HOW do you choose a takeaway when you're sat at home without a menu? Simple, ask the person on the other end of the phone to recommend two dishes which are specialities of the house. That's how we ended up with chicken and cashew nuts and spicy beef
IT'S loud, it's proud - and it's coming to East Lancashire. That's the message sent out by Matt Bury, organiser of the first-ever Independent Festival, taking place in Blackburn over the August Bank Holiday weekend. And with more than 50 up-and-coming
He's survived the ever-changing trends of the notoriously fickle music business for four decades, just by being himself. Steve Gibbons spoke to us ahead of his appearance in Colne on August 27. LIFE must be pretty good if you're Steve Gibbons. He's
FORMER Lancashire chief constable Paul Stephenson, the Deputy Commissioner of the Met, faced the world's media and gave a stark warning about the terror plot. He said: "This was intended to be mass murder on an unimaginable scale. The UK is now at the
Lancashire's Muslim leaders have united to condemn the terrorist plot to blow up aircraft travelling between the UK and the US. Scotland Yard have confirmed they have disrupted a major plot to blow up to as many as 20 planes over the UK and US using
SECURITY was so tight at airports yesterday that parents were being asked to taste their babies' bottled milk to prove it was not a dangerous substance. But few passengers at Manchester Airport were complaining. They had heard the words of former
VANDALS are being blamed for sparking a power cut which left 160 homes in Nelson and Barrowford without electricity. Two fire crews from Nelson were called to the former John Wilman mill site, Crawford Street, Nelson, and found black smoke billowing
PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice has welcomed extra funding aimed at improving the area's poor health record. The borough is one of several across the country which has been designated by the Government to address health inequalities. It is estimated that
THOUSANDS of people are to descend on Pendle when one of the biggest agricultural shows in the North West comes of age. Trawden Show celebrates its 18th birthday on Sunday and organisers are predicting up to 7,000 people will join in the fun on the village's
STEVE Mullen has returned to Darwen looking to complete some unfinished business. Mullen is back in charge at the Anchor Ground after falling out with chairman Kevin Henry last season. He said: "It's no secret that me and Kevin fell out but we have
IT'S been a pre-season of change for Padiham. No less than nine players have left the Arbories club, including Kenny Mayers, who has joined Mossley, and former Bury and Rushden striker Gareth Seddon, who has signed for Hyde United. Jez Baldwin and goalkeeper
RAMSBOTTOM UNITED manager Lee Sculpher is spoilt for choice as he prepares for tomorrow's game at home to Atherton Collieries. But he hopes his first starting line-up of the 2006-07 campaign will be the beginning of his efforts to keep a settled side
NELSON will embark on their North West Counties Division One campaign without the services of former Blackburn Rovers striker Michael Holt. Holt, 29, hit the target 36 times in all competitions for the Blues last term but has decided to play for home
STEVE Cotterill has demanded his confident Burnley high-flyers to avoid arrogant tendencies while sitting near the Championship summit. The Clarets travel to Hillsborough tomorrow - poised to face an injury-ravaged Sheffield Wednesday - in high spirits
DUTCH target Andre Ooijer has pleaded with PSV Eindhoven to let him join Blackburn Rovers. Reports in Holland initially claimed PSV were looking for a fee of around £1million. But president Rob Westerhof is now demanding more than £3m for the 32
JOHN Coleman has urged his newly promoted Accrington Stanley side to keep faith in their ability. The Reds have had a tricky start to the new campaign after returning to the Football League as Conference champions. Stanley have yet to score their first
WHAT an absolutely brilliant start to the season. Getting maximum points after two games - all I can say is roll on Sheffield Wednesday. The Burnley players must be cock-a-hoop. Spirits will be high on the training ground and in the dressing room. Confidence
THE Liberal Democrat group on Blackburn with Darwen Council is to hold an emergency meeting after one of its councillors made allegations of racial discrimination against the authority. Coun Arif Waghat sent an e-mail to some staff and Asian councillors
SUE Ryder Care customers in Haslingden have proved they are among the most loyal in the UK. Shoppers are signing up for the charity's new reward scheme and the Rossendale store is among the top ten shops at recruiting people nationwide. And Coun Jeff
A DRUNKEN house raider who struck at a former friend's home didn't remember doing it but was rumbled after leaving blood, a court was told. Binge drinker Shaun Nuttall, 31, who helped himself to cash, knew the layout of the victim's home as he lived
A 66-year-old arthritis sufferer died as a result of paracetamol and codeine toxicity, an inquest was told. The hearing was told that Teresa Power had become very forgetful and her daughter said she could easily imagine her mother accidentally taking
