Archive

  • New law protects wildlife sites

    NEW legislation which will give stricter protection to important wildlife sites has been welcomed by Lancashire's Wildlife Trust. The Countryside and Rights of Way Bill will give stricter protection to Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in England

  • Teachers' fury at Blunkett's blame

    TEACHERS from East Lancashire have attacked Education Secretary David Blunkett for blaming them over schools which continue to fall below accepted standards. Mr Blunkett has announced that the worst 68 schools in the country, all of which persistenly

  • Cancer expert talks at annual meeting

    A LEADING cancer research scientist will be speaking to a group of East Lancashire fundraisers on Wednesday. Professor Nic Jones, director of the Paterson Institute for Cancer Research in Manchester will be addressing the Cancer Research Campaign's Blackburn

  • Eye opener

    HAS the government lost sight of the fact that when pensioners draw their pension at the post office they can also pay gas, water and electricity bills and buy stamps and cards, etc? You cannot do these things in a bank. J WALTON, Rothesay Road, Blackburn

  • Dairy price bottle battle

    MORE than 100 dairy farmers from across East Lancashire were expected to join a protest march through Blackburn town centre today. They were due to join the National Farmers' Union's Fair Share of the Bottle campaign which highlights the falling price

  • Shop staff go to work in pyjamas

    STAFF at a travel agent's turned up for work in pyjamas and nighties - but they weren't sleepwalking. Workers at Althams Travel branches were spared the trouble of getting dressed for work over two mornings because they were taking part in an all-day

  • Buses blues on Saturday night

    WHY on Saturday evenings are there no buses to Leyburn Road or Mill Hill in Blackburn? The last one to town on Saturday is 6.45pm and that's your lot. We don't all own cars, so, Blackburn Transport, let's see what you can do for us. P JENKINSON (Mrs)

  • Girl power knocks 'em out!

    IT'S a Knockout in Blackburn town centre was a fun-filled afternoon for everyone. Women's teams battled it out in various events, including wheelbarrow racing, cricket and netball, with some teams opting for fancy dress. The event was just one of many

  • Explosive device was thrown from car

    POLICE heard a loud explosion after seeing something thrown out of the window of a car in King Street, Blackburn. And as they followed, another explosive device went off after being thrown from the moving vehicle. Mohammed Shakil Khan, 24, of Bowland

  • Lady didn't love Milk Tray

    SCOTT McKay tried to pay for his sausage and chips with a stolen box of chocolates. But the waitress at the Chippery in Blackburn did not love Milk Tray enough to accept them in payment and the police were called. Blackburn magistrates heard that McKay

  • Waiting times for patients up

    PATIENTS in Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley are waiting up to 71 weeks to see an orthopaedic consultant, new figures reveal. Health watchdogs have expressed alarm about the delays to see specialists. The figures were presented to a meeting of

  • We rode our luck admits boss Aldridge

    TRANMERE manager John Aldridge admitted his side had enjoyed a large slice of luck in beating Blackburn Rovers at Prenton Park. But the former Liverpool goal ace felt they were due some good furtune and also picked out keeper Joe Murphy for special praise

  • Ternent set for Luton roll call

    UPBEAT Burnley boss Stan Ternent faces a morning roll-call tomorrow before naming the side he hopes can hit back from Saturday's derby defeat. The Clarets desperately need to take maximum points from Luton Town at Turf Moor tomorrow night to keep the

  • God forbid it ever happening again

    CHILD protection agencies in Lancashire urgently need to get their act together to prevent a third tragedy similar to the Jack Shackleton and Levi Rose baby deaths in Burnley. This frank admission was made by Lancashire social services committee chairman

  • Puddle puts a damper on school days

    A SCHOOL is calling for action to be taken over a road which floods every time there is heavy rain. The area at the rear of Cedars Infant School in Blackburn, off St James's Road, is used by parents for dropping off their children and for turning their

  • Barred drinker smashed pub window

    JOHN Bailey put his fist through a £300 window after being ejected from the Blob Shop in Blackburn because he was already barred. And when he came back two months later and was again thrown out, Bailey repeated the performance causing a further £61 worth

