Blackburn Music Society Charity Shop, Lord Street West, Blackburn, 10am-4pm. Blackburn Local History Society, Feilden Room, Blackburn Central Library, 7.15pm. Speaker: Jennifer Rennie. "Outside Edge" presented by Blackburn Arts Club, Club Theatre, Gibraltar
IN describing as a failure a campaign to crack down on truancy in East Lancashire, the police chief involved points not to shortcomings by the force, but to a shameful negligence on the part of parents that makes this a huge problem. In fact, the operation
Luton Town 1 Bury 2 A THIRD sending off in three games could not prevent the Shakers recording a fine victory thanks to a wonderful injury time solo goal from Colin Cramb. Bury spent most of the second half on the backfoot after defender Danny Swailes
POWER was off at a number of houses yesterday following a fire at an electricity distribution box. Firefighters were alerted to the blaze, on the corner of Lambeth Road, in the Audley Range area of Blackburn, by a member of the public at 1pm. Two crews
I WOULD like to reassure your readers that plans to lay a new gas pipeline between Samlesbury and Helmshore will not cause the levels of traffic disruption predicted in your article, "Chaos-threat pipe plans put on hold" (LET, April 14). The pipeline,
IWAS delighted to read (LET, April 16) that Blackburn's Corporation Park is to be restored to its former glory. As a child during the war years, I spent many happy hours there with my mother and little sister while our rather was in the RAF. We used to
THEY say the countryside isn't closed. Don't forget the many people who visit the countryside purely and simply to immerse themselves in the fellside and forget about the pressures of everyday life. I live for the weekend, not to hit the pubs and clubs
A FOOTSORE father went on the march to spare his son bumps and bruises. Mr Steven Yates undertook a gruelling sponsored walk from his home in Saxon Close, Bury, to Haslingden Sports Centre to raise money for the Bury Shukokai Karate Club. He presented
THREE women, all in their 70s, were attacked in the street during separate handbag snatches in the Bury area during the weekend. A 76-year-old woman was grabbed around the waist and thrown to the ground yesterday afternoon when she was attacked in Clarks
HEALTH chiefs were today investigating whether a man admitted to hospital with meningitis has contracted a rare strain of the virus brought over from Saudi Arabia. And Asian communities across East Lancashire were today urged to be vigilant to look out
PRIMARY school children got an "eggs-tra" treat by winning a consumer awareness competition. They tasted success in the annual Easter Egg Value for Money competition run by council trading standards officers. The local winners were pupils at Springside
Doncaster Rovers 4 Leigh RMI 0 STEVE Waywell and his Leigh RMI side must want the season to end right now, after their defensive frailties were exposed in dramatic style by Doncaster Rovers. Leigh were outplayed in every sense of the word and should have
Leigh Centurions 32, Dewsbury Rams 18 IT'S not every day that a team knocks over the Grand Final winners - and then get's a roasting! But that was the case for the NFP runaway leaders Leigh yesterday who suffered an attack of the horrors after building
RAIN kept some people away from the St George's Day celebrations in Towneley Park in Burnley, but organisers are confident of breaking even. Only a handful of charity stalls supported the event, but Burnley Dog Rescue put on an agility display in the
EAST Lancashire-born BBC TV boss Peter Salmon is to marry ex-Coronation Street star Sarah Lancashire. A national newspaper said former Burnley St Theodore's RC High School student Mr Salmon, 44, proposed during a romantic holiday in New York over Easter
POLICE are appealing for witness to a fail to stop accident in Leeds Road, Nelson. Razwan Fiaz, 19, was driving his Ford Fiesta near to the junction with Barkerhouse Road when he swerved towards the centre of the road to avoid a dog. Traffic unit sergeant
'LOOKING Back' reader Bill Officer tells of the early 1930s and his classmates at the old Cherry Tree C. of E. School in Blackburn, with happy memories of school days very different from those now. "There were no school uniforms, no school dinners, no
CAN readers cast light on a memorial window, dedicated to a leading East Lancashire trade union chief who represented nearly a quarter of a million textile employees before he died in 1925? So well known and respected was Joseph Cross, of Blackburn, who
WHEN Cabinet Minister George Tomlinson called at an East Lancashire cotton mill 53 years ago, he didn't need telling how the looms worked -- as he had started work in the very same weaving shed as a 12-year-old lad 46 years earlier. But its oldest worker
A COLNE resident who has had enough of heavy goods vehicles driving past his house is appealing to anyone who may have photographic evidence that a weight restriction sign was once in place on the road. The man, who did not want to be named, has called