THE MAYOR of Blackburn with Darwen donned a hard hat and boots to lend a hand while officially marking the demolition of Belgrave Mill, Darwen. Coun Dorothy Walsh was shown around the old mill site, in Bolton Road, before taking part in some of the demolition
AN Accrington postal worker has been arrested by police following a probe into the alleged theft of mail. The 33-year-old, who lives in Accrington and works at the Pendle delivery office, Nelson, has also been suspended by Royal Mail. The move comes
By Karen Wright, Prince Lee Meadows, Darwen. Summers's round the corner It's going to feel grand Having picnics and parties On the common land All good friends and neighbours Get together having fun Soaking up the atmosphere Lazing in the
IN 1975 UN Resolution 3379 declared that "Zionism is a form of racism and racial discrimination." This was revoked in 1991 under intense pressure from the US. However, the fact remains that Israel is a racist state, defined as the State of the Jewish
WHILE I agree with the letter (LT, July 31) from Talbot Funeral Services about the improvements Blackburn with Darwen Council is trying to make at Blackburn Old Cemetery on Whalley New Road, they may be throwing away tax-payers' cash unless preventative
A FATHER of two who dropped his trousers and flashed for a bet in front of the Turf Moor crowd last Saturday has been given a three-year football banning order. Burnley magistrates heard cash-strapped ex-soldier Christopher Bridge, 22, who had been dared
AN 82-year-old motorist who makes the 540-mile round trip to Scotland has accused driving agency officials of leaving her stranded without the use of her car. Mary Wright, of Elizabeth House, Sudellside, Darwen, is involved in a tussle with the Driver
Sam Andrew of Big Brother and The Holding Company, who will be flying over to perform in the Great British R&B Festival at Colne over the August Bank Holiday weekend, answers our questions. Big Brother and The Holding Company have had three platinum
DON'T you find it refreshing that in this cynical world there are still a few hopeless optimists left? I refer of course to those harmless, yet deluded individuals who put themselves forward for ritual humiliation on BBC2's Pop Idol for boffins, Dragon's
LEADING contemporary folk trio Sketch will be playing a special gig at in Colne on August 15. The gig - the first of the year at Jim's - is to celebrate the regeneration of Market Street. Sketch - Maggie Boyle on vocals and flute, guitarist Gary
Blackburn Rovers players were gearing up to return from their tour of Germany and Holland when news of the suspected terror plot emerged. And chief executive John Williams said although the players arrived back in Manchester as planned, he had drawn
ROSSENDALE Borough Council is officially efficient. The local authority has exceeded the annual efficiency target set for it by the Government by nearly 70 per cent. And at the end of the first year of the Government's three year efficiency drive the
CHILDREN in Bacup have launched a petition calling on Rossendale Council to find them somewhere safe to play. Three youngsters from Tunstead Close started the petition this week after several "No Ball Games" signs appeared, putting an abrupt end to their
A NELSON man who robbed an 88-year-old disabled woman outside a post office has been jailed for six years. Nadeem Mohammed resorted to crime after going to collect state benefits - and discovering there was no money in his account. He then hung around
A BURNLEY ward has a new addition to its policing ranks. Police community support officer (PCSO) Dave Johnson will be on the beat about the Coal Clough with Deerplay area of the town. He will team up with the area's community beat manager PC Rachel
HELMSHORE Mills Textile Museum is open for business - in Burnley. And the Queen Street Mill Museum, Harle Syke, has been busy with visitors from Rossendale as a result. Work is being carried out at the Helmshore museum thanks to a grant from the Heritage
A PARANOID outhouse raider stole food and drink from an elderly couple he knew because he was hungry, a court was told. Burnley magistrates heard how once deluded Mark Coffey, 28, had believed he was being targeted and followed by the CIA and the police
COLNE boss Nigel Coates will be hoping his patched-up side can hobble through the opening weeks of the season after being ravaged by injury. New signings Joel Burnside, Paul Sconce and Guiseppe Lopiccolo all miss the NWCL Division One opener at Stone
Bacup boss Brent Peters has been busy in the transfer market over the summer. Borough, who start with an away trip to Flixton, have signed keeper Billy Carrington along with Simon Heaton, Carl Rezia, Stuart Shepherd, Tony Coyne, Todd Heys and Ian Barker
YOUR club needs you! That's the impassioned plea by Accrington Stanley supporter Andrew Camm. The 21-year-old has admitted he was stunned the attendance for the first Football League game in Accrington in over 44 years failed to reach 3,000. But Camm
