
Drivers set for more road delays
MOTORISTS and public transport users could be set for more delays and disruption as work on a number of roads gets underway. more...
New vaccine hope for cancer sufferers
A CURE could become a reality for cancer sufferers in Bolton as medics begin testing a pioneering new vaccine designed to save lives. more...
Family in new appeal for missing diaries
A FAMILY is renewing an appeal for help to find precious diaries that have gone missing. more...
Toy appeal a huge success
AN appeal by Bolton Royal Hospital for toys received a marvellous response over the festive season. more...
A winter's ale treat for drinkers
A WINTER'S ale is coming to the region as a popular beer festival makes a welcome return. more...
Chaos as snow traps drivers
A THICK blanket of snow brought Arctic conditions to Bolton today blocking roads and causing chaos for commuters. more...
Get that 40-year itch for kidney research charity
WHAT do George Clooney, Meg Ryan, William Hague and Martin Kemp all have in common with me? The answer is not only do we all turn 40 this year, we are also all involved in The National Kidney Research Fund's 40th Anniversary celebrity calendar. more...
Let's call time on our undemocratic council
MAY I thank the BEN for its successful campaign to allow the press to report on meetings of the Executive of Bolton Metro Council. We get more information from the press about what is going on than we do from the council. more...
Oscar Wilde was right about fox hunting
I NEVER cease to be amazed at the lengths that the pro-hunting lobby will go to in a vain attempt to justify their barbaric lust for blood letting. more...
Disabled parking policy a disgrace
IT would be good if you could publish my confused and angry statement about disabled parking, or the lack of it, and over-zealous traffic wardens. more...
Loony Left behind disabled troops plan
THERE has been over the last few days a great furore in the national press about the physical qualities required by Service personel. more...
Drivers - let's get out of town
DISABLED Drivers of Bolton, come with me. Let's take our business to Horwich, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale. Anywhere other than Bolton town centre! more...
Better off under Labour
MANY of my recent letters have contained challenges to Tory correspondents to disprove any of the successful measures introduced by the New Labour Government. more...
Milk can cause osteoporosis
IS it not appalling that cow*s milk is supplied to infant children in schools? They obviously think it must be healthy if teachers and care assistants give it to them. more...
Thanks for meals and presents
I WOULD like to thank the volunteers from Age Concern and Cotton Street who come every Monday and Friday to cook a good hot meal for us, and also give a Christmas present to everyone. more...
Lotto is Camelot calamity
I AM writing to express my disgust over allowing Camelot to continue to run the Lottery. more...
Town looks like a tip
MRS B Waters is right -- war memorials should be managed, in the military tradition, not made to look like an overgrown 'land fill.' She's also right when she says the town is beginning to look like a tip -- it is. The town hall is a classic, surrounded by mediocrity! more...
BEN story helped
I AM writing to say thank you for the article in the paper about Horwich Parish School (BEN, Friday, December 22). You really made it clear that we need Slater's Field. more...
Bolton Sport
SOCCER: Finnair Manchester League
Town end host's unbeaten record more...
SOCCER: Lancashire Amateur League
Old Bolts setback after errors more...
SOCCER: McGinlay leads Tempest to draw
FORMER Bolton Wanderers favourite John McGinlay lead the front line for a second successive week for Tempest United and saw his new team held to a 0-0 Division One draw at Feniscowles. more...
RALLY DRIVING: Ray bids for treble success
BOLTON'S international driver Ray Barry bids for a hat-trick of wins in the Gibsons of Brock rally on Saturday. more...
Sam's going nowhere - Wanderers
WANDERERS today dismissed reports that Wolves were targeting Sam Allardyce to take over the Molineux hot seat. more...
McGinlay leads Tempest to draw
FORMER Bolton Wanderers favourite John McGinlay lead the front line for a second successive week for Tempest United and saw his new team held to a 0-0 Division One draw at Feniscowles. more...
Burnley News
Health trust boss looks forward to New Year improvements
A HEALTH trust boss says the NHS has the chance of a bright, new future thanks to multi-million pound investments in East Lancashire hospitals. more...
Backing for 'through line'
AN East Lancashire town fighting for better rail links has got the backing of its neighbours. more...
Motor vandal's five-car spree
A COUPLE had to abandon plans to travel to Burnley's away game at Barnsley when they opened their garage door to find their car had been trashed. more...
Fifteen arrests in crime purge
POLICE say their clampdown on trouble-makers and criminals will continue into the New Year. more...
Icy plunge ahead
IF the freezing weather continues competitors may have to break the ice before taking part in the annual Lee Dam New Year swim. more...
Bury News
Healthy start to 2001
A NEW action group aimed at tackling the root causes of ill health is to be piloted in Radcliffe. more...
Church organ saver is music to their ears
A RARE church organ dating back almost 100 years is set to be preserved thanks to a grant to the tune of £20,000. more...
Clitheroe News
Calderstones secure unit homes move
AN MP is demanding a debate on the housing development near the medium secure unit for mental patients at Calderstones. more...
Attacked MP slams Straw
AN MP attacked by a shoplifter has hit out at Britain's crime problem, claiming it is bigger than the Home Office claims. more...
Women clock up a century at WI
TWO members of Bolton-by-Bowland Women's Institute have between them clocked up more than 1,250 renditions of Jerusalem and, no doubt, made several hundred kilos of jam into the bargain. more...
Colne News
Soldier killed in crash
A TEENAGE soldier died and his friend was seriously injured when their car crashed into a garden wall early today. more...
Frosty fines for ice stained screens
CLEAR your car windscreen or be fined, warn police. more...
Shops complex to go up in lights
A NEW shops complex in Pendle will soon see its name in lights, if councillors give a plan the go-ahead. more...
