IN contrast to the months it took for hospital bosses to admit the errors and neglect that led to the death of 13-month-old Ethan Smith from meningitis after he was rushed to hospital in Blackburn on Christmas Day two years ago, NHS trust chief executive
EIGHT business-minded students from Rossall High School in Fleetwood are amazed by the success of an online guide to entertainments in Blackpool, which they only started to enter a competition. The website -- called www.what-a-night.com -- is a complete
THE local football scene was stunned on Tuesday night by news of the sudden death of one of its most respected figures, Ken Bridge. The manager of Ramsbottom United collapsed in the dressing room after his team's home game against Cheadle Town. He joined
ON behalf of neighbours, my disabled husband and myself, could I say thanks for all the help we received on Sunday, February 11, when the tower block flats at Mill Hill, Blackburn were demolished. I would also like to thank the staff at Ewood Park for
THE increase in speed cameras can't come too quickly for me. The first one should be at Belmont where many mornings cars pass me as they attempt to get from Bolton to Preston in ten minutes even though children are about catching school buses. I would
FOR the information of Roy Davies (Letters, February 15), the idea for "pay and display" on just three of the car parks in Darwen did not originate from "Councillor Smith and his merry band of councillors," but from town centre traders and local residents
THE arrogance of the New Labour regime in Blackburn with Darwen takes one's breath away. On Friday February 2, along with many other people, I attended a concert evening by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic at the Public Halls in Blackburn. Imagine my
A FOOTBALL club secretary has called for tougher laws to curb the yobs who repeatedly target his club. Frank Anderson, secretary of Atherton Collieries, believes the police are powerless to stop burglars from raiding his team's clubhouse. In the past
DETECTIVES and fire bosses are investigating an early morning petrol bomb attack at a Burnley office supply company. Today's incident at Acorn Office Equipment Ltd, business equipment suppliers, Systems House, Accrington Road, follows an arson attack
A MAN was shot dead in a gangland-style assassination after three men wearing balaclavas burst into a house on a Blackburn estate early today. Darren Bell, of Blackburn, died on the operating table of Blackburn Royal Infirmary after he was shot in the
MILD-mannered Ray Scholes (pictured) can't help but stick his oar in -- especially when it comes to helping others less fortunate than himself. For Ray, a South Ribble council employee has spent all his spare time raising much needed funds for Comic Relief
IT'S not unusual to -- find a famous face playing The Citizen's new internet quiz game -- the first of its type in the world. Tom Jones -- alias Stars in Your Eyes winner TJ Slater (pictured)-- took time off his hectic schedule to pop into our offices
HEALTH Minister John Denham will become a telly addict when he comes to the area today (Thursday, February 23). During his hour-long visit to Chorley and South Ribble District General Hospital, he will be given a demonstration of a state-of-the art telemedicine
A MUSICAL lass who hails from Leyland is set to use her passion for music to raise money for charity. Talented Jane Maudsley, 22, will join the acclaimed Morecambe Band later this year to perform Last Night of the Proms at her former school in Blackburn
LANCASHIRE folk revealed just what they think of their county council, when the results of a special survey were announced this week. Preston residents were among the group of 2,500 people who were interviewed by MORI Government Research Unit workers
LABOUR leader Stuart Caddy may be poised to hand over the reins of power on Burnley Council -- leaving the way open to present mayor Coun Rafique Malik to take control, the Lancashire Evening Telegraph can reveal. Postman Coun Caddy, leader for the past
LOVE birds at Leighton Moss chose Valentines Day to start their annual mating season. Staff at the Carnforth nature reserve heard the distinctive mating call of their two male bitterns on the most romantic day of the year. Senior warden Robin Horner said
LANCASTER councillors will consider a planning application for yet another new city centre pub. But a well known Morecambe venue may fail in its bid to win a new public entertainment licence. Soljam Co. Uk has applied for planning permission to convert
