TWO councillors have been found guilty of fixing a local council election. Mozaquir Ali and Manzur Hussain were yesterday convicted of rigging a poll in Burnley in 2004. And now they are facing calls to quit their posts. The pair, who are Liberal Democrat
SENIOR political figures have called for the two shamed councillors convicted of electoral fraud to quit to preserve the good name of politics in Burnley.' Mozaquir Ali and Manzur Hussain - yesterday convicted of rigging a poll in Burnley in 2004 - will
POLICE have warned 73 youths about their behaviour after a weekend crackdown. Officers seized 72 litres of alcohol and also carried out test purchases conducted at six off-licences across Burnley and Padiham last week. Special constables helped with
A NELSON firm is set to expand after signing a deal to provide its services nationwide. HomeCall+, based in the Pendle Innovation Centre, provides insurance policies for home emergencies with a rapid call out service for domestic and commercial technical
A NEW off-licence has been approved in a Pendle town despite a 200-signature petition by objectors and police calls for a crackdown on drunken yobs. The petition was presented to Pendle Council's licensing committee on Wednesday, along with five letters
A FORMER school governor accused of growing cannabis at his caravan park home has protested his innocence. Michel Fairless, who quit as a community governor of West Street School, Colne, last week, said he had "done nothing wrong" and was a responsible
A ROSSENDALE shop assistant who goes "beyond the call of duty" has been crowned the best in the country. Mandie Young beat off hundreds of nominations from all over the country to win the prestigious prize of Newsagents' Shop Assistant of the Year, awarded
THE Prime Minister' has described a children's show produced in Rossendale as a "must see" production and one that is "stunning and beautiful". However it's not Tony Blair who's gone all ga-ga over a new show created by Waterfoot-based Horse and Bamboo
RIBBLE Valley Council has joined forces with the Food Standards Agency to help small retailers comply with food hygiene regulations. Safer Food Better Business is a simplified food safety management system with easy to use fact sheets and a diary for
A drug dealer labelled "a Mr Big in the North West" has failed in an appeal to overturn his drug convictions. Gerald Derek Deaffern, 40, of Sunnyhill Close, Darwen, was jailed for 25 years at Liverpool Crown Court in December 2004. He was found guilty
A MAN who committed sexual offences against a young girl has gone on hunger strike, a court has been told. Stephen Duckworth, 47, of Arran Avenue, Blackburn, has not eaten for 53 days and is suffering from severe depression, his barrister told Preston
NELSON boss Graham Howarth may have to do some re-shuffling as his side prepare to host Congleton tomorrow. Chris Ridehalgh is away but Robbie Smith and Lee Scholes both face late fitness tests. Howarth said: "I don't know much about them but we
TWO breast cancer survivors have revealed how they beat the disease and how they were inspired to live life to the full. Anne Holt and Marion Eastwood said their victory in a worldwide dragonboat racing event showed that women can lead healthy, active
A DECISION on the future of a regeneration project at "the gateway to Hyndburn" is set to be made in the next two weeks. Delays have dogged plans by Hyndburn Council to regenerate the Church and Oswaldtwistle Canal Gateway, which has been blighted by
DARWEN are without skipper Stuart Telfer and keeper Danny Holland for the trip to Daisy Hill. The Anchor Ground club also have injury doubts over Neil Almond, Cliff Power, Craig Chadwick and Lee Stott. Manager Steve Mullen, whose side lost 2-0 to Daisy
Tony Heyes, a white man living in a mainly Asian area Gazing out of the window of his flat Tony Heyes says: "I can see more mosques here in Blackburn than I saw in the whole of Azerbaijan when I worked there as a volunteer, and that was a secular Muslim
Clitheroe conceded in injury time against Chorley during the week and manager Chris Stammers is hoping his side can cut out the mistakes ahead of the visit of Warrington Town in the FA Trophy. The Blues looked like they would snatch victory in the derby
WINGER Gary Roberts admitted he was left in a spin after his whirlwind loan move from Accrington Stanley to Ipswich Town earlier this week. He said: "It all happened very quickly. I trained with Accrington on Monday as normal, had my dinner then went
ROBBIE Savage celebrated his birthday in style with a rare headed goal as Blackburn Rovers grabbed a dramatic victory here in Poland. The former Welsh international, who turned 32 earlier this week, cancelled out a first half strike from Argentine