Lancashire Business
Flying start for an ambition
BUDDING entrepreneur Mark Elliott is "on-line" for business success thanks to advice and support from a business start-up programme. more...
Unions landed £320m pay-outs
UNIONS won £320 million in compensation over the past 12 months for workers who suffered illness or injury ranging from stress to road accidents, a new report revealed today. more...
Great effort is charity boost
WORKERS from BAE Systems raised £1,000 by taking part in the Great North Run. more...
Sparkling figures
JEWELLERY chain Goldsmiths Group revealed a sparkling set of sales figures in the run-up to Christmas. more...
Lancashire Leisure
The Borrowers, Library Theatre, Manchester
HAVE you ever put something down, a sewing needle or screw that held the thingamajig together, only to have it completely disappear? more...
Lancashire News
Net gain from healthy trout
AFTER the excitement of celebrating Christmas and over-indulging on rich food and drink, many people find they start the New Year feeling fat and sluggish. more...
It's all happening in cyber space
AT this time of year, as Craig from Big Brother sang in that tune that failed to set the chart alight ha, ha, ha. more...
Ten years ago
THREE more staff were made redundant at a long-established Blackburn firm. more...
Five years ago
THE big chill was digging its teeth in as freezing temperatures continued to send a shiver across East Lancashire. more...
In the snow lane! Warning as big freeze hits roads
SNOW hit East Lancashire rush-hour traffic today as the white Christmas everyone had been waiting for finally arrived. more...
Soldier killed in crash
A TEENAGE soldier died and his friend was seriously injured when their car crashed into a garden wall early today. more...
Council in a tight corner
I HAVE spent two years fighting the council's proposals to close Church Street in Blackburn, because I believe that to do so may cost hundreds of existing jobs in the town centre. more...
Point of order over the biro
IN one of your 'On This Day' snippets recently, it stated that "1946. The first ballpoint pen went on sale, invented by Hungarian Laslo Biro." more...
Samaritans on standby
IN THIS Christmas and New Year holiday season is upon us, I would like to remind your readers about 24-hour, seven-days-a-week support offered by the Samaritans. more...
It beggars belief
WHILE I was out shopping in Burnley on Friday, I walked past McDonalds, only to stumble over a beggar requesting 'spare change.' As it is Christmas, I felt festive, and decided to hand over £1. more...
Throwing out our history
LIKE the hundreds of women cited by Barbara Riding (Letters, December 19), I, too, attended Blackburn High School for Girls in the 1940s and I am very sad to hear that the building on Preston New Road is to be demolished. more...
Thanks for support
THANK you to all who supported the charity dance held in St Francis' Parish Hall, Feniscliffe, Blackburn, on Saturday, December 2. The event was very successful and a cheque for £195 has been forwarded to the East Lancashire Hospice. more...
Ashes to ashes at last! How I kicked the smoking habit and never looked back
EXACTLY a year ago in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, journalist HAROLD HEYS, of Darwen, looked back rather smugly on six months without a cigarette. Giving up the weed? Nothing to it, he said confidently. But could he keep it up -- or would he fall by the wayside as most do? Many folk will be thinking of stopping at this time of year. So how do you tackle it and how difficult is it? more...
Why won't they listen to the people
PLAGUED by vandals and thieves using a ginnel near their homes that has become the haunt of drug addicts leaving dirty needles behind, residents of a Blackburn housing estate must feel a new bane afflicts their lives - the council's apparent disdain for their plight. more...
Lancashire Sport
ATHLETICS: Anne's tri-ing to take on the world
ANNE Harwood is set to become Blackburn Road Runners' first international next summer after being selected for the Great Britain Triathlon Team in the World Championships. more...
SOCCER: Bolton linked with Summerbee
BOLTON Wanderers are being linked with a new move for Sunderland contract rebel Nick Summerbee. more...
Clarets boss in new link with Rovers ace Allison
GOAL-SHY Burnley could be ready to renew their interest in Tranmere Rovers' transfer-listed striker Wayne Allison. more...
Souness 'no' to Maidana
EWOOD chief Graeme Souness has closed the door on a big-money move for Argentinian centre back Julian Maidana. more...
Clarets boss in new link with Rovers ace Allison
GOAL-SHY Burnley could be ready to renew their interest in Tranmere Rovers' transfer-listed striker Wayne Allison. more...
Stan's outburst was Clarets' best display of the festive season
Cummings and Goings, with Stephen Cummings more...
Souness 'no' to Maidana
EWOOD chief Graeme Souness has closed the door on a big-money move for Argentinian centre back Julian Maidana. more...
Settle down for the Matt-inee
Down by the Riverside, with Phil Lloyd more...
2001: A sports odyssey
Sports Editor Neil Bramwell takes a look into his crystal ball for a tongue-in-cheek look at the year ahead: more...
Leigh News
Woman killed in accident
A WOMAN, aged 71, died after an accident in Tyldesley Road, Atherton. more...
Leigh Sport
SOCCER: Finnair Manchester League
Town end host's unbeaten record more...
Nelson News
Vandal attack ruins football treat
FOOTBALL fans had to abandon plans to travel to an away game when they opened their garage door to find their car had been trashed. more...
Rawtenstall News
Girl's badge of bravery
EVEN when brave Charlotte Fennell was desperately ill with a brain tumour, all she wanted to do was spend a normal Christmas with her family. more...
Runners cut a dash
HUNDREDS of runners took to the hills above Rossendale in fancy dress for the annual Whinberry Naze Dash. Rob Hope, of Pudsey, was first over the finishing line for the second year running after completing the four-mile fell race in 23 mins 39 secs. more...
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