LANCASTER University looks set to launch a TV advertising blitz as it bids to reverse a slump in student numbers. The university failed to fill more than 200 places for undergraduates last year, meaning it lost around £750,000 from the Higher Education
A LANCASTER pub will swap booze for the bible from next month when regular church services begin there. The 'Church in the pub' will take place at the Ridge Hotel from Sunday, March 17. The scheme is the brainchild of pastor Ian Lockhart, who is keen
A RAPID reaction team of specially trained sniffers has been set up by the council to closely monitor the bad smell from Nightingale Hall Farm. The council workers will mobilise as soon as residents complain about "nasty niffs" coming from the rendering
GRANDMOTHER Brenda Fullard has been battling the cold weather and running up to 40 miles a week to get fit for the London Marathon. Brenda, 47, of Dunderdale Avenue, Nelson, began training after Christmas for the marathon which takes place on April 22
THE U10 Warriors dominated the first half and were 24-0 at half time in their match against Thatto Heath. A much-improved tackling performance from Warriors restricted the opposition to just two second half tries. The first ever try for Miles White and
BURTONWOOD Brewery's Rose and Crown pub in Leyland have a pub team that is different from any other team that you would expect in your local- not darts or pool- but a boules team. The game, which originated from France, involves throwing a metal ball
CHILDREN in Pendle will be encouraged to eat healthily and look after their bodies during a three-week-long campaign being run by Colne Asda. The store will launch its Big Eat campaign on Monday to highlight the Government's drive to promote 'five-a-day
MEET Solomon -- the lovely white cat who has really got his claws into the opposition after being selected to appear on the labels of a new range of pet food. The three-year-old domesticated moggie has proved he is Arth-urs good as the pedigree cats in
HUNDREDS of homes across East Lancashire were left without electricity as snow and high winds hit the region. The worst affected areas were Blacko, Bolton by Bowland, Oswaldtwistle, Haslingden, Colne and Clitheroe.
PRISONERS at Blackburn police station were involved in a safety scare after contaminating the cell complex with dangerous asbestos dust. Six people had been arrested on suspicion of stealing copper piping from the former Brockhall Hospital site near Billington
POLICE have warned pensioners in a Hyndburn town to keep their homes locked after two thefts from elderly people. In one incident, the burglar only left when he realised he had woken the woman, who was in her 80s, from her afternoon nap in a chair. It
AN ASIAN woman was racially abused, pushed to the ground then kicked and punched by a group of girls who stole her mobile phone. Now police and councillors have joined forces to appeal to residents to help hunt for the girls who tormented the woman as
A GANG of four masked men burst into a supermarket and escaped with cash after threatening staff. The raiders, wearing balaclavas, struck at Kwik Save, on Bolton Road, Atherton, and used large silver adjustable spanners to force workers to hand over the
MAY I comment on the latest misery inflicted on local businesses and residents by travellers as reported in The Citizen. As usual the Government have been all talk and no delivery when it comes to tackling the problems caused by travellers. We announced
MOTORISTS were surprised to come face-to-face with around 15 pigs' heads, believed to have fallen off the back of a wagon as it negotiated a recently constructed- roundabout. Clitheroe police were inundated with calls from drivers on the A59 near Barrow
I AM writing to make the people of Lancaster, who don't read the student newspaper, aware of our Labour MP's attitude towards student debt. A month or two ago I read in your newspaper that Hilton Dawson wanted students to settle in Lancaster after their
I'M DEEPLY sorry to have to return to the subject of Hilton Dawson but a recent report of his maundering at one of his save the unthreatened museum meetings leaves me no choice. Apparently, someone inquired "What about Blobby?" and Dawson is reported
IF you enjoyed reading comic books like the Beano as a child, then you will be hooked to this web site. Real comic books are making their mark on the web. There will be 11 brand new series of dark and chilling computer-generated animations. The characters
SO our poor old city council is cash strapped, is it? Doesn't know where the next square meal -- or baby sitting hand-out -- is coming from? Has been considering closing museums, withdrawing grants from various cultural events and perhaps sacking a few
