Archive

  • It's your fault if you drink drive

    EVERY year at this time police launch campaigns to discourage people from putting lives at risk by drink driving over the Christmas and New Year period. And every year, despite all the warnings, drivers are caught over the limit either at roadside checkpoints

  • Did Romans plan an invasion here?

    KNOTT End -- the name means a hill close to the coast -- is one of my favourite birdwatching places but there are plenty of historic spots to enjoy. I began my trip, which was wet and windy, by looking out on a high tide. Waves were breaking on an area

  • 'Problems' shut store

    A TOWN centre store has been closed because of structural problems. British Home Stores, in Blackburn shopping centre, was shut yesterday. Its manager said there had been "structural problems" but refused to be more specific. When asked if the store would

  • Tributes to journalist

    BLACKBURN-BORN broadcaster and journalist Alan Fawcett has died at the age of 50. He was taken ill before Rovers' Worthington Cup game at Wigan on Tuesday night and died in hospital the following day. Alan, who worked in the commercial department at Rovers

  • Mexico holidays charges

    A MAN has appeared before Blackburn magistrates charged with deception offences involving holidays to Mexico, a Mercedes car and air travel. Edward John Van Vessen, 26, currently living in Hollywell Drive, Preston, and formerly of FA Halleweg 11, Amstelveen

  • Only one bus service for me

    REGARDING a new operator "muscling in" on the popular 346 bus route from Accrington to Darwen (via Blackburn town centre), which traditionally has been run by Blackburn Transport, I have used this route for several years and I have always been impressed

  • Where am I, says drunken man in police cell

    A DRUNK man, involved in late night trouble in Burnley, couldn't believe how he had behaved when later he was awakened in a police cell. The town's magistrates heard how Kevin Smith, 24, had not the remotest idea where he was or what he was doing there

  • Swanny slips up again

    A SWAN which crashed landed into a wall during his first flying lesson was in trouble again this week, getting stuck in an icy canal. Swanny, named by vets who patched him up after his flying accident, was rescued from the icy waters near Barden Lane,

  • Assurances given over new crime fighters scheme

    THE head of the Lancashire Police Federation is assuring the people of Burnley that its new community crime fighters are not policing on the cheap. Concerns have been raised after the move to put 14 crime prevention workers on the streets of Lancashire

  • Super college plan for Burnley

    FURTHER education in Burnley has received a major boost after plans to create a super college for the town were revealed. The scheme is aimed at providing school leavers with some of the best education in the country. Under the plans, Habergham High School

  • Newby on target, but Dale hit back

    SHAKERS 1, ROCHDALE 1: JON Newby hit the goal trail again in the 62nd minute, but Rochdale equalised four minutes later in a Lancashire derby draw at Gigg Lane. Full report and all the reaction later.

  • Hubby held over wife's death

    A BRIERFIELD man accused of murdering his wife has been remanded to await trial. John Boyes, aged 66, of Elland Road, pleaded not guilty at a Preston Crown Court hearing to murdering Celia Boyes on July 23. A trial date has been set for January 27. The

  • Worst time of my life

    A FIREMAN today spoke of the worst year of his life after he was cleared of impersonating a police officer during a bust-up with a woman motorist. Nick Isherwood, 42, a station officer at Nelson Fire Station, said the case should never have been brought

  • Youngsters get their skate park

    YOUNG people in Barnoldswick who told the council they needed more activities to keep them occupied have finally seen their persistence and involvement pay off with the launch of a new skate park. Local children have spent their spare time raising cash

  • Open verdict on death of drug addict

    AN inquest has failed to establish how a drug addict who took a massive amount of anti depressants and a heroin substitute died. George Lewis Shepherd, 54, was found at his home in St Leger Court, Accrington, by friends on September 18. The inquest in

  • Council's pledge on danger cabs

    HYNDBURN Council has pledged to keep up the pressure on taxi drivers to make vehicles are safe for passengers. Results of a series of checks announced this week revealed that police pulled two thirds of the vehicles they checked off the road immediately

