Archive

  • £1bn debt mountain: The man on benefit's story

    TODAY we have revealed that personal debt in East Lancashire has reached £1bn. We spoke to four people who contributed to this total by clocking up thousands of pounds worth of debts. They have told their stories in a bid to prevent others falling

  • Our £1bn debt mountain

    PERSONAL debt in East Lancashire has smashed through the £1billion mark, shocking new figures have revealed. And experts have warned that the massive levels of unsecured debts, which include credit cards, loans and store cards are having a "crippling

  • Tenants’ chance to talk about transfer

    RIBBLE Valley Council tenants have received a formal consultation document setting out the facts behind the proposed transfer of their homes to an independent company. Tenants will be asked to vote on the transfer later this year based on the contents

  • Top pupils honoured at prizegiving

    HIGH-flyers from across East Lancashire have been congratulated for their achievements. Blackburn's Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School (QEGS) held its annual prize giving evening yesterday, which was the first for new headteacher Simon Corns. Mr Corns

  • Drunken teenager hit – and missed

    A TEENAGE girl threw seven punches at a man she claimed had insulted her but they all missed because she was so drunk. Blackburn magistrates heard that Kerry Louise Regan told police she had drunk six litres of cider, two "crates" of lager and shared

  • Take-off for the final Panopticon

    THE fourth and final Lancashire Panopticon was unveiled last night on the moors above Haslingden. Bearing a striking resemblance to a flying saucer, the new addition to the hilltop at Top o'Slate attracted hundreds of local people who filed their way

  • Teachers’ jobs at risk say union

    TEACHERS' jobs are put at risk by the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) plans for secondary schools in Blackburn and Darwen, unions have said. But council bosses have insisted that "there will be no reduction in the number of jobs" under the £150m

  • Elusive title slipping from Lancashire

    Lancashire's status as LV County Championship title favourites was a fast-fading memory after day two at The Oval. A trio of forty-something scores and VVS Laxman's 53 were no adequate response to Surrey's Mark Ramprakash-inspired 427 for nine declared

  • Jersey police close 'kayak couple' case

    POLICE in Jersey have closed their inquiry into a sex offender believed to be on the run in France after skipping bail following his conviction for child porn offences. Officers say the man and his girlfriend - thought to be Gerald Hayslop and Louise

  • £1,000 fine for dumping rubbish in lay-by

    A MAN has been fined more than £1,000 and ordered to pay £150 costs for fly-tipping. Tony Bryant, of Calgary Avenue, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to failing to control his waste and was fined £550. He was also fined £500 for failing to produce transfer

  • FULL TIME: Larissa 2 Blackburn Rovers 0

    Blackburn's European dreams hang by a thread after former Everton flop Ibrahima Bakayoko brought their 15-match unbeaten run to a crashing end in Greece tonight. Bakayoko and Brazilian Cleyton scored two goals in the space of 90 disastrous first-half

  • Travellers pitch up half a mile away from original site

    A GROUP of travellers ordered to leave a site in Burnley have moved - less than half a mile up the road. Council bosses got a court order against the group after they settled on land off Accrington Road about a week ago, sparking complaints from people

  • Man, 35 had knife in bus station

    A MAN who had a knife on him at Burnley bus station was carrying it for protection, the town's magistrates heard. Alan Wayne Heaton, 35, told police he thought someone was looking for him as they thought he was a "paedo." Heaton, of Cornel Grove, Burnley

  • £151,000 charge

    A 41-year-old mechanic has been ordered to stand trial at Preston Crown Court by Blackburn magistrates charged with the theft of Aston Martin parts worth £151,000 from the Simon Livesey garage in Lower Lane, Longridge, where he worked. Paul Ronald Clayton

  • HALF TIME: Larissa 2 Blackburn Rovers 0

    TWO Greek goals in a less than a minute left Blackburn Rovers shell-shocked at half-time in this UEFA Cup first round clash. Former Everton striker Ibrahima Bakayoko scored a spectacular 30-yard goal on 33 minutes, although a deflection seemed to take

  • Arson pair bailed

    TWO men due to be sentenced for torching the Roebuck pub, Haslingden, had their cases adjourned at Burnley Crown Court. Steven McGinty, 26, of Barlows Buildings, Rawten-stall, and Matthew Brierley, 21, of Heys Street, Haslingden, earlier admitted arson

  • Fence is answer to church prayers

    A CHURCH plagued by thieves and vandals has been given permission to build an eight-feet-high fence. Approval has also been granted for a new car park within the grounds of St Joseph's RC Church, Belgarth Road, Acc-rington, after vehicles were vandalised