BRITNEY Spears is the ultimate in teen pop, and we can't get enough of her! Take a look at her web site, the only way in which she can possibly meet the global demands of the nation. The site has extensive links that will meet the needs of even the biggest
Lishman Cup: semi-final: Lytham Ladies 1st XI 3 Garstang 2 AFTER a quiet opening ten minutes Lytham took control of the game forcing several short corners only to be denied each time by some good goalkeeping. With the scores level at half-time Lytham
THORNTON CLEVELEYS U10s A 1 POULTON ST JOHN'S 0 AFTER a goalless first half Adam Richardsonbroke the deadlock picking up on a Steve Wilson clearance and slotting a ball to Mark Wild who scored. THORNTON CLEVELEYS U10s B 0 POULTON ST JOHN'S 3 HAD the Lions
LYTHAM Chess Club first team battled bravely against the strong Morecambe team in Division A of the league, only to lose 3-2. Four draws were achieved by Peter Jowett, John Cooper, Leo Ainsworth and Phil Raynor. The fourth team lost their Division C match
KIRKHAM U10s 2 BJFF 1 BJFF dominated the first half but Kirkham's keeper was on good form. Just before half-time BJFF failed to clear a Kirkham free kick which somehow found the back of the net. After half-time Kirkham put BJ under pressure which paid
SUNDAY saw the opening of Blackpool's newest sports venue at the Wimbourne leisure facility on Cropper Road, off Squires Gate Lane. A purpose built skater hockey rink now fills the main arena and all the North West leagues will run from this centre, along
YMCA A U9s 6 FC RANGERS A 1,YMCA B U9s 3 FC RANGERS B 1 YMCA were on top in the A game as Jo Van-Breemen weighed in with four of the goals. James Gardner and Michael Murray were their other marksmen. A hat trick by Connor Griffiths gave the B team victory
Lytham Mens 1st XI 5 Chester 2 AGAINST a team who had beaten them 6-0 back in October and who now lie second in the league, LSA produced an outstanding performance. This victory continues their winning streak which has lasted since Christmas. LSA scored
TRADERS fear they could lose one of the year's busiest trading weeks as punks take over Morecambe's festival market. The 25th anniversary of punk will be celebrated in the resort on July 6, 7 and 8. And, with the Empire building now an empty shell organisers
Blackpool 2 Lincoln City 0 : scorers: Daniel Shittu (39), John Murphy (89) NEW loan signing Daniel Shittu made an immediate impact in his first game in Tangerine colours writes Chris Reece. The huge defender, who, not surprisingly, likes to be called
BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent will demand more of the same from his players as they build up to Saturday's clash with relegation-haunted Huddersfield. "The victory over Fulham should have done a lot for confidence but let us see what happens on Saturday first
ALL police cars in the Lancashire Constabulary fleet will be getting an eye-catching new look over the coming weeks. The fleet will now feature a special "half battenburg" livery similar to the design used on motorway vehicles. Administration manager
Whitby 1 Lancaster 5 ANOTHER impressive brace from red-hot striker Chris Ward helped Lancaster City continue their climb up the Unibond league table. The Dolly Blues are up to fourth place in the table after showing the resilience and quality which has
PUPILS at Anchorsholme Primary School, in Blackpool, have been experiencing Hard Times recently as they spent a day in Victorian costume, like characters straight out of a Charles Dickens novel. Year 2 pupils went to school on February 16 in typical Victorian
WHIRLING visions of windmills could transform part of Fleetwood rubbish tip into a tourist attraction if proposals are accepted to build a wind farm on the site. Local Liberal Democrats are leading this innovative campaign to build a wind powered farm
TAXI travellers in Bury can now enjoy using a new town centre rank. In the past the main place to find a public hire vehicle has been on the long established Kay Gardens rank. However to meet with demand from the other side of the town centre, a new pick
THE local football scene was stunned on Tuesday night by news of the sudden death of one of its most respected figures, Ken Bridge. The manager of Ramsbottom United collapsed in the dressing room after his team's home game against Cheadle Town. He joined
BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent will demand more of the same from his players as they build up to Saturday's clash with relegation-haunted Huddersfield. "The victory over Fulham should have done a lot for confidence but let us see what happens on Saturday first