  • Chemists on Duty

    SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22 BLACKBURN:noon-1pm: Shadsworth Pharmacy, 221 Shadsworth Road. DARWEN: noon-1pm: Boots Chemists, 8 Market Street. ACCRINGTON: 11am-1pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 13 Peel Street; noon-1pm: Nash Chemists, 322 Union Road, Oswaldtwistle. CLITHEROE

  • Chemists on Duty

    WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 25 BLACKBURN: 10am-1pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road; noon-1pm: Moss Pharmacy, 98 Audley Range. DARWEN: noon-1pm: Geloo Bros Ltd, 14 Union Street. ACCRINGTON: 11am-noon: Bentley's Chemist, 42 Avenue Parade; noon-1pm: Nash Chemists

  • Chemists on Duty

    MONDAY, DECEMBER 23 BLACKBURN: To 9pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 4-6 Railway Road; Cohen, 63 Whalley Range. To 8pm: Johnston Pharmacy, 50-52 Johnston Street. To 7.30pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road. To 7pm: Moss Pharmacy, 314 Bolton Road; The Pharmacy, Oakenhurst

  • Top chef Lisa show 'em how

    HOMELESS youngsters got a taste of the 'Delias' when an award-winning chef came to cook at a shelter for the homeless. Langho-based restaurant Northcote Manor sent along 21-year-old chef Lisa Allen, finalist in the UK Chef of the Year Award 2002, to present

  • Lies, damn lies and statistics...

    WHEN it comes to football, there are enough books of records and statistics to fill Turf Moor. In the modern age the obsession with all things statistical seems to be growing as we are told how many shots teams have in a game, the number of times they've

  • Turf Beat

    Burnley's fans, players and reporters may be moaning about the long trips to Gillingham and Brighton either side of Christmas but one player is looking forward to a bit of sleep. Clarets striker Gareth Taylor celebrated the birth of his second son, Finlay

  • Santa's Tyldesley route

    FATHER Christmas is hitting the streets aboard Tyldesley Rotary Club's sleigh. December 20-22: Somerfields, Shuttle Street.

  • Dad over limit the day after

    A "GOOD DRINK" to celebrate the Christening of his baby daughter cost Marcus Mullen his driving licence when he was breathalysed the following day. Blackburn magistrates heard that Mullen was stopped in the afternoon of the following day but was still

  • Flood-hit tourist railway back on track

    THE popular East Lancashire Railway is back on track once more after being hit by floods and badly damaged earlier this year. Since the busy Bury to Rawtenstall tourist line was hit by the bad weather the East Lancashire Railway has only been able to

  • Nightclub site set to be police HQ

    BACUP Bobbies are a step closer to moving into a new £500,000 headquarters -- in a former nightclub. Officials are currently in the final stages of thrashing out a deal with the Co-op and Rossendale Borough Council, which jointly own the former Horace's

  • Residents take pride as derelict sites are revamped

    COMMUNITY members in Whitebirk are celebrating after improvements have been made at two previously derelict sites. Money from Barclays SiteSavers has been used by Groundwork Blackburn to carry out the environmental improvements at the Delph Lane Community

  • Soldier teacher returns from Kabul

    A PLECKGATE history teacher will return to the classroom after spending three months in Afghanistan. Adam Gagan, 27, has been in the country's capital Kabul with the Territorial Army, helping full-time squaddies with peacekeeping operations. He helped

  • Funeral rumours led to inquiry into fire

    RUMOURS that circulated at the funeral of chip-pan fire victim Wayne Fletcher caused police to launch an investigation into his death. But an inquest heard that although a person had been arrested and interviewed in connection with the incident, the police

  • Town centre bridge may be illuminated

    DARWEN Street bridge could be illuminated at night in a bid to make a more attractive entrance into Blackburn. The bridge is one of several structures being looked at by Blackburn with Darwen Council as part of a project designed to bring the town centre

  • £500 reward if you shop a drink-driver

    MOTORISTS are being told there will be no excuses if they are caught drink-driving over the Christmas period. And people are being offered a £50 to £500 reward to shop their friends who drive while over the limit by using a new hotline. The Lancashire

  • Union Jack policeman warned over his conduct

    A POLICEMAN has been warned about his future conduct by force bosses over a Union Jack inside a patrol vehicle. The officer received "words of advice" after the postcard-sized flag was spotted by a colleague while they were working at a Blackburn Rovers