  • Bollywood break for film hopeful

    A BUDDING film-maker rubbed shoulders with some of Bollywood's finest actors and producers for the filming of their latest blockbuster. Rafiq Master was chosen along with five others from areas such as Rochdale and Oldham to help behind the scenes at

  • Former mill may undergo £10m transformation

    A SUPERMARKET giant could be heading for Colne, under ambitious plans for a former mill building. Outline proposals for a 35,000 square foot food store on the site of Glen Mill, North Valley Road, have been submitted to Pendle Council, and developers

  • Firefighter's final journey

    A FIREFIGHTER who died in a motorbike crash was taken on his final journey - in a sidecar. David Standing, 44, from Russell Street, Accrington, was killed when his Suzuki GSXR 1000 superbike landed on top of him in Quernmore Brow, close to Lancaster

  • Woman who strangled sister to be spared jail

    A WOMAN who "strangled" her sister has been told she definitely will not be going to jail. Dana Anita Doherty, who attacked victim Bernadette Doherty, 19, the day before her 21st birthday, is set to get mental health treatment. During the onslaught

  • £1bn debt mountain: The big spender's story

    TODAY we have revealed that personal debt in East Lancashire has reached £1bn. We spoke to four people who contributed to this total by clocking up thousands of pounds worth of debts. They have told their stories in a bid to prevent others falling

  • £1bn debt mountain: The mum's story

    TODAY we have revealed that personal debt in East Lancashire has reached £1bn. We spoke to four people who contributed to this total by clocking up thousands of pounds worth of debts. They have told their stories in a bid to prevent others falling

  • £1bn debt mountain: The businesswoman's story

    TODAY we have revealed that personal debt in East Lancashire has reached £1bn. We spoke to four people who contributed to this total by clocking up thousands of pounds worth of debts. They have told their stories in a bid to prevent others falling

  • Accused ‘seen with drugs gang on beach’

    A MAN accused of plotting to bring £6.5million of cocaine ashore in an inflatable boat was seen talking to a drugs gang on a beach, a court heard. Paul Jorgensen, 45, and Stephen Hegarty, both of Springhill Road, Accrington, were seen on Freshwater Beach

  • Adult vandal rapped

    A 38-YEAR-OLD man who helped smash up a bus shelter in Bacup got a ticking off from a judge who sentenced him to a community order. Burnley magistrates heard Michael Andrew Burke was seen vandalising the shelter with others in the early hours. He told

  • TB rates to exceed estimates

    Tuberculosis rates in East Lancashire are set to exceed predictions, according to latest figures. In the seven months to August there were 37 cases of TB in Blackburn with Darwen and 39 in the East Lancashire Primary Care Trust area. Blackburn with

  • Sick youngsters face 88-mile round trip after cuts

    YOUNG patients are facing an 88-mile round trip for treatments after a specialist nurse was axed in a round of cutbacks. But nursing chiefs said they were working hard to prevent child arthritis and rheumatism sufferers from having to be transferred

  • Stab incident: Man in court

    A 23-year-old man has appeared in court after two men were stabbed during a disturbance outside his girlfriend's house. James McGrady, of Ivinson Road, Darwen, is charged with wounding Alistair Fraser and James Crowther with intent to cause them grievous

  • Reader knows him and hymns

    THANKS to the readers who were in tune with last week's photograph of some cherubic choir boys from Read. We asked if you knew them - and you did. Thanks to Allan Parker, of Hapton, who could name all nine of the angelic boys pictured, he reckoned,

  • Banned driver jailed

    A PROLIFIC car criminal who got behind the wheel while banned has been jailed for 12 weeks. Burnley magistrates heard that John Daniel Egan, 31, claimed he did not know he was disqualified. District Judge Peter Ward said the defendant knew "perfectly

  • New wheels

    Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman will be living life in the fast lane thanks to a sponsorship deal with Greyhound Ford. The Accrington company have supplied him with a new Ford Mondeo. Mr Coleman (centre) was handed the keys by Nigel Brotherton

  • Knife in trousers

    AN EX-soldier found with a knife down his trousers claimed he had taken it off his girlfriend, a court was told. Burnley magistrates heard that Simon Gotthardt, 20, said his partner had two children and he had not wanted her to get into trouble. The

  • Homeless help

    Wendy Dwyer, chairman of Lancashire County Council, visited Child Action Northwest, Wilpshire, to find out more about ;Supported Lodgings'. The scheme is an innovative countywide service set up to help homeless young people. Coun Dwyer (front left

  • Grape expectations!