Brighton 1 Blackpool 0 : scorer: Crosby 57 The Seasiders dropped three vital points thanks to a bizarre goal at one end and some fantastic keeping at the other. Andy Crosby was the lucky hero for Brighton when a goal line clearance by Danny Shittu rebounded
BAMBER Bridge football club has just completed the quarter of a million pound development of their Irongate ground. The 506-capacity all-seater stand, which has transformed the look of the ground, has replaced the much smaller stand which used to seat
CHARTERED accountants HLB Kidsons, which has offices in Blackburn, is staging an Accountants in Industry Workshop at the end of March. It is aimed at keeping finance directors, company accountants and company secretaries up to date with changes in the
THESE days just about anything passes for art. A pile of bricks, an unmade bed, a pickled cow. And now, one of the most bizarre "exhibitions' yet is being staged by an artist whose latest work involves disposing of every single thing he owns. Absolutely
A SERIES of personal tragedies tore Francis Taylor's world apart and left him dependent on illegal drugs, a court was told.. Blackburn magistrates heard that Taylor, 33, was a publican in the Liverpool area and until the age of 30 had no previous convictions
POLICE have warned motorists to keep their belongings out of sight when they leave their vehicle following an incident on Tuesday. A woman's black shoulder bag was taken from her Skoda car which was parked on Preston Street, Darwen along with the rear
VANDALS have struck at Edgworth Park, fuelling the calls for work to be done on it. The yobs struck on Tuesday between 6pm and 9pm, damaging equipment including a slide which was being worked on at the time. Councillor Jean Rigby, who is campaigning for
A MAJOR drugs ring has been smashed after raids on a number of address in Darwen, police said today. Officers uncovered a professional cannabis growing factory in the attic of a house in Pot House Lane as well as seizing other drugs from addresses acorss
SPECIALIST rope rescuers were brought in to lift a man from the top of a weir in the River Irwell at Rawtenstall after he suffered a back injury. Stuart Johnston, 30, of Grange Close, Oswaldtwistle, was one of a team of four men carrying out repair work
WAIT until you see the new line up of shows the Grand have got for you -- starting with an all-star spectacular. The star-studded cast of the play Wait Until Dark, which is being staged at the Blackpool Grand Theatre from February 26 to March 3, joined
BLACKPOOL Zoo could soon be moving into private hands if a new group of trustees can persuade the council that that is the best way forward. The zoo management has released details of a new trust which they propose should take over control from the council
PROSTITUTES plying their trade in one of Preston's most notorious areas, are living in a hostel owned by a church-based group, according to nearby residents. The hostel, on Walton's Parade, off Fishergate Hill, is home to a number of girls who, say residents
A SPATE of burglaries has prompted police to warn people to be vigilant. Police said Intack, Knuzden and parts of Shadsworth in Blackburn had been hit by a mini-crime spree lately with houses, sheds and cars targeted. Incidents hit double figures over
A MAN pushed lighted paper through the letterbox at his his ex-girlfriend's home in a desperate attempt to speak to her on his birthday. Scott McNaboe also broke a window at the York Terrace address in Blackburn in his bid to talk with the woman and patch
BOLLYWOOD-style DVDs are being imported into the country without being checked for violence and sex, according to trading standards chiefs in Blackburn and Darwen. Officers have seized thousands of DVDs and videos in raids during the last two months and
NELSON 2 BLACKPOOL MECHANICS 1 NELSON opened up a five point lead at the top of the NWCL Division Two table following their top of the table clash with Blackpool Mechanics. The Blues went into the clash at Victoria Park knowing defeat would knock them
WHO'D have thought it, Rovers are heading to heaven through Eyal! After plunging out of the land of plenty, when Kidd's stuff proved child's play for the rest of the Premier League, Ewood's been a success-free zone. And when -- even with millions at their
GRAHAM Schofield, the 1996 British Veteran Fell Champion, turned the eleven mile long Winter Hill Fell Race into a tactical battle as heavy mist descended on the runners -- but his plan to win for the third time failed as six contenders fought out a hectic
I LIKE most people never knew what the Air Ambulance was until a year ago when a friend asked me to get involved in a charity quiz night to raise funds for it. Since then I have been a co-ordinator involved in fund-raising for this most worthy cause.