  • Digging deep on funerals

    I AM a history student, working on a project about the funeral trade and related business. I would be grateful if readers could supply any information to help me. I am particularly interested in mourning stories, grave diggers, florists, stone masons,

  • GeneratIon gap too big

    BLACKBURN Labour Party secretary Phil Riley (Letters, February 24) asks what is wrong with bringing the issue of the Holocaust to the attention of new generations by establishing a Holocaust Memorial Day. Today's generation has no interest in this day

  • Farm thieves caught in the act

    THREE men were caught red-handed as they tried to steal from a farm where two of them had previously worked. Blackburn magistrates heard that agricultural mechanic John Ingham returned to the Chatburn farm unexpectedly after his vehicle broke down. He

  • Worry over TV demands

    THE recent rise in the price of television licences makes me wonder if the BBC would do better to spend money on programmes rather than writing threatening letters to people. When I moved into my new house there were no fewer than six letters behind the

  • Calling all veterans

    TO commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, the Imperial War Museum, Duxford, aims to contact people who were involved, be they air or ground crew, Observer Corps, balloon barrage, anti-aircraft or operations room personnel, with a view

  • Masts not welcome

    THERE has been a loud outcry, and rightfully so, over the plans for the mobile telephone company One to One to erect a 15 metre telecommunications mast at the top end of Towneley Park, in Burnley. Also, one is planned for the area of Florence Avenue on

  • Man, not dog, the culprit

    SO, the powers that rule in Burnley are going to have the park rangers use video cameras and put little flags next to all the dog dirt (LET, February 29). What next, poison all the pigeons, disinfect the ducks? Animal dung on the soil is at least a natural

  • An insult to nationalists

    SO Chris Davies MEP (Letters, February 17) considers nationalists to be 'downright evil.' I am sure that the majority of nationalists of whatever race will take his remarks to be very insulting. But then again, while not wishing to insult Mr Davies, the

  • ICE HOCKEY: Solway Sharks 5 Blackburn Hawks 5

    HAWKS kicked off their close season proceedings with a friendly draw at Solway. The two sides will meet again this weekend with another challenge match at the Arena on Sunday night. Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting

  • Motives in question

    IT really is quite frustrating to have to read Lancashire Evening Telegraph editorials repeatedly giving the impression that the failure of the IRA to decommission its arms is the primary reason for the suspension of those political institutions which

  • RALLYING: Meadows bid

    MARTIN Meadows bid to win the BTRDA Gold Star Championship suffered a setback when he crashed out of the Malcolm Wilson Rally. The Clitheroe driver badly damaged his Proton Compact after rolling out on the third stage of the Cumbrian event. Meadows now

  • The great escape

    Scenes of uproar when the legendary escapologist nearly met his match HANGING upside down on a rope from a balcony 40ft up on Blackburn's old Palace Cinema and strapped in a straitjacket, railway engine driver Frank Cooper (pictured in action) was out

  • FIVE YEARS AGO: Crime battle plan

    CRIME fighters representing more than 153,000 homes met to discuss an anti-crooks battle plan. Two hundred Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators attended a conference at Blackburn's Moat House. The Crime Check meeting was one of about 60 organised throughout

  • 10 YEARS AGO: Peace deal rejected

    MORE than 1,500 British Aerospace workers threw out a peace formula aimed at solving their 18-week-long dispute. Only 10 employees from the Samlesbury plant voted in favour of the 37-hour, four day week offer recommended by union officials at a highly-charged

  • Firefighters face gas blast peril in empty house

    A FLAMING jet of gas and exposed live electricity wires put firefighters in danger as they tackled a blaze started by an early morning arson attack on a house in Burnley Wood. The house in Morley Street was well alight with flames coming from windows

  • What an all Wright prize

    BURNLEY fan Mark Warburton had more reasons than most to celebrate when Ian Wright arrived in Burnley. A decision to buy three of the club's £1 lottery tickets with his friend Lee Fielding, of Padiham Road, led to the pair winning a prize of £2,000. They

  • Couple hurt in street bag snatch

    A COUPLE were injured in a mugging as they left a Burnley working men's club. Burnley Crown Court heard how Brenda Pilkington, 54, was pulled into a wall while her 64-year-old husband was pushed away and fell to the ground during the attack at the hands