  • Medical advice to cut festive waits

    HEALTH bosses have issued an appeal for people to help themselves over Christmas and avoid a lengthy wait for treatment. Blackburn with Darwen Primary Care Trust has issued advice about self-care because many illnesses can be managed easily at home. A

  • DVT woman court blow

    A DAMAGES action against airlines about deep vein thrombosis (DVT) has been blocked by a High Court judge. The ruling was a blow for a group of 55 survivors of DVT, including a Bury woman, and relatives of those who died who are seeking damages from 27

  • One Fort in the Grave...with KEITH FORT

    Dear Santa. PLEASE, please, please don't send me another pair of socks. Or, for that matter, another pair of gloves. Or more kerchiefs. I say kerchiefs because I seem to remember that is how they were described when I started receiving hankies as Christmas

  • Why chefs are just fed up with turkey

    HERE'S a culinary conundrum for cooks this Christmas: should you stick with tradition or try something new? One the one hand, custom dictates that dinner should be turkey with all the trimmings. Christmas just wouldn't be the same without it. But on the

  • Stadium in the wrong place

    IT now appears to be another case of self-inflicted agony. I refer to the siting of Blackburn Rovers stadium at Ewood -- no good for fans; no good for residents. Guide is where it should be. Too late! SAM SPENCE, Ribblesdale Place, Blackburn.

  • Is nursery service at risk?

    IS Chapels Nursery School another sad loss for the community of Darwen? As a parent and someone who lives in Darwen, I am concerned to say the last, about the proposal to change the use of what is probably one of the best purpose-built nursery schools

  • Let's work together for peace

    ONCE more the year draws to a close and the time for reflection is upon us. Life is busier than ever at the Lancashire Council of Mosques, an umbrella body for the county's mosques which aims to represent the views of the Muslim community in Lancashire

  • Union Jack policeman warned over his conduct

    A POLICEMAN has been warned about his future conduct by force bosses over a Union Jack inside a patrol vehicle. The officer received "words of advice" after the postcard-sized flag was spotted by a colleague while they were working at a Blackburn Rovers

  • Super college plan for Burnley

    FURTHER education in Burnley has received a major boost after plans to create a super college for the town were revealed. The scheme is aimed at providing school leavers with some of the best education in the country. Under the plans, Habergham High School

  • Ewood Beat

    ROVERS midfielder David Thompson earned a place in the Opta Index Premiership team of the week for his performance at Everton. Back on Merseyside, Thompson tormented the Toffees rearguard with 13 deliveries into the box, including the cross for Andy Cole's

  • It will be tough says Souness

    WHATEVER the result from the Premiership clash at Ewood Park tomorrow, Rovers and United will meet again next month in the two-legged Worthington Cup semi-final. Rovers have confirmed the dates for their two-legged Worthington Cup semi-final clash with

  • Ex-Rover Pickering catches up with old friends

    EWOOD legend Fred Pickering got the chance to meet up with a few old friends when he was invited to be the guest of honour at last week's game between Rovers and Everton. The Merseyside club are currently celebrating 100 years of top-flight football and

  • United front!

    BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness today backed Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke to gun down Manchester United as they prepare to face their old club at Ewood tomorrow. The former Reds duo will spearhead Souness's attack as Rovers attempt to put a spanner in United's

  • Not keen on Mr Keane

    KEITH Gillespie hopes he has done enough to warrant a place in the starting line-up to take on former club Manchester United tomorrow. But there is one player who the Blackburn Rovers winger hopes is a million miles away from a comeback - Roy Keane. The

  • Religious centre given interim approval

    A RELIGIOUS tuition centre at a house in Vaughan Street, Nelson, has been given temporary permission to continue operating, despite objections from concerned residents. However, controls have been placed on the number of pupils attending. The centre is

  • Club boss speaks out after police get it wrong

    A NIGHTCLUB boss has spoken out to defend his venue after police wrongly claimed they had raided the premises looking for drugs. Ian Jackson, owner of Monroe's Club, on Wood Street, Great Harwood, was angry when details of a police swoop were released