AT last I am finally convinced that we have totally lost the plot in the Town Hall. In what must be one of the most arrogant and insensitive acts perpetrated in living memory we see the chief executive and his fellow directors accepting huge pay increases
NORTH End have released ticket details for the forthcoming fixture against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday March 3. Fans have been allocated more than 2,000 seats in the Arthur Waite stand, with 500 tickets available to buy in advance and
TUESDAY just wasn't North End's night (February 20). Without leading scorer Jon Macken, Preston went into the Birmingham match on the back of a brilliant three match run of victories, with three clean sheets and that run was expected, even against the
PROSTITUTES plying their trade in one of Preston's most notorious areas, are living in a hostel owned by a church-based group, according to nearby residents. The hostel, on Walton's Parade, off Fishergate Hill, is home to a number of girls who, say residents
A LEADING health expert has warned of a possible outbreak of a gastrointestinal disease in Blackpool this spring caused by a bug which can infect the region's water supply. Professor John Ashton, director of public health in the North West, is calling
BAMBER Bridge football club has just completed the quarter of a million pound development of their Irongate ground. The 506-capacity all-seater stand, which has transformed the look of the ground, has replaced the much smaller stand which used to seat
VILLAGERS in Ainsworth could have a leading voice in shaping the future of their community and protecting its heritage. A special team of residents could be set up to formulate a "Village Design Statement" (VDS) which would have a strong influence over
Brighton 1 Blackpool 0 : scorer: Crosby 57 The Seasiders dropped three vital points thanks to a bizarre goal at one end and some fantastic keeping at the other. Andy Crosby was the lucky hero for Brighton when a goal line clearance by Danny Shittu rebounded
The Sandow Clowns All Laughter Show, Town Hall, Accrington, 11.30am and 2pm. Coffee Morning in aid of Indian earthquake appeal, New Methodist Church, Darwen, 10am-1pm. See Venus, Jupiter and Saturn at the Planet Earth Centre, Bacup Road, Todmorden, 6-
PUPILS in Blackpool will never be "board" again when learning about the perils of drug use after Lancashire County Council launched a special game for use in schools recently. The game, entitled Joint Efforts, puts players into various situations and
FORMER England boss Terry Venables has tipped Rovers duo David Dunn and Matt Jansen for big futures as Sven Goran Eriksson prepares to unveil his first international squad tomorrow. As English football prepares for a new dawn, the young Rovers pair look
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness could be boosted by the return of Stig Inge Bjornebye ahead of tomorrow night's promotion showdown with Bolton at the Reebok. Bjornebye has missed the best part of a month with a knee ligament injury sustained in training
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness could be boosted by the return of Stig Inge Bjornebye ahead of tomorrow night's promotion showdown with Bolton at the Reebok. Bjornebye has missed the best part of a month with a knee ligament injury sustained in training
BOSSES at the Guild Trust have denied rumours that a therapy unit for people with mental health problems is to close. Mental health patients working at a the centre based at the former Whittingham hospital site have attacked bosses for planning to close
A TEENAGER who had two bikes stolen in the just as many weeks has blamed lax security at one of Preston's main retail parks for the loss of his cycles. Andrew Thompson, 17, from Dukes Meadow, Ingol, Preston, had a £200 Silver Barracuda mountain bike and
DOZENS of cat lovers enjoyed a fabuulous day on Saturday at the South Ribble Pet Cat Club 7th annual cat show in Leyland. As well as more than 100 'ordinary' moggies competing for a range of rosettes and trophy prizes there was an exhibition of pedigree
BOGUS salesmen are targeting supporters of the crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers in a callous attempt to obtain money by deception. Police say that several local firms have recently received calls from people claiming to be advertising sales representatives
POLICE are anxious to hear from a number of people who witnessed a vicious attack on a young boy in Preston. On Saturday, February 10, the 14-year-old was playing in the woodland area behind the Asda supermarket in Pittman Way, Fulwood, when he was attacked
COUNCILLORS in Burnley may consider providing a permanent memorial in honour of Lady Mary Towneley who died last week after a long battle against cancer. Tributes to her charity work were paid at last night's full meeting of the council. Members stood
A MAN escaped from his blazing front room by throwing a table through the window and climbing out. James Ellis, 49, of Holbeck Street, Burnley, was said by fire and rescue service station officer Dave Jackson to be extremely lucky to escape serious injury
A WOMAN found at the foot of the stairs at her home in Branch Road, Burnley, died from head injuries including a skull fracture and brain damage. An inquest was told that Jacqueline Davies, 55, who was found dead on January 8, had suffered previous injuries
A DRIVER has undergone surgery after suffering leg injuries in a crash in New Line, Bacup. Paul Gengler, 28, of Huffling Lane, Burnley, was trapped for an hour when the Renault he was driving went out of control, crossed the verge and smashed into a wall