    Australian David Hohnen, one of the greatest living legends in the world of wine, unveiled his latest range to diners at the Feilden's Arms bar and restaurant in Mellor Brook. The event also saw a six-course all-ticket dinner prepared by chef proprietor

  • Teen drug addict lifted 38 jars of coffee

    A TEENAGER who was given a fixed penalty after being caught stealing coffee from a Blackburn shop did not take the warning. Blackburn magistrates heard that Johnny Riley returned to the same shop on each of the next two days and repeated the offence.

  • Pints and pies on workers’ day out

    SO, what would you do if you only had one day's holiday a year? These chaps, as most probably did in 1910, took full advantage! They loaded up their open-sided 'chara', with barrels of beer and meat pies and went off for the day. This photograph shows

  • ‘Birthday’ greeting from Canada

    MARRIED for 43 years, Brian and Andree Pearson have fond memories of St Aidan's Church, Mill Hill, Blackburn, where they became man and wife. And our story of its 75th birthday celebrations recently had the couple contacting the Looking Back desk - all

  • Graffiti artist 'Orak' plagues Blackburn

    A GRAFFITI artist has caused thousands of pounds worth of damage by signing his tag hundreds of times around Blackburn. The tagger leaves the word Orak' usually followed by the initials SCK which is thought to stand for the name of a gang called 'Super

  • School to unveil peace pole

    A 12ft pole symbolising peace has been installed at Darwen Vale High School Engineering College. Similar poles have been used around the world, but this is said to be the first in Lancashire and one of only six in Britain. It has been built at the

  • Hospital is ‘1st’ in awareness drive

    A CAMPAIGN is to be launched to keep people informed of the largest-ever shake-up of health services in East Lancashire. The first phase of the Meeting Patients Needs reorganisation will be completed by November 1. And that is the central message being

  • DNA traps burglar

    A TEENAGER who broke into his employer's premises was traced through a DNA sample taken from blood left at the scene. Blackburn magistrates heard that shortly after the incident Michael Graham Wilcock went to live in Cyprus with his grandfather but the

  • Swiss success for Anderson

    ANNA Anderson was the first England counter at the World Mountain Running Trophy in Ovrannaz, above the valley of Canton of Valais, in Switzerland, on Saturday. Competing in the women's under-20 race, the 18-year old Pendle ace took seventh place ahead

  • Banned motorist drove off after crash

    A BANNED motorist who drove off after a smash was said to have caused £5,000 damage to the vehicle he hit, a court was told. Burnley magistrates heard Shazad Hussain, 19, told the victim when he caught up with him: "Don't tell my father. I am a banned

  • Jobless man stole scrap

    A JOBLESS forklift truck driver stole aluminium and lead from works sites, a court was told. Burnley magistrates heard Benjamin Kenyon, 26, who also took two electric drills and a generator, sold the aluminium for £95. Kenyon, of Alma Road, Laneshawbridge

  • Fitness battle has silver lining

    ENGLAND physio Denise Park was the only member of the England team to bring a medal back from the World Mountain Trophy, after Anna Pichrtova handed over her team silver in gratitude to the woman who saved her running career. Pichrtova, from the Czech

  • Homes plans wrangle

    COUNCILLORS have refused to approve a planning application for 59 new houses after failing to make a decision within time restraints. Property giant Barratts submitted the application for the redevelopment of Peel Fold Mill, Stanhill Road, Oswaldtwistle

  • Birtwistle: McRae death is a tragedy

    GORDON Birtwistle has described the tragic death of rally legend Colin McRae as like "losing a member of his family". The Scottish motorsport legend was killed when his Squirrel helicopter crashed in woodland near his home in Lanarkshire on Saturday

  • Green light for 168 houses

    A DEVELOPMENT of 168 new houses paid for through the Elevate regeneration of Accrington has been given the go-ahead. Councillors will now look to enforce a 20mph speed limit on the completed site in a bid to ensure the safety of children who live there

  • Mercian for Martin

    SD34 Championship leader Terry Martin heads south this weekend for the Mercian Road Rally. Martin, from Blackburn, and navigator Jerry Hettrick are tackling the 140-mile event, which takes in Warwickshire, Leicestershire and Northamptonshire, as match

  • Free pedometers for pupils

    EAST Lancashire pupils are to receive free pedometers and mini beanbags as part of a scheme to fight against childhood obesity. Up to 30,000 primary school children across the North West are taking part in a new schools programme launched by children's