Burnley boss Steve Cotterill reckons the Championship is proving to be "much of a muchness" this season. With only 14 points separating second-placed Preston and rock-bottom Hull City, the cliche that two wins can march clubs well up the table is very
ACCRINGTON STANLEY boss John Coleman is happy teams don't like playing at the Fraser Eagle Stadium - because his team love it! The Reds have only lost one league match at the Fraser Eagle Stadium this season, sending some of League Two's so-called better
OUTSIDER will play a special headline gig at Darwen's Library Theatre on October 10. The band will be playing the hometown gig to launch their new single What's Your Sound. It marks the high point of a year which has seen the band go from strength
BLACKBURN Rovers manager Mark Hughes has urged UEFA to throw the book at Wisla Krakow defender Nikola Mijailovic after the Serbian allegedly made racist remarks to Benni McCarthy. McCarthy was so incensed by the abuse he received during Rovers' 2-1 UEFA
FOLK fans are in for a treat on October 26 when the duo voted the best in the country at this year's Radio Two Folk Awards perform at Darwen Library Theatre. In just five years together, John Spiers and Jon Boden have established themselves at the forefront
THE death of a parent seems an unlikely basis for a moving comedy performance. But for leading stand-up comedian Smug Roberts, who comes to Blackburn on October 21, it has been his way of coming to terms with the loss of his father. Smug will be bringing
FOUR staff at Blackburn-based Pierce chartered accountants are celebrating after passing their industry exams. Shelley Hamill, Julie Whitfield, and Katie Johnson, all passed the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) exam. And Tara Brown gained
THE DEVASTATED family of a Burnley alcoholic who died following an alleged attack in a house have paid tribute to an "intelligent" man. Detectives say they are still trying to piece together the final hours leading to the death of 57-year-old Frank Landsborough
COUNCILLORS have reacted with fury after county council bosses announced the plann-ed closure of three Burnley libraries. Colne Road, Briercliffe and Barbon Street are set to shut to make way for a new library at the new sixth form being built at Barden
LOCAL hero Michael Bailey of Brunshaw Action Group has been honoured for his efforts in tackling anti-social behaviour and creating a safer community. Michael, 41, who also works at the Burnley Youth Theatre, has been recognised for his "commitment,
BURNLEY Council is to extend its popular 'Let's Go Burnley Sport' initiative in a special programme for youngsters this half term. The authority's sport and play development unit will be running multi-sports camps across the borough Monday to Wednesday
A GANG of masked robbers attacked a shopkeeper with a baseball bat and escaped with cash from the till. The raiders hit 55-year-old Abdul Patel over the head and stole £30 from Patels Newsagents, on the corner of New Bank Road and Granville Road, Blackburn
A GROUP of 44 dieters have proved that they really are big losers - by shedding the equivalent of a team of Burnley FC footballers in weight. The calorie-counting Clarets fans from Clayton-le-Moors Weight Watchers group have managed to lose a combined
NEW government initiatives to tackle the sexual exploitation of children have been announced thanks to pressure from the Lancashire Telegraph, MPs have said. Our Keep Them Safe was launched after an investigation which revealed that up to 100 girls aged
UNDER-16s have been banned from gathering in Longridge town centre after 9pm as part of the battle against problem youths. From today, Longridge will become the second town in East Lancashire to benefit from an Anti-Social Behaviour Dispersal Order aimed
POLICE are threatening to close down a £120,000 skate park in Great Harwood after a spate of vandalism. Officers are blaming arson and graffiti at the site, off Glebe Street and Town Hall Street, on youngsters who use the site - and have imposed a 9pm
RAMSBOTTOM hope for a quick return to winning ways as they entertain Maine Road at the Riverside tomorrow in the North West Counties League Division One. The Rams saw a run of five successive league victories come to an end in midweek as they slipped
COLNE will be looking to get back on the goal trail at Squires Gate after failing to score for the first time in last weekend's 0-0 draw at Newcastle Town. Nigel Coates has a near full squad to pick from with Steve Cunningham likely to return at the
PADIHAM manager Steve Wilkes is hoping to address an alarming slump in form at home as they welcome Oldham Town tomorrow. After last Saturday's win over Winsford United, the Storks rose to the top of the league, but they were brought down to earth