DETECTIVES and fire bosses are investigating an early morning petrol bomb attack at a Burnley office supply company. Today's incident at Acorn Office Equipment Ltd, business equipment suppliers, Systems House, Accrington Road, follows an arson attack
NEW police speed cameras have nicked hundreds of speeding motorists across the district in just a couple of weeks. The camera on Westgate Road captured more than 200 speeders in just one day. And police are claiming that the effect of the cameras can
A TINY cat has used up one of its nine lives after being hit by a car -- but the hunt is on for her owners. The cat, a ginger and white tortoiseshell female, was hit by a taxi in the Scotforth Road area of Lancaster last Wednesday. Sue Preston took the
POLITICAL group leaders on the city council are to get together on Monday to try and find some common ground before the crunch budget meeting next week. Four of the five political groups have produced their own budgets which they believe the cash-strapped
MORECAMBE'S Platform has released its new Spring/Summer brochure revealing a wide and exciting programme of quality events taking place at the seaside venue over the next six months. Just three days after the brochure was first distributed, the Platform
TEN wards in Pendle, which are highlighted in the country's top 20 per cent most disadvantaged areas, will receive a share of more than £6 million for childcare projects. The Department of Education and Employment plans to create 430 nursery places and
DISCOUNT retailer Poundstretcher was continuing its nationwide expansion today by opening a new store in Colne. The store, which was due to open its doors for business at 9am will join the recently opened McDonald's and Matalan on North Valley Retail
A 33-YEAR-OLD father from Colne died after falling from the second floor of Nelson bus station. Mehfooz Hussain, 33, of Lune Street, was taken to Burnley General Hospital with multiple injuries but died an hour later. Police were called to the bus station
PROUD PNE fans opened their arms to The National Football Museum which opened at the club's Deepdale ground recently. The legendary Sir Tom Finney (pictured) and his wife Elsie joined a host of big football names as well as civic dignitaries and business
A MAN found semi-conscious in Accrington town centre on Saturday morning remains critical at the Royal Preston Hospital. Thomas Gibson was taken to the intensive care unit Preston after initially being admitted to Blackburn Infirmary suffering from head
A CLUB boss convicted of serving non-members while holding topless barmaid nights could lose his licence under a prosecution being brought by the police. Mohammed Nasir, of Hyndburn Street, Accrington, was fined a total of £1,000 last month after pleading
A FORMER paramilitary who spent 10 years in the Maze prison was welcomed into a church to help spread the word of God. Billie McCurrie was one of a number of people who took part in an outreach week at the Peel Street Baptist Church, in Accrington. He
PLANS to move Muslims out of a converted working men's club and into a purpose-built mosque have been unveiled. Community leaders in Accrington are hoping a feasibility study will back plans to create a mosque on wasteland in the Lower Antley area of
TOOL suppliers could hold the key to an armed robbery at a supermarket where masked raiders escaped with cash. Detectives want information about the buyers of three large monkey wrenches used by the raiders to threaten staff. They took an undisclosed
I WAS sorry to read the allegations in last week's paper that there had never been any threat to Lancaster City Museum. In fact the city council's cultural review clearly proposed an option for the removal of the museum to Lancaster Town Hall and the
WALKERS are invited to join a series of treks around East Lancashire led by volunteer and countryside rangers. Bill Mason will lead an 'easy pace' six mile walk on Saturday, taking in Saddle and Fairsnape Fells. It should take around four to five hours
GOING to the flicks this week? For a great extensive on-line movie guide have a look at www.thisislancashire.co.uk/lancashire/leisure/movieguide. This week the site reviews the film Pay it Forward. An in-depth review is given to help you decide what to
A FARM worker has been jailed for life after he bludgeoned a friend of 20 years to death in a savage revenge attack. Keith Walmsley, 38, of Jeffrey Avenue, Longridge, battered Peter Metcalfe, of Beech Drive, Longridge, as he lay sleeping beside his wife
THE other week I attended a full council meeting. With five officers and 50 members present, the salaries, member allowances and overheads must have been over £500 an hour. It was soon apparent that no political group would vote to move the museum. But
A NEW site has been launched to keep alive the memory of well-loved pets. St Francis has designed a pet cemetery site which is dedicated to anybody that has ever lost a four-legged friend, where their lives are celebrated with a page on the web. To help
LAYTON Rangers U9s FC will certainly be ready to fly down the wings since BAE Systems have sponsored the team's football kit. The team came first in a draw to decide which team would benefit from the smart BAE strip, and the boys were all smiles upon
BIG time boxing makes a long-awaited return to Blackpool Tower Circus next month. The highlight of the six bout bill which takes place on March 8 sees popular Fylde based fighter Lee Blundell defending his Central Area Light Middleweight Championship