  • Crime crackdown moves into top gear

    MOTORISTS travelling to work in Burnley were pulled up by police today as a major crime crackdown operation moved into top gear. Thirty officers including dog handlers and mounted police are involved in a high visibility exercise aimed initially at tackling

  • Parkes wants to bring in striker

    TONY Parkes looks set to step into the transfer market in a last-ditch bid to salvage Blackburn Rovers' promotion play-off hopes. The search is on for someone to solve the club's chronic striking problems, which were underlined in the latest defeat at

  • Readers raise £13,000 in four days for Mozambique

    GENEROUS readers of the Lancashire Evening Telegraph raised £13,000 in just four days to help young victims of the floods in Mozambique. The cash has been stacking up since the we joined forces with international aid agency UNICEF to launch a fundraising

  • Rise in dough

    HUNGRY customers buying up sandwiches at bakers Greggs' - which runs seven shops in East Lancashire - helped sales for the year rise. The company, which trades under the Greggs and Bakers Oven brands, said sales for the year to January 1 had jumped to

  • Training team fly high

    A TRAINING team has won a top award. Staff from the Eurofighter Typhoon training facility at BAE System's Samlesbury site won the gold award for best practice at the company's national in-house awards. The nine-strong team at Samlesbury had to beat off

  • £5m fund to help firms' expansion

    A MULTI-MILLION pound venture capital fund has been launched in Lancashire to help local firms expand. Economic development firm Enterprise is managing the £5million fund for small and medium sized businesses across the region. HSBC bank has invested

  • Forest project takes root

    RESIDENTS of Lowerhouse joined Trees for Burnley volunteers to plant the last 200 trees on council land behind Greenbrook Methodist Church, Lowerhouse. Junior school pupils and unemployed Environmental Task Force trainees had previously planted 800 native

  • Urdu plea for town signs

    URDU boundary signs are being considered for Brierfield. Pendle Council has received a request from Brierfield Town Council asking if the current six boundary signs saying "Welcome to Brierfield" can be amended to include the Urdu word for "welcome".

  • Bertie's a cheer winner!

    BURNLEY lost the Lancashire soccer derby against rivals Preston but Bertie Bee won the battle of the mascots. The new look Burnley mascot had thrown out a challenge to Preston's Deepdale Duck to prove who was the county's number one. The ground was buzzing

  • Schoolsgrounds cash awards

    TWO schools have won cash to improve their grounds. Holy Saviour RC Primary School, Nelson, and the Rossendale Pupil Referral Unit, Rawtenstall, have each been awarded £100 by the BT Grounds for the Future scheme. Holy Saviour won the cash for its plans

  • Wrecked gates bill for council

    THE cost of replacing a pair of historic gates at Nelson Cemetery, which were demolished when a stolen mechanical digger went out of control, will have to be met by Pendle Council. The cost of moulding new gates would cost £30,000, although a cheaper

  • Young firebugs

    A TOILET was damaged by fire at Chippys Taxis, Railway Road Industrial Estate, Darwen,at 2.30pm on Saturday. There was also slight smoke damage to the office and garage area. Firefighters believe the fire may have been started deliberately, after children

  • Carry on karaoke says phone poll

    MOST pub-goers across Blackburn and Darwen are in favour of landlords and entertainers standing their ground in the karaoke quarrel against the council. In the Lancashire Evening Telegraph readers' telephone poll on a council clampdown which threatens

  • Diners' help for flood victims

    REVELLERS at the sell-out Pendle Mayor's charity dinner dance took time to remember those less fortunate with a collection for the Mozambique flood disaster, which raised £175. All 186 tickets were sold for the event at Colne Municipal Hall with all the

  • Tenant groups win awards

    FOUR Blackburn tenants' groups have been presented with awards for the successful training of members. Green Lane, Romney Walk and Roe Lee tenants' associations and Shadsworth Estate Management Board received Investors In People awards at a ceremony at

  • Heroin mum goes free

    A MOTHER-of-three who supplied a wrap of heroin has walked free from court. Anne Smalley, 28, was told by Judge David Pirie that had the supply been for profit, she would have gone to jail. Smalley, of Basil Street, Colne, admitted possessing heroin for

