MORECAMBE'S Happy Mount Park has become the victim of vandals who have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage in the popular tourist spot. Windows have been smashed, doors daubed over, the pond filled with broken glass and the fence pulled up in the
ANCHORSHOLME residents have won their battle to stop a new 30-seater bus from driving down their street. Blackpool Transport had planned the route for the new 44A/44B easy-access midibuses through narrow Lyddesdale Avenue, but after pressure will now
TIGHT-FISTED road bosses have switched off to the dangers of one of the region's most hazardous trunk routes. A tenth of all the lights are out on the East Lancashire Road between Boothstown and Golborne - because the government's Highways Agency hasn't
PEOPLE'S champion Catherine McGregor has stood the acid test. The young mum who has endured six months of torment from teenage terrors but refuses to be hounded out of Westleigh. Instead she has stood up for herself and others and is trying to prevent
DORIS Thompson was already in her 80s when she retired from riding roller coasters. But she would have been first on board for the Big One's 85mph maiden voyage if she had had her way. At 93, she is just seven years younger than Blackpool Pleasure Beach
FESTIVAL fever hits Leigh's Hilton Park this weekend. There will be a variety of entertainment including Tongan pig roasting and rugby and soccer tournaments. On Friday, the weekend kicks off with a Big Band night with the Ronnie Moore Orchestra. A specially
EPILEPTIC Richard Greenop is back in the swim - and it's all thanks to the Citizen. Fearing for his life, Hyndburn Leisure Centre bosses pulled the plug on Richard's regular swimming expeditions until he found a full time supervisor to join him in the
A NEW national pressure group for owners of hunting dogs has been launched in East Lancashire. Seventy representatives of 23 lurcher clubs, with more than 5,000 members all over the country, gathered at the Rose and Crown, Ramsbottom, for the inaugural
HYNDBURN councillors have united behind their new mayor as the borough prepares to make local government history with his installation tonight. Councillor Mirza Yousaf is set to become the north west's first Asian mayor when he takes the chains of office
KEITH BATESON was the invisible Beatle. He was the man responsible, in part, for the incredible Sounds of the Sixties. As Beatlemania gripped the world, Keith bounced the Fab Four's magic music across the air waves for the BBC - the sound man on hit radio
LABOUR is celebrating its first birthday in charge of South Ribble Council with a present for the unemployed. New grants of up to £3,000 are being offered to the jobless to help them start up in business. Already new firms have been set up ranging from
I AM writing in response to the "Gobsmacked" article (Hyndburn Citizen, May 16), because I feel I must support Bob Dobson. In my opinion, he rightly laughed off the criticisms made against his remarks about "Gobbinland". In 1986 Benita Moore published
THE University of Central Lancashire has failed miserably in a new national league table, coming 84th out of 96 institutions tested. But bosses at the UCLa have slammed the tables as unfair and based on 'inaccurate and out-of-date statistics'. Deputy
I HEARTILY endorse Roy Brooks' criticisms of the management at Wigan and Leigh College (Journal Mailbox). Regardless of the gloss that Margaret Murdin attempts to put on the present situation at the college, the undeniable fact is that industrial relations
EMMERDALE's latest heart throb Mark Cameron was the star attraction at the Merrie England Festival held at Middleforth CE School last weekend. He crowned Rose Queen Becky Tarling after officially opening the event which was staged to raise cash for St
THANK you, thank you and another thank you. A few weeks ago I e-mailed a message to the Citizen regarding a dear friend who resides in Blackburn with whom I had lost contact. I am pleased to report that she is well and has responded to me with a letter
PRESTON'S new Mayor, Liberal Democrat Ron Marshall took office this week following the defeat in the local elections of the Mayor Elect, Conservative councillor Audrey Scott. Councillor Marshall, a former Methodist minister and college lecturer, has taken
AFTER attending a special European Youth Conference in Brussels as the guest of Euro MP Gary Titley, 21-year-old Helen Nugent's verdict was that Britain must become more involved in Europe, otherwise we are going to be left behind! Helen, from Hey Croft
HAS the madness of Ryan and Hamilton reached the higher ranks of the police force? Jim Sharples, Chief Constable of Merseyside and Chairman of the Association of Chief Police Officers would like a ban on hand guns, increased influence of GPs in the granting
A PIONEERING training course to promote breast feeding has been launched at a local hospital and is already attracting attention from around the world. Queen's Park Hospital in Blackburn has teamed up with the University of Central Lancashire in Preston
OSWALDTWISTLE face the unenviable task of having to do what no other side has managed to do this season - stop Shadid Nawaz! The New Lane side travel to Ribblesdale League leaders Read on Saturday hoping that the Pakistani professional has an off day.
