FOR many East Lancashire rail-users, there will be a weary and irksome familiarity in the stressful ordeal that teenage passenger Emma Midgley so often endures on her journeys to and from work In recent weeks, she has been late for her job at Preston
MANAGEMENT in the neurology department at Queen's Park Hospital in Blackburn are celebrating the success of a new scheme to cut the numbers of patients not turning up for appointments. The partial booking scheme where patients are given a timescale and
HEALTH bosses have unveiled their new policy on harassment and bullying, which covers patients and staff. Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS trust, which runs Queen's Park Hospital and Blackburn Royal Infirmary, compiled it with union members.
WHAT'S the connection between condemning the USA for setting up kangaroo courts and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour? Hopefully, Mr D Bullen (Letters, December 14) will tell us. L LAWES, Bold Street, Blackburn.
THE year 2002 promises to be just as eventful as 2001 for busy Leigh MP Andy Burnham. In wishing Journal readers all the best for the future Mr Burnham has revealed his wife, Frankie, is expecting their second baby in May - a welcome playmate for young
THANKS to the increasing awareness of some councils, schools, environmental organisations and community bodies, many readers will be trying to protect the environment during this Christmas season. They will be buying items with as little packaging as
A CALL for higher profile policing to combat teen terror in Culcheth has the backing of a local councillor. A couple who live in the once-quiet village say are are at the end of their tether after months of vandalism and anti-social behaviour by a group
FOREIGN secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw today called for an investigation after knives sold by a local company were allegedly smuggled on to two aeroplanes. A stainless steel miniature cleaver which folds up to look like a credit card, a four-inch
ECSTATIC fans today gave goalscoring sensation Andrew Cole a hero's welcome after the biggest deal in the club's history brought him to Ewood Park. The signing of the Manchester United striker was described by Ewood chief executive John Williams as "a
UNITED States international Brad Friedel today hailed Andy Cole's arrival at Ewood as a massive shot in the arm for everyone connected with Blackburn Rovers. Friedel knows all about Cole's outstanding qualities as a goalscorer after working closely with
SOLD out signs went up early for a Burnley production of Oliver -- The Musical. The show is being staged jointly by the Brunshaw Action Group and Brunshaw Youth Centre. There will be evening performances on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with a special
POLICE in Burnley want information about an incident in which a purse containing £350 was stolen from a 77-year-old woman. Two men called at her home in Lowerhouse Lane between 2.30-3pm on Thursday, making inquiries about someone in the area. She allowed
POLICE are appealing for anyone with information about a bag snatch attack in Colne Road, Burnley. The incident happened at 10.10pm on Friday near the Co-operative Funeral Directors building near Hebrew Road. The 33-year-old victim was walking with her
EAST Lancashire people are being urged to include AIDS awareness in their New Year's resolutions by a local church leader. The Bishop of Burnley, the Rt Rev John Goddard, said he was horrified at his own ignorance of the scale of the HIV and AIDS epidemic
ELEVEN-year-old Mohammed Hussain has died after apparently suffering a sudden asthma attack. His family in Holly Street, Nelson, are said to be absolutely distraught at the tragedy. The death is being investigated by police who stress that there are no
A SMOKE alarm may have saved the life of a Blacko man, fire crews said today. Ian Hunter went upstairs and apparently fell asleep after putting the chip pan on the cooker in the kitchen of a building at Hillside Farm, Beverley Road. The next thing he
CHAMPAGNE corks were popping for an Accrington skipper who pulled his crew from fourth to second place in the BT Global Challenge. Andrew Hindley and his Save The Children team docked safely in Wellington New Zealand after a closely fought battle over
BRADFORD CITY could face a Burnley backlash as the league leaders look to get back to winning ways at Turf Moor tomorrow. Having seen his side lose 5-1 at Maine Road on Saturday Clarets boss Stan Ternent said: "Knowing my players like I do I am sure they
PRESTON North End look to bounce back to winning ways against Sheffield Wednesday at Deep dale tomorrow. They slipped to defeat at the weekend as Wimbledon left it late to overcome them 2-0 at Selhurst Park, Neil Shipperley and Patrick Agyemang scored
Swindon 3 Bury 1 BURY ended the year on a miserable note with a disappointing defeat at bogey club Swindon. For some reason Andy Preece's side seem to save their worst displays for matches against the Wiltshire club and this was no exception. Two goals
THE Darwen Dashers running club held their Christmas relay race in Sunnyhurst Woods on Saturday. Almost 30 runners turned out for the event held every year on the weekend between Christmas and New Year. Gary's gang romped home this year's winners with
POLICE are appealing for information about an attack which happened near to the busy town centre in Haslingden. A 24-year-old man was walking along Blackburn Road at 2.25pm on Friday when he was grabbed from behind, pulled down to the ground and kicked
A PHOTOGRAPHIC display of an old local church now on display at Rawtenstall central library is creating a great deal of interest. The pictures, some dating back to the 1890s, are of the Bethlehem Unitarian Church at Newchurch. They have been donated by