  • Artist 'Wammy' in music move rap

    A PUB artist has accused a council of acting like Oliver Cromwell and the puritans over a clampdown on karaokes and discos. David Walmsley (pictured), known to pub regulars throughout the area as "Wammy" claims the Blackburn with Darwen Council move will

  • Burglar's bid to go straight

    A HOUSE breaker under deferred sentence to stay out of trouble kept his side of the bargain - and won his freedom and congratulations from the judge. Mathew Tempest, 27, who had helped himself to the victim's £450 compact disc collection and sold it on

  • Notice to the gum-droppers

    REGARDING your Insight article 'Gum? Are we stuck with it?' (LET, February 16), one could clean chewing gum off the old pavements, but not this modern asphalt. It's a disgrace. So is spitting. There used to be signs saying 'Do not spit,' 'No Litter' and

  • Prisoner found hanged in cell

    A MAN on remand for theft has been found hanged in his cell. David Edwards, 31, of Church Street, Stacksteads, died in Armley Prison, Leeds, on Friday. Police said he was on remand for allegedly snatching a handbag and was a "well known offender". Edwards

  • Three-to-one for bypass, says survey

    PEOPLE in Pendle overwhelmingly support the building of the controversial bypass between Colne and Thornton-in-Craven, according to a major survey. Three-quarters of Pendle Council's Citizens panel, which represents a cross-section of local people, backed

  • Notes safe and sound

    ON February 28, my son, who attends St Bede's RC High School, in Blackburn, left his Creative Design Technology GCSE course work on the bus on his return home. I rang Blackburn Transport. Within the hour, it had been found and we picked it up from the

  • Johnrose lucky to escape red card says Moyes

    VICTORIOUS Preston boss David Moyes believes Dean West was rightly sent off, and felt he should have been preceded down the tunnel by Lenny Johnrose for a tackle that left North End skipper Sean Gregan with a badly gashed shin early on in a fiery Lancashire

  • Beasts from the bog

    BUGS and beasties will be studied by youngsters at a Blackburn school when they create a bog garden with cash from a national award scheme. St Aidan's CE Primary in Mill Hill has been presented with £150 from the Yorkshire Bank Conservation Award Scheme

  • Town hall people power

    PEOPLE power is set to take precedence over politics in Chorley. A resident of the borough, who is not involved with any political party, is to be recruited to head up a new Standards Committee, which is being established by the local authority under

  • Warning over green grants

    SCHOOLS, community groups and voluntary organisations are being warned that a source of funding for environmental projects could be cut unless more people take advantage of it. The Green Community Chest offers up to £1,000 cash to groups in Darwen and

  • North End exposure: Clarets bubble burst by Lancashire rivals

    Division Two: Burnley 0 Preston North End 3 - Pete Oliver's match verdict WITH the Queen's Lancashire Regiment sending off pre-match firecrackers that were loud enough to wake the dead, perhaps it was inevitable that Burnley's bubble would burst. For

  • Anger over swim teachers decision

    TEACHING unions have joined forces to condemn council chiefs for making swimming teachers redundant and replacing them with instructors. Leaders of the East Lancashire branches of the NUT and NASUWT have blasted the move which they say will mean a much

  • Irish highs lined up for festival week

    BLACKBURN and Darwen will celebrate Irish culture with a week of themed events as part of its Festival 2000 programme. The borough's Irish Festival Week gets under way on Saturday with a free programme of events in Blackburn town centre, hosted by Michael

  • Events in East Lancashire on Tuesday, March 7th

    Friends in Bereavement, Burnley General Hospital, 7pm. Breast Care Support Group, Beardwood Hospital, Preston New Road, Blackburn, 7pm-9pm. Accrington and District Bonai Club, Thorn Inn, Church, 7.45pm. Domino Drive, St James School, Cannon Street, Accrington

  • Scheme to help voluntary workers

    A NEW award for community volunteers has been launched to promote voluntary work and get more people to come forward and help. Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Community for Voluntary Service (CVS) have launched their volunteer certificate scheme. The incentive

  • Scandal of deaf children

    EVERY day in the UK, two children are born deaf. One will have their hearing loss diagnosed within the first few months, enabling the family to consider hearing aids, cochlear implants or sign language and giving the child the chance to develop language