Halton Sims Cross A 36 Blackpool Scorpions A 12 SCORPIONS were still in their cars for most of an extremely poor first half performance which saw the home side run in 24 unanswered points. They allowed the opposition half backs to run them around and
BLACKPOOL RANGERS U9s 7 STAINING 1 (aggregate score) RANGERS A put on a lot of early pressure in this Coulton Cup match with the Staining keeper making some important saves. Jack Taylor scored an early goal after good build up play. Staining equalised
FORTRESS Bloomfield. How about that for the name of our new ground? With a run of five consecutive wins at home without conceding a single goal this our best run since the Billy Ayre days of the early '90s. Although our defence has looked shaky at times
MORECAMBE'S inconsistent season continued with a bore draw against struggling Hednesford on Saturday. The visiting pitmen, who have had nearly as many managers (three) as they have had league victories (four) this term, defended resolutely to grab a point
PLEASURE Island leisure complex in St Annes could be transformed into an ambitious Victorian-style pavilion and exhibition centre if plans from owners Carr Royd Leisure are given the green light. The centre, which would span more than 5,000 square feet
DID you see the Bolton v Blackburn FA cup tie this weekend? The game was eventful enough, but the most striking thing was the state of the pitch -- which one friend described to me as looking like 'mud with white lines drawn on it'. And it isn't the only
BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent was left fuming today after Ian Cox was dramatically whisked away by Trinidad and Tobago for a World Cup qualifier with Jamaica. Ternent thought he had a verbal agreement in place with Trinidad boss Ian Porterfield which meant
BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent will demand more of the same from his players as they build up to Saturday's clash with relegation-haunted Huddersfield. "The victory over Fulham should have done a lot for confidence but let us see what happens on Saturday first
GARETH Taylor is hoping he does enough in his loan spell to secure a permanent deal at Turf Moor. The Manchester City striker has only played one game for the Clarets so far -- Tuesday night's 2-1 victory over league leaders Fulham -- but he is impressed
STAFF at Marks and Spencer in Blackpool town centre have raised £4,000 over the year for the Macmillian Windmill Appeal which the company matched, bringing the total to £8,000. Macmillan fundraiser Elaine Fossett says the total raised for the charity
A BLACKPOOL photographic printer has snapped up yet another award. Keith Rothwell, one of the partners at Pro-lab Photographic Laboratory on Blackpool and Fylde Industrial Estate, has won the first Agfa National Colour Printer of the Year award -- his
A CASH boost has been given to those with their hands in one of Blackpool's most colourful and fun-filled events. The organisers of Blackpool's highly successful Puppet Up! festival, Blackpool Town Centre Forum, have just been awarded £44,000 towards
PLEASURE Island leisure complex in St Annes could be transformed into an ambitious Victorian-style pavilion and exhibition centre if plans from owners Carr Royd Leisure are given the green light. The centre, which would span more than 5,000 square feet
BLACKPOOL Victoria Hospital's in house radio station received a shot in the arm this week as a grant of £400 was awarded to upgrade broadcasting equipment -- thanks to the keen initiative of one volunteer radio presenter. John Hunter, who is a supervisor
RUMOURS that the council plans to sell off Blackpool Airport were fuelled again this week after bosses at Manchester Airport said they would be interested in buying it. This came in the week when Manchester Airport bought East Midlands and Bournemouth
FOUR masked raiders escaped with £25,000-worth of cash and cigarettes from a Radcliffe shop. The men stormed into the Pipe Bowl in Church Street West yesterday afternoon and attacked the shopkeeper. He was punched, knocked to the ground and kicked. The
A MAN posing as a policeman stopped a cyclist to tell him he was carrying out a random drug test then pulled him off his bike. The cyclist was dragged into a back yard where a second man demanded money. When the victim said he had nothing they wrestled
HEALTH watchdogs have lobbied Bury's two MPs over the threat surrounding the future of the town's Community Health Council. The Government wants to wind up the bodies nationwide but it could replace them with new patients' councils under a major shake-up
GARETH Taylor is hoping he does enough in his loan spell to secure a permanent deal at Turf Moor. The Manchester City striker has only played one game for the Clarets so far -- Tuesday night's 2-1 victory over league leaders Fulham -- but he is impressed
MANAGERS at Blackburn-based Dauphin plc took a back seat when their workers took centre stage for the company's Employee of the Year awards. The German-owned office seating manufacturer, which saw sales increase by more than 20 per cent last year, introduced
LANCASHIRE'S textile and clothing industry can now turn to cyberspace to discover the support that the Government is making available. Textiles Minister Patricia Hewitt has launched a new website which outlines the assistance that is available in areas