TAXI drivers in Rossendale are facing a police safety clampdown over the next few weeks -- but drivers are being given the opportunity to make vehicles safe before the checks start. Similar operations over the past 18 months found that up to 80 per cent
THIS theatre's panto is always stunning and 2001's show is no exception. There are flying dragons that get up to naughty tricks and magic carpets which zoom over the audience. Bad guy Abanazar lights up the stage. He is magnificently evil and extremely
A RELIEF manager at a Blackburn pub gambled away £3,500 of takings he should have banked, a court heard. And the town's magistrates heard that after gambling away £800 he should have banked at the end of his first week, the following week Paul John Davison
HOMES in Riley Green were left without electricity after a car skidded on an icy road and ploughed into a power line. The incident happened around 10.30am on Saturday after a car, thought to be travelling towards Blackburn, left the road near the Royal
LANCASHIRE County Council public transport officers have received the plaudits of their political bosses to add to the growing list of industry awards they have won. County Coun Hazel Harding, leader of the County Council, and members of the cabinet gathered
TWO police officers had to use their batons repeatedly after Graham Morris launched an attack on them, a court was told. Blackburn magistrates heard that despite being struck on the thighs and arms Morris continued to lash out at the officers punching
WORSHIPPERS had to find an alternative entry into church yesterday after a chunk of masonry was blown from the roof of Blackburn Cathedral. And shocked church bosses were forced to cordon off the main entrance, off Darwen Street, after a piece from one
FOREIGN secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw today called for an investigation after knives sold by a local company were allegedly smuggled on to two aeroplanes. A stainless steel miniature cleaver which folds up to look like a credit card, a four-inch
ST Christopher's CE High School, Accrington SCHOOL MISSION: St Christopher's is a Church of England High School where pupils and staff work together in the knowledge and love of God. We try to act out our faith in our daily lives, with Christ as our example
AIR ambulance paramedics were called in after a man was injured in a sledging accident in Edenfield yesterday. The man, in his 30s, was with nephews and nieces in a field off Gin Croft Lane when he came off a sledge and injured his back. Rossendale Mountain
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an armed robbery on a post office in Bury at about 9.15 hours on Saturday. Two men wearing balaclavas entered the Limefield Post Office on Walmersley Road and threatened staff with baseball bats before trying to break
LANCASHIRE Ambulance Service has been awarded a second prestigious charter mark for its service. The award is for excellence in public service and also covers the local NHS Direct service, the Government's telephone advice line for health matters, which
A BLACKBURN town centre pub will be turning back the clock when it opens for a January sale with a difference. The Postal Order, Darwen Street, will be selling the first 200 pints of Theakston Best Bitter for just 50p - the price that it would have cost
REGARDING your report about toys being stolen from the grave of toddler Kirsty Wright (LET, December 18), it must be very upsetting and stressful to anyone who is bereaved when this kind of thing happens. Sadly, I don't think there is any way to put a
REGARDING your story about residents being angry about a 'Welcome to Blackburn' sign being put up on the A666 road in Darwen (LET, December 17). This would appear to be the third such mistake made by Blackburn with Darwen Council over the last year or
ITHINK Eric Leaver's article (LET, December 26) takes my comments in response to your reporter Dave Ayrton's telephone call to me in totally the wrong context. It may have been an occasion when he could have had the courtesy to contact me before printing
A WOMAN driver was killed after losing control of her car on a road and careering into a lampost. The woman, who has not been named, was travelling along Shadsworth Road, Blackburn, at about 7.30am when she lost control at a mini roundabout. The car,
LEIGH RMI watched themselves slide down the Nationwide Conference without kicking a ball on Boxing Day, and it all serves to up the stakes when they travel to Stalybridge Celtic on New Years Day. The Bower Fold side dropped into the relegation zone as
POINTS machine Neil Turley claimed a hat-trick of tries as Leigh ran in 38 unanswered second-half points to hammer Oldham 46-12 at a freezing Hilton Park and strengthen their lead in the Northern Ford Premiership. The Centurions' 100 per cent record looked
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness today backed Andy Cole to win a dream ticket to next summer's World Cup finals following his club record move to Ewood Park. As we exclusively predicted last week, Rovers made a sensational swoop for the Manchester United
GRAEME Souness last night sent England hot-shot Andy Cole an urgent 'SOS' after watching his side crash to another desperately disappointing home defeat. For on the day the 30-year-old striker put pen to paper on the most lucrative deal in the club's
FIREFIGHTERS and a farmer launched a major operation to rescue two horses, including one bought as a Christmas present, after they fell into an eight-feet deep slurry pit. It took them more than an hour to free the frightened animals, which were stuck