  • Food proposal shameful

    AFTER writing to the Prime Minister on the subject of genetically modified foods, I received a reply from the Joint Food Safety and Standards Group, which appears to be a sub-division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. In trying to reassure

  • SOCCER: Charlton sink Bolton

    Bolton Wanderers 0 Charlton Athletic 2 BOLTON were hit by a two minute blitz from visiting Charlton who took advantage of a rare lapse in the Wanderers back line to secure yet another three points. But as the Addicks look certain to return to the Premiership

  • NON LEAGUE SOCCER: Chorley 1 Radcliffe Borough 1

    CHORLEY put recent poor form behind them with a combative display which left promotion chasing Radcliffe grateful for a late equaliser. The Magpies took the game to Borough right from the start, Jon Senior firing a first minute warning shot from the edge

  • NON LEAGUE SOCCER: Atherton Collieries 1 Clitheroe 3

    CLITHEROE hit top spot in the First North Western Trains League First Division with a comfortable win over Atherton Collieries. Steve Parry's side strolled through a largely unchallenging game which was hampered by a sticky pitch and still trudged off

  • NON LEAGUE SOCCER: Darwen 1 Curzon Ashton 1

    DARWEN boss Steve Wilkes today admitted his side are now chasing second place after they failed to close the gap on leaders Curzon Ashton in this bad-tempered clash at The Anchor. The Anchormen desperately needed a victory to keep their slim title hopes

  • A third child tragedy won't be forgiven

    AS the official report into the killing of 16-month-old Jack Shackleton by his brutal father reveals how the tot was let down by child protection agencies, what makes the findings all the more dreadful is the heard-it-all-before aspect of them. For, just

  • Man wakes to find bed on fire

    SIXTY-four year old Kenneth Turner was rescued from his home after waking to find his bed on fire. After going downstairs and ringing for the fire service Mr Turner tried to fight the fire and was overcome by smoke. Leading firefighter Alan Ashworth said

  • Police full of praise for derby match fans

    PEOPLE who had not attended the match between Burnley and Preston and some who were already banned from soccer grounds were blamed for trouble which followed the sell-out game at Turf Moor. Six arrests were made in the Yorkshire Street and bus station

  • Parents' shock as young pests are pulled in

    PARENTS of 11 children were said to be shocked and surprised when they were ordered to pick up their teenagers from Burnley police station. The youngsters were taken there following repeated complaints about juvenile nuisance behind shops in Burnley Road

  • Pike in call to boycott greedy banks

    BURNLEY MP Peter Pike has joined with the Prime Minister in urging consumers to boycott greedy banks who "rip off" customers by charging them up to £2.50 for using "hole in the wall'' cash dispensers. PM Tony Blair launched a furious attack on the banks

  • Entrants show their all-round talent in speech and drama

    SIXTEEN-year-old performing arts student Jemma Drake is a real gem, who shone in the speech and drama classes at Burnley Festival. Jemma, who lives in Greenbrook Road, Lowerhouse, Burnley, was chosen to represent Burnley as a nominee for the Federation

  • Drugs thrown out to protect friend

    A MAN who moved a large cannabis haul to protect his friend when police raided their home, was fined at Burnley Crown Court. Eamon Wyer, 32, must pay a total of £225 or serve seven days in prison in default. The defendant, of Oakfield Avenue, Huncoat,

  • Woman's eye pierced by radio aerial

    A DOWN'S Syndrome sufferer was today poorly in hospital after a radio aerial pierced her eye in an accident. Joyce Holgate, 54, who lives in a county council-run home for people with learning disabilities in Grange Lane, Accrington, was taken to Blackburn

  • No way back for former matron

    A FORMER Lancashire nursing home matron wept as she was refused permission to be allowed back into the profession. Jeanette Wright, 44, pleaded to be permitted back into the profession after being struck off for a "systematic fraud" where she pocketed

  • Search for tot

    THE police helicopter was brought in after a four year old girl wearing a pink Barbie dress and red Smartie boots was reported missing from her home in Queen Victoria Road, Burnley, at 7.20pm on Saturday. Sgt Martin Selway said the mum rang to say she