Hindley residents are being asked to be 'Alan Titchmarsh' for the day and come up with ideas for a park makeover. Council bosses have decided to give Leyland Park a new look. But before they let the parks department loose they want to know what local
Police said Susan Johnson, who had not been seen since April 12, was found in London yesterday and was expected home today. Mrs Johnson, 48, of Grindleton Road, West Bradford, went missing after leaving her brother's house in Southend, saying she was
POLICE are appealing for information about a pensioner who has been missing since the weekend. Ruby Haslam, 72, was seen by neighbours visiting Waddington Cemetery, Clitheroe, yesterday afternoon before getting a taxi to her son's house in the Crescent
CLARETS fans have besieged the Turf Moor ticket office in their clamour for potential Premiership football. Burnley are on target to beat this season's record sales figure of 12,000 season-tickets with over £1 million in revenue set to pour into the club's
BIRMINGHAM City manager Trevor Francis was happy to keep Burnley at arm's length in the play-off race following their Turf Moor stalemate. The Blues are without a win in ten League games but Saturday's goalless draw means they stay six points clear of
Burnley 0 Birmingham City 0 - Pete Oliver's match verdict SO near, yet so far, Burnley will have to do it the very hard way if they are to cap a wonderful season with a play-off appearance. The Clarets are now in a win-or-bust situation as they prepare
CHORLEY posted the only 15 points win of the Northern League's opening-day programme to launch their season in fine style. The highlight of the Chorley innings was a rapid 64 from the stylish Nigel Heaton and, with five of the top six in the order making
LANCASHIRE coach Bob Simpson today hailed Neil Fairbrother's unbeaten century at Taunton on Saturday as "one of the greatest innings I have seen". That sounds like an amazing statement, given Simpson's long and illustrious career as a player and a coach
CHAMPIONS Bacup picked up the Colne Trophy and a Lancashire League win in the first weekend of the 2001 season. They registered a win over Todmorden in the season opener on Saturday against last season's Worsley Cup winners. And in the Lancashire League
A UK marketing roadshow will arrive in East Lancashire later this month to show businesses how they can successfully sell their products and services. The event features a new BBC-produced video 'Spend Less Sell More' along with a seminar which promises
SKIPTON Building Society has offered financial support to all rural communities and related businesses suffering from the consequences of foot and mouth disease. Its East Lancashire branch network of Accrington, Blackburn, Burnley, Clitheroe, Colne and
EAST Lancashire company bosses have been offered a 10-point checklist to help ensure they are paid on time. Recent research carried out among small and medium-sized companies, showed that protecting against late payment is one of the biggest problems
BURY boss Andy Preece paid a special tribute to midfield man Chris BIlly after revealing the player's grandmother had died the day before the match. Billy rang Preece telling the manager he did not want to play because of the family death. However, an
POLICE from the road traffic unit targeted motorbikers around the Belmont and Rivington areas yesterday to try and improve bike safety. Members of the Eastern Division Road Policing Unit, the Blackburn with Darwen Road Safety Unit and Lancashire County
A BEDROOM at Crestmoor children's home, Unity Way, Haslingden Old Road, Rawtenstall, was damaged by fire. Youngsters and staff were evacuated safely when the incident occurred at about 11pm last night. The room was damaged by smoke and the incident is
A NEW group which provides companionship for the elderly needs more volunteers to help put some sun in to their Sundays. Contact the Elderly needs more drivers and hosts to help lonely, older, inhabitants of Journal-land enjoy socialising. The charity
HEALTH chiefs want your views about new trust plans. Wigan and Bolton Health Authority are proposing setting-up a new Primary Care Trust (PCT) and they hope being bigger will help people get better. Plans would mean from next April integrating GP services
POLICE are investigating after an attack on a house when a brick was thrown through a window followed by a bottle of flammable liquid. Firefighters were called to the house, in Hazel Close, Blackburn, at around 11pm yesterday. They said the son of the
AN EAST Lancashire church is putting on a special excursion to celebrate 125 years of a famous train route. St James Church, in Blackburn, is to run a special excursion train which will travel the full length of the scenic Settle to Carlisle railway line
MUM Sarah Gibson had only one person in mind when choosing a godmother for her baby who was born prematurely and had to battle to survive. Best friend Hayley O'Callaghan had battled through a similar ordeal 19 years ago when she was was the youngest and