  • Postal voting to increase turn-out

    NEXT year's elections in Hyndburn will be all postal for the first time in a bid to increase voter turnout. The innovative pilot postal voting scheme has been approved by the government. The scheme will mean everyone who is eligible to vote next May will

  • Chemists on Duty

    THURSDAY, DECEMBER 26 BLACKBURN: 10am-1pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road; noon-1pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 4-6 Railway Road. DARWEN: noon-1pm: Geloo Bros Lts, 14 Union Street. ACCRINGTON: 10am-noon: Aston Pharmacy, 351 Blackburn Road; noon-1pm: EB Haworth

  • Chemists on Duty

    FRIDAY, DECEMBER 27 BLACKBURN: To 9pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 4-6 Railway Road; Cohen, 63 Whalley Range. To 8pm: Johnston Pharmacy, 50-52 Johnston Street. To 7.30pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road. To 7pm: Moss Pharmacy, 314 Bolton Road; The Pharmacy, Oakenhurst

  • Chemiss on Duty

    TUESDAY, DECEMBER 24 BLACKBURN: To 9pm: Lloyds Pharmacy, 4-6 Railway Road; Cohen, 63 Whalley Range. To 8pm: Johnston Pharmacy, 50-52 Johnston Street. To 7.30pm: Aston Pharmacy, 95 Accrington Road. To 7pm: The Pharmacy, Oakenhurst Road; Geloo Bros, Cleaver

  • Busy time of year for Liversedge

    WHILE most of the country is winding down for Christmas, Burnley physio Ian Liversedge suddenly finds himself the busiest man at Turf Moor. "It is amazing how these things happen like this," he said. "When we played Manchester United a few weeks ago we

  • Have the Clarets been good boys

    IN a few days time Santa will be flying over Turf Moor with his sack full of gifts, but what is on the wish list for those below? Well to start with the club itself, perhaps if they aren't to get the £4million they are owed by ITV Digital they would settle

  • Busy time of year for Liversedge

    WHILE most of the country is winding down for Christmas, Burnley physio Ian Liversedge suddenly finds himself the busiest man at Turf Moor. "It is amazing how these things happen like this," he said. "When we played Manchester United a few weeks ago we

  • United front!

    BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness today backed Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke to gun down Manchester United as they prepare to face their old club at Ewood tomorrow. The former Reds duo will spearhead Souness's attack as Rovers attempt to put a spanner in United's

  • Fish and chip shop deal sealed

    COMMERCIAL property specialists Kings Business Transfer have wrapped up the sale of a Lancashire fish and chip shop. The agents announced the completion of the sale for The Village Chippy in Stubbins, near Ramsbottom, this week. "There is always a lot

  • Making a new kind of music

    A BAND of musicians and poets are looking for new members to help with an experimental musical experiment. The Rossendale group are currently looking for new members to help integrate music with poetry. This could be in the form of single musician or

  • Fears for pub attack man's life

    A PRISON officer was left suffering minor brain damage when he tried to break up a pub fight. Barry Bishop was smashed over the head with a piece of wood in a beating which left one witness fearing he would be killed, Burnley Crown Court heard. Andrew

  • Calculating on cash

    A YOUNG maths genius has raised cash for charity by pitting her wits against one of the world's greatest numerical mysteries. Kathryn Wesley, 17, a pupil at Westholme School, Blackburn, raised £500 for the Christie Hospital by reciting Pi from memory.

  • Unsafe car costs trader almost £2,000

    A CAR trader faces a bill of nearly £2,000 after selling an unsafe car. Gordon Horne, aged 45, of Patterdale Avenue, Blackburn pleaded guilty to supplying a car in a dangerously unroadworthy condition contrary to the Road Traffic Act 1988 at a hearing

  • This diet's knockout say sibling slimmers

    CALORIE-laden Christmas pudding is definitely off the menu at the Strachan household for super-slimming siblings Helen and William. Over the past year the pair have literally become shadows of their former selves by shedding a combined 17 stone -- the

  • ANGLING: Halstead lands another monster

    with KINGFISHER THERE are sure to be a number of new faces lining the banks of the Ribble over the holiday period, following the release of information concerning the capture of another fantastic barbel. Mark Halstead, an Accrington engineer and holder