  • Award adds spice to music company

    A MUSIC firm whose equipment is used by top artistes including the Spice Girls and Madonna has won a top industry award. AMS Neve, of Burnley, collected the prestigious music industry Technical Grammy award for its "contribution of outstanding technical

  • Women's prayers

    NINETY people from town centre churches took part in a Women's World Day of Prayer event at the Salvation Army Citadel, Burnley. The event was attended by the Mayoress of Burnley, Mrs Pat Chadwick. It was introduced by Women's World of Prayer committee

  • Rosebys goes for image change

    FURNITURE-to-curtains retailer Rosebys - which operates a string of shops across East Lancashire - has unveiled plans to change its image with a name change to the trendier-sounding Homestyle Group. But the Rosebys name will remain on Britain's high streets

  • Residents' gardens go-ahead

    RESIDENTS in Rectory Road, Burnley, were granted permission by councillors to have their own gardens and put up a protective high fence behind their houses. The land behind numbers 104 to 166 Rectory Road is spare land created when Cavour Street was demolished

  • Drug user mum turned to theft

    A THIEVING young mum who turned to drugs after her life fell apart has been jailed for three months. Burnley magistrates heard how Kelly Marie Hennessy, 24, committed offences while on probation. She was told that only custody was appropriate after she

  • Youth concert in tune with flood appeal

    A YOUTH concert audience put £215 into a collection basket for the Mozambique flood relief appeal. Nelson Civic Junior Choir and East Lancashire Youth Orchestra drew a near-capacity audience for the concert at St Thomas's Church, Barrowford. Each organisation

  • Prestige site earlier start

    WORK on the former Prestige site, in Burnley, will begin earlier than expected after councillors agreed to vary two of the planning conditions. The developers wish to begin demolition work this month, with construction work to begin in May and an expected

  • Computer fair is a big hit

    A COMPUTER fair is expected to raise about £400 for Gawthorpe High School, Padiham. The event was organised by the Parent Teachers Association and follows on from a successful fair in October. Taking part were P3 Computer Services Ltd, Burnley, BCC Computer

  • Festival gets off on right foot

    TWO hundred young dancers are putting their best feet forward at Nelson Festival which began at the weekend. The festival continues on Saturday and Sunday and with more than 1,000 entries over the four days itis in good heart. Secretary Muriel Mutter

  • Hot food bid is turned down

    A BUTCHER's shop in Burnley which has gradually become a take-away during the last 18 months has been refused permission to sell hot food. Hennessy Butchers, in Parliament Street, applied for the retention of use of the shop for the sale of hot food but

  • Child killings: Chairman admits social services failed

    CHILD protection agencies in Lancashire urgently need to get their act together to prevent a third tragedy similar to the Jack Shackleton and Levi Rose baby deaths in Burnley. This frank admission was made by Lancashire social services committee chairman

  • Troubled school gets early release from special measures

    SCHOOL inspectors have given a troubled Pendle high school a clean bill of health and released it from special measures six months ahead of the deadline given to staff. Ofsted inspectors visited Mansfield High, Brierfield, on Thursday and Friday and afterwards

  • Grounds for celebration

    TWO East Lancashire schools have won cash to improve their grounds. Holy Saviour RC Primary School, Holland Place, Nelson, and the Rossendale Pupil Referral Unit, Burnley Road, Rawtenstall, have each been awarded £100 by the BT Grounds for the Future

  • Who saw stolen cars in crash?

    POLICE are appealing for information about an accident involving two stolen cars. A white Ford Escort and a red Vauxhall Cavalier estate collided in Sudell Road, Darwen, at 2.25am on Thursday. The Cavalier is from the Sunnyhurst area of Darwen and the

  • Young Sam inspires marathon money effort

    A YOUNG boy who has a rare genetic condition which affects only 120 people worldwide has inspired a fund-raising campaign to help research into the problem. Sam Elliott, six, suffers a condition which can cause distressing and sometimes life threatening

  • Store answers cancer family's prayers

    KIND-hearted supermarket staff have stepped in to help a disabled woman who is caring for her sick husband and 12-year-old grandson. After reading the Park family's story in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, Blackburn superstore Asda offered to help by