A VEHICLE firm is at the centre of a stolen goods probe after police raided the premises and carried out a three-day search. Officers visited Frank Owen Commercial Vehicle Spares, after a man alleged his stolen van had been stripped and crushed there
BLACKBURN Rovers were hit for four and captain Ryan Nelsen was sent off as Aston Villa ran out winners at Ewood Park tonight. Ashley Young underlined Villa's growing status as a real Barclays Premier League force as Martin O'Neill's men wrapped up their
A 14-year-old girl who had been plied with alcohol woke up to find a 39-year-old man raping her, a court was told. And Ajmal Mohammed used a mobile phone to film himself sexually assaulting the girl while she slept. The court was told that Mohammed,
A COUNCILLOR who was given a suspended prison sentence for benefit fraud has not decided if he will quit. Coun Arif Waghat had previously pledged to consult with his constituents before decid-ing whether to step down from the council. The member for
LONG before there was such a thing as "the superstar DJ", Xfm's Dave Haslam was forging a reputation on Manchester's club circuit that would eventually see him attaining legendary status. But like many success stories connected to the world of entertainment
John Carew headed home a 29th-minute Ashley Young free-kick against the run of play to give Aston Villa the half-time advantage over Blackburn at Ewood Park. Rovers had dominated the game up to that point with David Bentley, Roque Santa Cruz, David Dunn
OVER 100 people turned up to protest against the proposed closure of a community centre in Darwen. Sudellside Community Centre, Sudellside Street, has been earmarked for closure by the borough council after experts said it "was not viable". A report
A NELSON engineering company has scooped an energy efficiency award at the 2007 Lancashire Business Environment Association Awards. Fort Vale, which manufactures equipment for the haulage storage industry, won the award for the second year running after
A DAMNING report on fostering in Lancashire has labelled the county's provisions as 'inadequate' in meeting the needs of vulnerable youngsters. An Ofsted inspection of Lancashire County Council's fostering service has led to the authority being
A CHARITY hopes to transform a disused warehouse into Nelson's first Islamic primary school. Fountains of Knowledge is hoping to accommodate up to 100 children by August 2008 at the independent school after buying a former factory in Norfolk Road two
A BUS manufacturer which shed nearly 100 jobs following a takeover has expanded after buying another firm. Darwen Group has bought specialist vehicle design company Leyland Product Developments (LPD) for an undisclosed amount. It is the first acquisition
A "POPULAR" school- run cabbie has kept his driving licence despite clocking up 105 mph on the motorway. Father of three Andrew John Bateman, 38, had been facing a ban and the loss of his taxi badge as he already had nine points on his licence. But
TWO police officers have described the moment they discovered more than 250 cannabis plants in a terraced house. PC Richard Collopy and PCSO Nigel Keates said they were 'stunned' to find the plants in a three-storey house in Colne Road, Burnley. The
A COUNCILLOR has hit out at reported delays to work on a controversial £50m wind farm. The project to build 26 Blackpool Tower-sized wind turbines at Scout Moor, Edenfield, has been held up after some of the bolts sent to the site were incorrect. This
A REVENUE and Customs' data protection blunder will affect 8,850 Rossendale families, says the area's prospective Conservative Parliament-ary candidate. The figures, obtained by Jake Berry, follow the disclosure that the personal details of 25 million
The Community Centre plays host to the annual village carol service on Sunday December 16th at 3pm all villagers and anyone else are more than welcome to attend......... the service is followed by mince pies and sherry or biscuits and orange cordial
Defence firm BAE Systems has signed a £11.6million contract to provide repairs to the latest addition to the RAF's fighter jet fleet. The company, which employs about 5,000 people at Samlesbury, has been awarded the contract by the Ministry of Defence
BOSSES of one of East Lancashire's biggest employers are "extremely confident" for the future of the business - despite it being put up for sale. Howard Luft, managing director of Akzo Nobel UK, said the Darwen site of the firm would be sold to a "strong
Children at Edisford Primary School, Clitheroe, are enjoying new play equipment thanks to Castle Cement's Ribblesdale works. Bosses were asked if they would make a donation. The company did better than that and supplied the labour to make the area
IT'S easy to criticise or sneer at many of the so-called initiatives we've had in our schools over the past twenty years. After all those of us in our "middle years" have been able to watch a whole generation of children go through the education system
Despairing about what to wear for your Christmas do? We met fashion stylist El Davies who shared her top tips to looking lush this party season. THE Christmas party season is almost upon us and few of us are relishing the desperate dash to the High
PLANS are being drawn up for a new cricket club based in a Blackburn park. A former international cricket captain is backing the bid to launch a club in Queen's Park, a move residents say is "a million dollar" idea for the area. The plans are being