HYNDBURN Council is urging residents to support a £1million bid for cash to breathe new life into the borough's parks. The local authority wants to see the 11 parks in the area used to host free public events as well as introducing three countryside
BACUP recorded their best win of the season after thumping Silsden 5-0 at West View last night. Ian Barker scored a superb hat-trick with substitutes Tony Carroll and Todd Hayes both getting in on the act. Manager Brent Peters said: "That is our biggest
A married man stood on a chair and indecently exposed himself to a 15-year-old girl on her way to school. Blackburn magistrates heard that 29-year-old Simon Maxwell Woodridge committed two similar offences in front of female neighbours, one in an upstairs
Premier League officials are backing Blackburn Rovers' move to reignite the passion for its crunch Premiership clash against local rivals Bolton on Sunday. Rovers have dramatically cut ticket prices for the Lancashire derby to tackle head on the issues
BLACKBURN Rovers secured a dramatic victory in Poland last night - but the performance was overshadowed after Benni McCarthy was allegedly the victim of racial abuse. McCarthy was involved in an angry scuffle with Wisla Krakow's Serbian defender Nikola
STEVE Cotterill has no qualms throwing Steve Foster his first Clarets league start in Devon tomorrow - if John McGreal loses his race for fitness. McGreal is awaiting the results of a scan on a knee injury sustained in Tuesday night's 0-0 draw with Southend
WALSALL boss Richard Money says he won't be taking anything for granted as he brings the Saddlers to the Fraser Eagle Stadium tomorrow. The Saddlers are riding high in League Two after a couple of years of turmoil, which has seen them plummet from the
WINES from Germany don't often appear in this column but here's one that earns its place. The mix of Pinot Grigio and Chardonnay combine to give flavours of pear and melon which will go well with many foods or can be enjoyed alone chilled. The grapes
I THINK if I was forced to choose, I would have to put Italian restaurants at the top of my list when it comes to places to dine. There is just something about the relaxed atmosphere and the simple nature of the food which is instantly appealing.
DO TV companies think that we have all got some kind of attention deficit disorder? Now I know that the great unwashed do seem incapable of concentrating on anything for no more than 10 minutes, if the behaviour of cinema audiences is anything to go
THREE Men Gone Mad return to the live circuit on October 27 with a special gig at Blackburn's North Bar. The last time the band played there - in 2001 - it was a complete sell out. And, as it turned out, the band's last live appearance for five years
Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers meet on Sunday for what should be a mouth-watering Lancashire derby. But before then, chefs representing the two clubs went head-to-head in a hot-pot challenge. Rovers fan Richard Upton from the Three Fishes
By Lyn Fahmy. Well now the time is Ramadan Now that it's here I feel They'll pray and fast for Allah They'll do all that for real. Yes now the time is Ramadan They'll answer to His call They'll feel alive and realise The wonder of it all.
I HAVE followed the controversy concerning Jack Straw's remarks about Muslim veils and it appears to me that a lot of people are missing the real point at issue here, including Mr Straw. The real point is how compatible is Islam, and by default Judaism
SHOPPING in T J Hughes in Blackburn recently, I was confronted by two people dressed from head to foot in black with mesh slits for eyes and even wearing black gloves. This was not only intimidating but offensive to my way of life. Young women who
OVER recent weeks the nation has listened to the main two main political parties, Tory and New Labour compete over who will best modernise public services. When they really mean who will privatise what is left of the nation's public bodies. The chaos
CANON Chivers said Blackburn was a divided community and the subsequent outburst about one issue suggests he was correct. How can the town move towards better integration? Money given to separate groups is not the answer. The solution lies in small stepping-stones
Henrik Schwarz's entry in the DJ Kicks mix album canon is as eclectic as the rest of the series. But it isn't quite as exquisite. Following the intro, the disc kicks off with Moondog's Birds Lament - which will be particularly familiar to fans of Mr
The warrior-like Juliette Lewis delivers another fiery burst of rock'n'roll in the spirit of PJ Harvey, Queen Adreena and AC/DC. The actress and feisty rocker uses all of her theatrical prowess in this tale of greed and backstabbing, extracted from