GLIMPSED in 'Looking Back' last month among more of the unique collection of photographs of Blackburn 38 years ago reproduced in the second volume of the newly-published '1963 Blackburn -- A Proud Town' book being sold in aid of stroke victims, the now-vanished
AN application to build five detached bungalows on land at Warwick Drive, Earby, should be refused, say planning officers. The application will be discussed by the West Craven committee on Tuesday, January 8. The proposal relates to an area of open undeveloped
A BITTER attack was launched by a real ale group on breweries who push up the cost of safe driving. CAMRA claimed that breweries were over-charging for alcohol-free drinks and making a fortune out of people who wanted to drive safely on New Year's Eve
A MAN was jailed for four months by Blackburn magistrates after being caught driving while disqualified twice in three days -- and spending Christmas behind bars. The court heard that David Anthony Osbaldeston, 29, was stopped in Blackburn Road, Accrington
A FATHER has demanded that something be done about a failing train service which he says has left his daughter ill and out of pocket. Emma Midgley, 19, arrives at Accrington train station every morning about 7.30am for the 7.48am train from Accrington
TAXI drivers have appealed for the decision to close police station doors at 8pm to be reversed for one night amid fears for their safety. Opening times for police stations across Eastern Division, including Accrington, were altered in September after
FARMER Colin Nutter believes he may be walking in the steps of dinosaurs as he tends his flock on Pendle Hill. And he is hoping to find local expertise that will help to determine whether the giant incisor shaped rock he discovered lying in the mud is
BRADFORD CITY could face a Burnley backlash as the league leaders look to get back to winning ways at Turf Moor tomorrow. Having seen his side lose 5-1 at Maine Road on Saturday Clarets boss Stan Ternent said: "Knowing my players like I do I am sure they
MANCHESTER CITY'S expensively assembled squad cost a fortune and it was a first half hat-trick from a Costa Rican that ended the Clarets' unbeaten run at ten games. As for Burnley, they were left to count the cost of Glen Little's penalty miss. Next summer
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness today backed Andy Cole to win a dream ticket to next summer's World Cup finals following his club record move to Ewood Park. As we exclusively predicted last week, Rovers made a sensational swoop for the Manchester United
A 79-year-old Darwen woman has spoken of her distress after her home was burgled on Christmas Day. Betty Stocks said she is still struggling to come to terms with the raid. She was one of several victims in a Christmas mini-crimewave in the town. "Things
NEW roadworks in the New Year will affect parking in Rawtenstall town centre. From January 7, work will start on the replacement of a culvert. The Phipp's car park off Bank Street will lose 17 long stay parking spaces for up to 14 weeks, resulting in
THE owner of a store specialising in exclusive designer clothing has been devastated by a burglary at his exclusive shop. Thieves broke through two layers of protective shutters and smashed through the door to get into the Remy shop in Bank Street, Rawtenstall
CLUBS have gone from strength to strength, various genres have continued to break into the mainstrain charts - all in all, it has been a good year for dance music. It's a sentiment the lads at All Around the World Records, based in Blackburn, also share
SO that was Christmas. Although some may regard the festive season as still ongoing, at least until the Twelfth Night, I for one am breathing a huge sigh of relief. For me it is over and I survived. I survived the weeks of hype leading up to the big day
KEN DODD is discumknockerated to be coming to Blackburn's, King George's Hall with his famous 'Happiness Show', though he reckons it should be re-named a belated Happy New Year Show! "You've got to come just to recover from all those Christmas and New
LOCAL health chiefs have backed a government campaign to stop youngsters dabbling with drugs on New Year's Eve. Christmas and New Year are two of the busiest times for East Lancashire hospitals and, according to health bosses, drug-taking is one of the
AN alternative to the traditional Christmas carol concert will be staged in Blackburn next weekend, as part of Twelfth Night celebrations. The concert, A Garland for Christmas, aims to offer music and song in a different way to the usual carols as part
A CANCER sufferer from East Lancashire has joined others sharing their experiences of cancer in a new book in aid of the Cancer Research Campaign. Margaret Seed of Glendale Drive, Mellor, who was treated for breast cancer at Blackburn Royal Infirmary,
A BLACKBURN teacher and an Accrington-born Brigadier head the list of people in Lancashire receiving awards in theNew Year's Honours. Brian Geoffrey Souter, of Blackburn, deputy headteacher at Southlands High School in Chorley, receives the MBE for services
TWO goals in the dying minutes ensured Preston North End ended 2001 on a low. With just three minutes to go, a stirling effort from the defence plus stunning saves from David Lucas seemed set to reward the travellers with a point. Then Neil Ardley sent
AS the world of the internet becomes more important in educating children it is the parents' job to ensure that they are in a safe environment. The dangers of the internet were highlighted in Coronation Street a few months ago when Sarah Louise fell into
SCHOOLS in East Lancashire started 2001 boasting an A-star report - but ended it smarting from the aftermath of a teacher recruitment crisis and listening to heated arguments about increased single-faith education. In January, education bosses were heralded