A WAR memorial is in urgent need of repair. And parish councillors face a race against time to complete work on Slaidburn war memorial that has stood for over 80 years. A bronze statue of a lone soldier leaning on his rifle has rested on top of
A man knocked on the door of a house in Ribblesdale Avenue, Accrington, before walking in and taking a mobile phone from the sofa. A girl at the house looked through an upstairs window and saw a man aged between 19-20 with short dark hair and wearing
Calling all you Olivias and Jacks. According to the National Statistics Office you were the top baby names in England and Wales last year. So much for us poor old Williams (7th) Georges (14th)! I was served in Manchester earlier this week by an, I'd
A BUSINESS has laid itself bare by stripping for a charity calendar. Fifty staff from Daisy Communications, Lomeshaye Industrial Estate, Nelson, stripped off for the calendar in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer and Everyman, which researches cures into
AN ARSON-hit Victorian manor and its grounds could be developed into 18 homes after plans were unveiled. But residents are unhappy about the proposal submitted to Hyndburn Council for Owl Hall, at the top of Plantation Street in Accrington. The
PUPILS had a taste of life in the Army when three military chefs cooked up a storm at their school. The trio of chefs pitched up a full Army field kitchen tent outside Blakewater College in Blackburn today, to serve up some dishes eaten by soldiers
Blackburn Rovers boss Mark Hughes has urged the next England coach to give Stephen Warnock his chance in the problem left-back spot. Hughes believes Warnock should be under consideration for England duty by whoever succeeds Steve McClaren when competition
A VILLAGE pre-school has been praised for its high standards by Ofsted. Downham Pre-School was praised for its teaching, equipment, facilities and resources, healthy eating, regular exercise and outings that are offered to pupils. The report states:
THE Beatles claimed you could get by with a little help from your friends. But in referee Kevin Friend Burnley have found an exception to that rule. The Leicestershire-based referee failed to award the Clarets a stonewall penalty for a clear foul on
A FORMAL closure notice for Beardwood High School has been published - but campaigners say the fight to save it "goes on". Statutory notices published yesterday announce the changes proposed under the £150m Building Schools for the Future (BSF) scheme
GOAL hero Joey Gudjonsson believes he has been given a new lease of life. The Icelandic midfielder had not featured in the Burnley squad since September until new manager Owen Coyle's first game in charge, at home to Stoke, on Saturday. And, after being
PLANS for a 90-berth marina have passed their first hurdle. Barden Mill in Barden Lane, Burnley, has applied to both Burnley and Pendle councils for permission to build the marina. Planning permission was granted last night by Pendle Council but as
DARWEN Town Centre has a new community beat manager. PC Simon Harwood has joined the Town Centre Neighbourhood Policing team. He will be working alongside PC Pat Whittle and PCSOs Danielle Derbyshire and Elizabeth Parrish. PC Harwood, 41, joined Lancashire
TEENAGER Bethany Austin interviews X Factor star Ray Quinn on a visit to her school. Bethany, from Todmorden, won the surprise visit from her pop hero when he dropped into the Year 10 girl's common room at Stonyhurst College to thank her for supporting
RIBBLE VALLEY council tenants have voted in favour of transferring the ownership and management of their homes to a social landlord. And the Ribble Valley housing transfer will unlock £14.8million of funding, it is claimed. Council tenants in Ribble
A 94-year-old man died after setting himself on fire while he was lighting his pipe, an inquest heard. The hearing was told that Robert William Rush suffered 45 per cent burns in the incident despite his wife of nearly 70 years, Mary, throwing a bowl
On Monday Night 26th November 2007, after 4 LONG years of making ourselves heard to the previous & present administration at the Council. We were told that from a decision 4 years ago on the 1st proposal for Burnley Wood which is currently under the
Tonight's Blackburn Rovers v Aston Villa game will be the first time Robbie Savage has crossed swords with Martin O'Neill since their days together at Leicester City. Under O'Neill, the Foxes enjoyed one of the most successful periods in their history
LANCASHIRE parents are being urged to get their children immunised after figures showed the number of cases of measles was on the rise. Health chiefs are advising parents to arrange for their children to have two doses of the MMR vaccine. Statistics
A HEADTEACHER has told of his joy after plans to build a new school in Brierfield overcame their final hurdle. The new Marsden Heights Community College will be built on the Bent Head playing fields, off Halifax Road, after Lancashire County Council
WORK will get underway next week to improve a car park at Towneley Hall, Burnley, as part of a £3.2m restoration scheme. Trees are to be removed from Barwise car park, off Todmorden Road, so that improvements to the entrance and road can get underway