HOME Secretary Jack Straw has praised Lancashire Police for beating the national and North West average for recruiting new constables. The force has almost doubled the number of trainee officers in the last 12 months. In 1999/2000 it put 87 would-be bobbies
A BOUNCER escaped an immediate prison sentence for his third offence of driving while disqualified because he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder after a vicious attack outside a town centre pub. Blackburn magistrates heard that Stuart Shand
HEALTH chiefs were today investigating whether a man admitted to hospital with meningitis has contracted a rare strain of the virus brought over from Saudi Arabia. And Asian communities across East Lancashire were today urged to be vigilant to look out
Nantwich Town 2 Great Harwood Town 0 MANAGER Denis Underwood had to play himself for the first time this season to overcome an injury crisis for Great Harwood. And the veteran keeper was caught lining up his wall for the first goal on the stroke of half-time
AN opportunist hat-trick, his third of the season, by leading scorer Danny Mills took his haul to 25 and gave the Chorley a comfortable victory over Matlock, one of the UniBond First Division's most improved sides. Mills gave the home team a painful lesson
Atherton LR 2 Darwen 1 DARWEN conceded a late goal to lose 2-1 at Atherton -- on possibly the worst ground in NWCL Division Two. On a pitch that manager Steve Wilkes described as 'dangerous' because of the length of the grass, Darwen went ahead just a
SAM ALLARDYCE'S men are refusing to give up the fight for automatic promotion as the season reaches a nail biting climax. Their nervy 1-0 win over Norwich ended their home hoodoo and at the same time saw them close to within a point of Blackburn Rovers
ADAM Potts, Richard Stephens and Mark Hall were all missing and by half time Bacup had also lost the services of Glen Attuquayfio, Paul Wane and Karl Stanley which did not help their cause. But the game was still there for the taking. Several chances
Newcastle Town 4 Ramsbottom Utd 0 RAMSBOTTOM United's title aspirations took a knock as they were beaten at Newcastle. The home side had some good possession in the opening minutes and Neil Pestridge headed a Michael Bates free kick a yard wide. With
REGARDING the council's destruction of daffodils in Blackburn, I think it's absolute sacrilege. The daffodils help to brighten up this dreary old town. I am surprised at people complaining about how untidy daffodils look when they are dying. It's a pity
REGARDING the blitz by the police and education welfare departments of Lancashire County Council and Blackburn with Darwen Council to get kids back to school, what about streets and other areas of towns not covered by this initiative? Don't the parents
A GANG of scooter enthusiasts led the way during a fun-packed celebration on the eve of St George's Day. In a bid to raise the profile of England's patron saint, the group held their party at the Railway in Atherton, renamed the George and Dragon for
HAVE-A-GO grandad Michael Hiluta was praised today after he chased a mugger who snatched a purse from two elderly sisters. Michael caught up with the thief and returned the stolen purse to the pensioner victim who said: "There is nobody better." The sisters
WOLVES boss Dave Jones praised keeper Michael Oakes after his second half heroics left Rovers frustrated at Molineux. In a bad-tempered encounter, Wolves shaded a keenly contested first half in which George Ndah struck the woodwork with a close range
Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 Blackburn Rovers 0 - Andy Neild's match verdict THE Easter fair might have packed up and shipped out of Blackburn's Witton Park this weekend but Rovers' rollercoaster ride towards the Premiership shows no signs of abating after
BEER lovers would be mad to miss a festival in Nelson where top European beers rarely seen outside their home-brewed country will be on tap. The Station freehouse landlord John Clayton has imported cask-conditioned beers from the Czech republic, Germany
RESIDENTS in Pendle had their say on plans for a new community facility in Nelson West. The council has secured regeneration funding from the government to create the facility in the area between Carr Road and Manchester Road. An informal meeting was
TAKING a dip in Pendle's pools was a popular pastime this weekend with prices fixed at 1974 rates -- 10p for children and 20p for adults. To celebrate the relaunch of Pendle Leisure Trust, the organisation looked back at the start of Pendle Leisure Services
Bridgewater Hall, Manchester HOW exciting and inspiring to hear a fantastic recital such as this, by two of our best loved singers, working together to produce an evening of song that so far outshines any I have ever heard before. The resonance of it
DAVID Baron got the shock of his life when his electric blanket caught fire during the night. David, of Kiln House Way, Oswaldtwistle, shot out of bed. Fortunately, nobody was hurt but the bed had a big black hole in the middle.