BURY coach Billy Ayre has revealed why Liverpool loan star Jon Newby has been such a success - because he's not stuck up! Ayre said that though Newby played for a Premiership club and was used to some of the best footballing facilities in the country,
MORE THAN 30 years of loyal service by one of Darwen's most familiar faces has been rewarded by the town's cricket club. The new lounge at Darwen CC's Birch Hall ground has been named the Peter Lamster Lounge, in honour of his work as both secretary and
PLEASURE Island leisure complex in St Annes could be transformed into an ambitious Victorian-style pavilion and exhibition centre if plans from owners Carr Royd Leisure are given the green light. The centre, which would span more than 5,000 square feet
STAFF at Blackpool Central Library are revelling in new-found glory after receiving a national award for the quality of their services and customer care. Far from being just a "lend a book, give it back" service, bosses at Blackpool library are delighted
BUBBLY Laura Jaye is hoping to become the next presenter on GMTV's children's programme Diggit. The Blackpool teenager, pictured here, has got through to the final 20 out of 9,000 hopefuls and and over the weekend viewers saw just how she did it! The
BOGUS workmen robbed a pensioner of £4,000 after conning their way into his home. The thieves stopped at the 86-year-old man's house in Kirkham Avenue, Blackpool, at 10.45am on February 7 with a ladder. While one man went up the ladder, the other went
BLACKPOOL Borough Council needs more cash -- and that's the view of an independent report into the town's financial state. A new study by a council funding expert says the council will have to increase taxes to pay for education and care. But opposition
REAL ale fans can indulge in a mellow pint of Black Cat or a draft of the alarmingly named Skullsplitter this week at the 19th Fleetwood Beer Festival. They are just two of the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) award winning beers that will be on offer at
ONE of Blackpool's three special schools could be closed following a review of special education provision by Blackpool Borough Council. The fate of Woodlands, Park and Highfurlong School, pictured here, was to be decided at a meeting of the Education
A BLACKPOOL pressure group fighting the planned overhaul of bus routes is vowing to continue its battle, even though council chiefs have given the scheme their full backing. Eric Dodymeade, a resident of Reades Avenue in Blackpool and leader of the Whinpark
THREE A-level students at Blackburn College are set to be Oxford and Cambridge bound after receiving offers from the top universities. Graham Peacock, a former student of Pleckgate High School, Blackburn, has been offered a place at Churchill College
BLACKBURN Rovers' ground was the setting for a family fun day set up to let people know about a scheme for families with young children. The Sure Start initiative is targeted at families with youngsters under four-years-old and aims to give children in
BOLLYWOOD-style DVDs are being imported into the country without being checked for violence and sex, according to trading standards chiefs in Blackburn and Darwen. Officers have seized thousands of DVDs and videos in raids during the last two months and
A MAN was shot dead in a gangland-style assassination after three men wearing balaclavas burst into a house on a Blackburn estate early today. Darren Bell, of Blackburn, died on the operating table of Blackburn Royal Infirmary after he was shot in the
PARAMEDICS, doctors, firefighters and policemen could soon be looking in your fridge to try to save your life -- and they aren't planning to put you on a diet! Instead, they hope that by taking a quick peek inside your chiller chest they will be able
SOCCER: Ramsbottom's games at home to St Helens on Saturday and against Maine Road on Tuesday have been postponed as a mark of respect to manager Ken Bridge, who died of a suspected heart attack after Tuesday's game against Cheadle Town. North West Counties
I DO not think I was renamed Rip Van Winkle but I may as well have been. As an ardent reader of the letters page I feel I am at least entitled to pass a criticism of our so-called tourist industry or what is left of it! They write in criticising the council
WITH hundreds of UNISON members striking over job losses and downsizing of public services by Blackpool's cash-strapped Labour-led Council, where are the hypocritical Labour MPs? Let me explain. Apart from the obvious outrage that I share with the residents
IN commenting on a public meeting a Lib Dem spokesman claims that Blackpool will not get a new conference centre unless this is part of a big casino complex. A change in gambling laws will determine whether the latter will be built or not. The government
THE packed meeting which was arranged to question Council bosses about their supposed plans to regenerate the town was far from successful as no one appeared to come away with any degree of optimism for the future of the local economy. Quite disappointingly
NORTH End's youth team beat high-flyers Tranmere Rovers 2-1 last week in the North West Youth Alliance League at Preston Sports Arena. But it took a last-gasp strike by Michael Keane to make sure of the hard-fought win. For all both teams' efforts the
DANISH international star Brian Steen Nielsen has offered a "come and get me" plea to Preston boss David Moyes. North End confirmed their interest in the 32-year-old AB Copenhagen midfielder after club officials watched him in action over the weekend.