Paul Salmon's blog: As both a Blackburn Rovers fan and a true football supporter, I was sorry to read reports this week that our footballing neighbours and lower division rivals Burnley FC have announced losses of £4.3 million for the past financial year
RESIDENTS and businesses in East Lancashire celebrated their roots on Lancashire Day yesterday. Events across the towns and villages in Lancashire celebrated the heritage and history of every Lancastrian. Wally Brookes, 62, landlord of the George
A ROW over a single cigarette ended with a 61-year-old man with a heart condition being punched to the floor. Blackburn magistrates heard his assailant, Andrew Murphy, ran across the road before punching James Baxendale. Murphy, 25, of the Salvation
A TEEN who pledged to give up a luxury Christmas gift for charity has been rewarded with the perfect present - a visit from X Factor star Ray Quinn. Bethany Austin, 14, won the surprise visit from her pop hero after promising to forego a pair of expensive
POLICE have issued crime prevention advice to residents on Hazel Grove, Bacup, after four recent burglaries. In the latest incidents, intruders gained access at the back of the homes through UPVC windows or patio doors. They stole £500 and a £1,000
A MAN found with a knuckle-duster said he had it for protection, a court heard. Burnley magistrates were told how Brian Hedgecock, 32, who has used drugs since he was 12, was aggressive and confrontational when he was stopped by police and told officers
AN EAST Lancashire business has set the ball rolling on an annual campaign to brighten up Christmas for the underprivileged. Fabric manufacturers Herbert Parkinson of Darwen has organised for a group of 60 children and their mothers, from the Blackburn
BLACKBURN ROVERS midfielder Brett Emerton has admitted he needs to become more clinical in the final third of the pitch. The Australian international was on target in Sunday's 2-2 draw at Fulham, but that second half strike at Craven Cottage was his
BRENDAN FLood has urged Burnley fans not to panic after the football club reported a loss of £4.3million for the last financial year. Although the deficit is £1million greater than the previous 12 months, ending June 2006, the Clarets operational director
BURNLEY boss Owen Coyle was delighted to record his first win in charge at Watford last night. "To come here and give the level of performance we did as a team made the victory merited," Coyle said. "I have to say whoever comes to Watford will be put
THE news that primary school teacher Gillian Gibbons, teaching in the Sudan, has been charged with blaspheming Islam must not be received with complacency. According to reports, during a classroom exercise, the children voted to name a teddy bear Muhammad
I ALWAYS consider myself lucky to have wonderful water, here, on tap. Therefore, it worries me that the We-know-best-for-you' brigade are again threatening to doctor the supply with fluoride. If they cannot get the message of dental health across
A RECENT report claims that due to government cut backs, three quarters of local authorities are rationing social services. This means that ten of thousands of vulnerable, elderly people, are no longer being helped to wash, dress or cook meals. When
ROBBIE Savage is guaranteed a hostile reception when Aston Villa descend on Ewood Park tonight - but Blackburn Rovers' chief wind-up merchant is relishing the chance to resume his role as the pantomime villain! Over the last few months, Savage has had
MARK Hughes will order his Blackburn Rovers players to shoot on sight this evening in an attempt to heap further misery on hapless England goalkeeper Scott Carson. After his glaring error against Croatia last week cost England a place at next summer's
Blackburn's ice hockey fans were treated to two pulsating games over the weekend. On Saturday, league leaders Whitley Bay Warriors came to town for a cup game and the Hawks were out to prove a point, having crashed to the same opposition only two weeks
Mark Hughes has dismissed newspaper speculation claiming he insisted on a release clause in his new Blackburn Rovers contract which would allow him to leave if he was offered the England job. The Rovers chief said: "There is no such clause - I have no
HAVING never really been to the ballet before I may now have just been bitten by the ballet bug. And the festive season now feels well and truly upon us as the story opened with a party on Christmas Eve, where a young girl falls asleep and dreams of
A road in Burnley has been closed after a sewer collapsed underneath the surface. Motorists travelling along Todmorden Road, in Burnley, face up to five days traffic disruption after temporary diversions were put into place today. Temporary traffic
An East Lancashire exile who visited Darwen Market has been spreading word about his home town. David Wilson, sales director of Quest, an American company selling high-level computer software, visited Darwen Market in summer where he was sold a 'Shop
A COUNCIL breached disability laws when it failed to provide school transport for a GCSE pupil with mobility problems, an investigation found. Now Lancashire County Council has been ordered to pay compensation and apologise to the pupil after its decision
Dance fever seems to be sweeping the nation at the moment so a new DVD from BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing's Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag looks to have been released at the right time. Simply Ballroom is a lavish Riverdance-style spectacular for ballroom