TWO teenage girls were rescued by firefighters after getting stuck almost 20ft up a tree. Accrington fire brigade were called to fields at the back of Fairfield Street, Accrington. Ladders were put up and the girls were lifted to safety -- unhurt but
A FIRE at a former private hire company's base is being investigated by police. Firefighters fought the blaze at the Red Rose offices, in Blackburn Road, Accrington, at 2.30pm yesterday. A spokesman said there were signs of forced entry and the fire was
A FIRE which completely destroyed a car at a scrapyard on Alliance Street, Baxenden, is believed to have been started deliberately. Firefighters were called to the yard shortly after 1am this morning and found a scrap car gutted by the flames and the
A TEENAGER dubbed a menace by a judge has lost a fight to have a term of detention cut. The 17-year-old Accrington youth, who had been given an 18 month detention and training order by Hyndburn Youth Court, had his appeal against sentence thrown out at
FAMILIES with children aged under four are to benefit from a £2 million boost. The Sure Start programme, which aims to reduce poverty and social exclusion in deprived areas, has already been established in Darwen and is now starting up in Hyndburn. It
DARWEN got their Northern League campaign off to a flying start as they cruised to an eight wickets win over Lancaster at Birch Hall. Professional Keith Semple and Gareth Cordingley both helping themselves to four wickets apiece and Semple then hit a
ALEX Scholefield made a dream start to his professional career with a hat trick in Earby's crushing nine wicket victory over Oswaldtwistle Immanuel. The former Todmorden amateur turned in an impressive performance of 7-32 as Oswaldtwistle were skittled
NEW arrival Steve Oddy made the perfect start to his Transco Lancashire League career when he claimed a hat-trick in Todmorden's opening day win over Colne. The former Rochdale player reduced Colne to 6-3 as he included new Colne professional Marcus North
THE driver of a bin wagon is still receiving counselling following an accident in which a teenage cyclist was crushed beneath its wheels, an inquest heard. Driver John Long told a Bury inquest how he is still receiving counselling as a result of the accident
STRIKER Gareth Taylor today extended his loan spell at Turf Moor as boss Stan Ternent bids to keep Burnley's play-off dream alive. Taylor ended his second month on loan from Manchester City in Saturday's goalless draw with Birmingham City. But Ternent
LITTLE Israeli Eyal Berkovic today described Rovers' trip to Grimsby tomorrow as a Cup final after Graeme Souness's promotion chasers saw their lead over Bolton slashed to just a point at the weekend. While Wanderers picked up their first victory at the
BACUP-born opera singer Sean Ruane is flying the patriotic flag after being chosen to sing on a television advertisement for the new England football shirt. The advertisement, which appeared on commercial stations this week, features Sean singing the
HAVE-A-GO grandad Michael Hiluta was praised today after he chased a mugger who snatched a purse from two elderly sisters. Michael caught up with the thief and returned the stolen purse to the pensioner victim who said: "There is nobody better." The sisters
ANYONE suffering from writer's block or from a decline in artistic creativity is invited to attend an 11 week programme in creative writing, hosted by the Women's Centre at 25 Wellington Road, Blackburn. The course, which starts on Thursday, will include
VANDALS caused hundreds of pounds of damage when they went on a rampage at a school. Anne Wilson, headteacher of St Stephen's Primary School, in Rothington Road, Little Harwood, said a television aerial had been ripped off, a gate torn from its hinges
A PROPERTY magnate from East Lancashire is building a fortune which has made him one of the richest men in Britain. John Whittaker -- originally from Edenfield and now living in the Isle of Man -- stands at number 56 in the Sunday Times Rich List 2001
THE owners of Blackburn's Lord Square today pledged to move swiftly to fill a prominent building which is set to be vacated. Following Blackburn with Darwen Council's decision to approve plans for the Halifax to merge its two branches into one inside
PADIHAM completed their fourth North West Counties Football League Division Two double of the season on Saturday, when they comfortably beat Bootle 3-0 at the Kirby Sports Stadium. Lee Chambers kept his remarkable goal scoring form intack with a decisive
Rossendale 2 Maine Road 0 ROSSENDALE got their promotion push back on track with this home win against a plucky Maine Road. However, home fans' nerves were left jangling before hot shot Craig Sargeson left the bench to plant an unstoppable drive past
A SUPERB first half performance saw Stanley net four times against a woeful Droylsden side who could have conceded more. Stanley had an early scare when Jamie Speare mispunched a cross to Chris Young and his goal-bound shot was blocked on the goal line
FOR Neil Hodgson, there was no debate. Phillip Island was no place for macho posturing. Stinking weather, the kind more associated with Oswaldtwistle than Australia, had turn the treacherous conditions of the first race in the World Superbike championship
BURY'S two MPs are to thrash out their differences with the 13 hospital doctors who publicly criticised them over local NHS funding. Labour politicians David Chaytor and Ivan Lewis will hold a meeting with the consultants to clear the air following a