  • Greenwood ready to take stock

    THIS weekend sees the thrilling annual Warton Stock Car Championships with Blackburn ace Mick Greenwood sitting in pole position for the coveted Silver roof. However, with 11 rounds gone and drivers accumulating points for their grid positions, Greenwood

  • Full steam ahead for former Rover

    THE man Blackburn fans used to affectionately call The Train' is planning to derail Rovers' UEFA Cup ambitions in Greece tonight. Giorgos Donis, the speedy winger who spent a year on Rovers' books a decade ago, is now beginning to make a name for himself

  • Blake eyes goal rush after opening league account

    ROBBIE Blake is looking to kick on for the rest of the campaign after scoring his first Championship goal of the season. The 31-year-old, who returned to Turf Moor after a two-year absence in the summer in a £250,000 deal from Leeds United, admitted

  • Blackburn seniors are the champions

    Blackburn Harriers Senior Men are the North West Road Relay champions, having won the title at Sefton Park, Liverpool in the first of the autumn season of road relays. Ben Fish, Aaron Hargreaves and Tom Cornthwaite ran the three fastest stages of the

  • Easy as ABC for Blackburn in uphill event

    THE hill climb season has started and the Blackburn and District CTC have already scored their first win in an Open event to add to their success in the Beard Cup CTC member-only competition last week. Their member, Chris Edmondson, was a worthy winner

  • Think before you buy by instalments

    I HAVE an 86-year-old friend who was buying, by instalments, an atlas plus fact sheets. It is a lovely product that fits into a large, free binder. However, she was never told how many parts make up the complete atlas and that by the time it is complete

  • Laying stones flat not the answer

    WITH regards to the ongoing gravestone saga. Whilst I fully agree that health and safety is a very important issue, I was wondering if the council intends to start cutting the grass more often in Pleasington Cemetery, because it is left far too long

  • Graves: Have we wasted money?

    WHEN two of our gravestones failed the topple test, we wondered who could be hurt by their toppling. We concluded that only someone intent on vandalism might scrape his shins. On asking a clerk at the cemeteries office for advice, we were told if we

  • Shame on councillors who ignore us

    REGARDING the ongoing issue concerning Pleasington Cemetery, Blackburn, I arranged a meeting between myself and Mr M Ince of the cemeteries staff to discuss concerns I have regarding the recent testing of my father's headstone. Due to the concerns of

  • Flying saucer set for lift-off

    A FLYING saucer-shaped sculpture will be officially launched later today. Halo is the latest piece of public art to be created as part of the Panopticon project. The 18-metre diametre structure will be illuminated for the first time this evening. It

  • Crime down after Summer Nights

    Lancashire Constabulary's Operation Summer Nights 2007 has been declared a success as it finishes this week. The campaign has seen a 20 per cent reduction in reports of anti-social behaviour, 13 per cent reduction in criminal damage and a three per cent

  • Mawdley blown by engine failure

    SIMON Mawdsley suffered heartache in the Formula Two World of Shale final at Mildenhall when his engine blew. The 33-year-old, who started on the seventh row, got off to a flier and worked his way into the top 10, before disaster struck and he was forced

  • MP welcomes £4.43bn deal

    MP Nigel Evans has welcomed the £4.43 billion defence contract secured by BAE Systems, which wil secure jobs at the Samlesbury site. He said: "I am absolutely delighted." The deal will see BAE sell 72 Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Saudi Arabia.

  • Historic day at school launch

    THE Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire formally unveiled the foundation stone of a new school named in his family's honour. Lord Shuttleworth led the official ceremony at the site of Shuttleworth College, Padiham, one of the first new buildings to open under

  • Police deserve their big round of applause

    Spontaneous applause for the local beat police officers broke out at the most recent residents' meeting I chaired, at Sacred Heart School, near Corporation Park, Blackburn. So it did too for the chair and secretary of the residents' association. There

  • Dunn relishing Greek reunion

    DAVID Dunn is relishing the chance to lock horns with his former club-mate Giorgos Donis in Greece tonight. Dunn is one of only two players in the current squad who was also on the books at Rovers when Donis played for the club in the late 1990s. And

  • Family escape fire

    A FAMILY were able to escape a fire at their home today after a lamp ignited bedclothes. A woman and her two teenage sons were awoken by a smoke alarm at their home in Reedyford Road, Nelson at 12.30am. Fire crews said the blaze began in one of the

  • Win copies of Ebay: Antics of a Virtual Prankster

    This humour book is a fascinating glimpse into the strange world of eBay from a fifth-grade teacher who masquerades as Art Farkas by night, asking sellers bizarre and ludicrous questions about their auctions. Hilarious auctions, crazy e-mails, and