Ryan Nelsen is unlikely to be fit for Blackburn Rovers' final pre-season friendly against his national side New Zealand at Ewood tomorrow, 3pm. Nelsen said he is desperate to play but won't jeopardise risking further aggrevating his troublesome hamstring
MARK Hughes could be ready to put his faith in Paul Gallagher after the young Blackburn Rovers striker has caught the eye with a series of impressive performances during pre-season. Rejuvenated after a season-long loan spell at Stoke City, Gallagher
THE last time Barnet were in town, Accrington Stanley won 4-1 to slow down the Bees' race towards the Conference title 18 months ago. Ian Craney completed the scoring Reds' rout that day, and there's nothing the midfielder wouldn't give for a repeat
WHILE Steve Jones and Andy Gray have attracted the headlines for match-winning goals earlier this week, Burnley's back four have almost gone unmentioned. Deserved victories over QPR and Leicester City - back-to-back results setting alight the Clarets
THE death of a retired carpet fitter was not connected to the pain killers he had been prescribed by his doctor, an inquest was told. The inquest heard that Paul Richard Wright had a chronic alcohol problem, which eventually claimed his life. The hearing
A PIZZA delivery chain is on the lookout for a new franchisee after its store closed last month. About 20 staff lost their jobs when Dominos Pizza, based in Whalley New Road, Blackburn, closed. A spokesman for the company, which operates 400 stores
A MARATHON music event is being held on August 27 to continue the fund-raising dream of a young Darwen woman who died from a rare form of cancer. More than two years after the death of Dawn Quirk, her family and friends are still fulfilling her dying
A NIGHTCLUB bouncer who was talent-spotted as a gangster while at work is carving out a career in TV and film. Billy Hodge, 40, of Aspen Lane, Oswaldtwistle, will appear in the film Diary of a Bad Lad as Big Billy - a businessman and gangster's right-hand
A 32-year-old man stood in a crucifix pose and watched as a train hurtled towards him at nearly 50 mph, an inquest was told. The inquest heard that Christopher Reynolds died instantly after suffering massive head injuries when he was hit by the train
There are very few men who can complete the nightshift without going crazy. This week I have been on baby duty. It is a job we must all do but unlike women we cannot talk about it. You don't see a group of men sitting around talking about how they changed
TWO historical detectives from the Ribble Valley could have struck gold -- or at least silver - after finding a large haul of medieval coins. Ron Blair, 60, of Windermere Avenue, Clitheroe, and son, James, 37, of Nelson Street, found 28 medieval coins
IN my wildest dreams I never imagined a time when a cash payment would be unacceptable. That is, until my latest daytime nightmare began. On Monday morning I received a phone call from my son, who is abroad. He asked if I would make a payment for him
STAFF were too frightened to lay a finger on children who launched a graffiti attack on Blackburn Ice Arena, its boss said today. The vandals, thought to be as young as ten, struck twice this week. But Des Finlay, managing director of Blackburn Arena
RESIDENTS have accused a council of wasting taxpayers' money by digging up speed humps just two years after they were installed. In 2004 Blackburn with Darwen council spent £5,000 installing the bumps in St Silas Road, Blackburn. This week the sleeping
ONE of the brightest names on the British jazz scene will be bringing his band to Clitheroe on August 16. The Dylan Howe Quintet will play the Key Street Music Bar and for drummer Dylan, it's a date he's really looking forward to. "I do like playing
Fourteen Londoners, one as young as 17, have been named as suspects over the alleged plot to blow up planes in mid-flight. The Bank of England named 19 suspects, also including four from High Wycombe, whose assets they were ordered to freeze on the
AN initiative aimed at bringing public transport thugs to justice is being launched in Lancashire. The county council's Safer Travel Unit has teamed up with Lancashire Constabulary to issue 4,000 DNA swab testing kits to bus drivers, inspectors and bus
ONE in three pubs in Burnley is selling alcohol to under-age youngsters, a police investigation has found. A test purchase operation at 12 on-licence premises, carried out by police and Trading Standards officials, revealed one pub breaking the law in
A DAD had the shock of his life when he went to wash his family's holiday laundry - and found a five-foot long snake in the washing machine. Father-of-four Alan Carver discovered the sleeping rat snake as he opened the powder drawer of the machine.
A POLICEMAN was suspended on full pay for three years during a "£450,000 investigation" which concluded he had mistakenly claimed just £90 in expenses. PC Constable Jason Lobo, a former Common-wealth Games middle distance runner, today said the "witch
DOCTORS are to be withdrawn from the minor injuries unit at Accrington Victoria Hospital. The unit will be nurse-led from next month, bosses at Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Primary Care Trust have said. Today its deputy chief executive said the decision