CAROL Murphy' s worst nightmare was that she would fall from her wheelchair and be stranded with no-one to hear her cries for help. The 33 year-old suffers from multiple sclerosis and is determined to hold onto her independence. She still lives by herself
LAST September we brought you the story of a brave little girl, desperately ill with a rare terminal illness and in need of a special bed so she could go home to Calder Crescent, Bury, and be with her mum and dad. Seven years old Ainara Manzanares-Smith
BLACKBURN'S pavilion buildings are a political hot potato which refuses to go away. Should they be demolished - or should they be restored to become a town centre showpiece? The Citizen went out into the street and asked the people of Blackburn for their
IN reply to Michael Haslam's views in 'Speak Easy' (LET, May 9), as a sinner who once turned away from God, I could write pages about why religion should not be banned. OK, Sundays are no longer special. There is always more to do on a Sunday than taking
THE LEADER of South Ribble Council has hit back at claims that a quiet Farrington street could soon be overrun with thundering lorries. Worried residents in Northgate have inundated councillors with calls after they received an anonymous leaflet claiming
BOASTING just 82 pupils St. Paul's CE Primary School in Ramsbottom is top class say OFSTED inspectors who recognised that big isn't always best. The size of the school is one of its virtues say the inspectors who spent four days looking in detail at over
CHAMPION cyclist Paul Jennings, who is a first year student at the University of Central Lancashire, has his sights set on Atlanta. And the university is helping him with a grant towards a training mountain bike and travel costs to the National Cycling
RISHTON'S season could all hinge on this weekend's double header despite having the world's fastest bowler amongst their ranks. Skipper John Wharton believes double defeat could put them out of touch with the Lancashire League pace setters - and end their
WHEN schoolgirls Helen Noble and Emma Watkinson went to Radio Lancashire to do a ten minute slot, they were so confident, they ended up hosting the whole three-hour programme. That was last year - now the two A-level media studies students are still interviewing
IF Jason Wilcox completes his remarkable comeback by gate-crashing England's European Championship party, there will be one man who will feel it's a job well done. Blackburn Rovers physio Steve Foster has nursed the winger back from a serious cruciate
THE FLYING of the Pakistani flag at Accrington town hall for tonight's mayor-making ceremony has been criticised. The Union Jack and the flag of Pakistan will be flying alongside each other as Councillor Mirza Yousaf is installed as mayor of Hyndburn.
A CONSORTIUM of local businessmen are preparing a rescue plan to save three historic town centre buildings earmarked for demolition. A group of long-established Blackburn traders - who wish to remain anonymous at this stage - say they will finance the
LAST week Bury-based Pennine Telecom, who are one of the UK's leading independent radio and telecommunications companies, celebrated 20 years in business and to mark the special occasion the company staged a series of luncheons at their Salford Street
AN UNBEATEN 100 from Aussie amateur Kevin Geyes and 66 from professional Andy Williams blasted Greenmount into the next round of the Bolton League's Hamer Cup. Opponents Westhoughton had totalled 192 for 8 but the Mount cruised through with nine wickets
ROVERS fans took off last night to taunt luckless Burnley supporters. But the stunt involving a light aircraft trailing an advertising banner over Turf Moor during Burnley's crucial play-off game with Torquay may have landed the pilot in hot water. The
THE BATTLE over the former Burnley Building Society offices in Grimshaw Street, Burnley, hotted up today. Colin Lancaster, general manger of the National and Provincial Society, with which it merged several years ago, revealed that "ultimately they would
THE future of the Liberty fabrics distribution centre and more than 100 jobs in Burnley were in doubt today as the group announced the closure of almost its entire retail network. The upmarket chain said more than 20 retail outlets are to go in a bid
BOSSES at Rolls Royce have told the area's MP that the plant at Barnoldswick has a rosy future. MP Gordon Prentice told the Citizen he felt assured Barnoldswick will play a central role in the company's plans after he met Rolls Royce chief John Rose.
ST HELENS motor dealer Andy Middlehurst, will have a good lead on the starting grid when he lines up for the fourth round of the 1996 British Saloon Car Championship this Bank Holiday Monday, May 27, at Brands Hatch. At Donnington, Andy - of Middlehurst
PENDLE'S new Mayor is furious at being cast as the Scrooge who refuses to give a Christmas gift to elderly people. Town hall bosses say the traditional £5 given by the Mayor to Pendle folk over the age of 80 should be axed to save cash. But their plan
WHEELCHAIR basketball teams from all over Europe will be converging on St Helens during the St Helens Show to take part in the Meteors Wheelchair Basketball Club St Helens Show Invitation Tournament. The event will be the biggest of its kind in Britain
THE worried workforce of Hyndburn Transport are wondering what the future holds after the council gave the green light to selling off its bus company. John Hornsby, TGWU branch secretary, said: "We have to face the fact they are going to sell and hope
NEW skipper Tim Street and sub forward Mark McGughan were sent off AFTER the final whistle on Sunday Bloody Sunday. Quite simply, Leigh's shock 15-14 defeat at bottom club Chorley ended in pandemonium. "It was a dark day for the club," agreed disappointed
KNOWSLEY Council is teaming up with the University of Liverpool to provide a two-year programme of assistance to local government in South Africa's North West Province. The £1 million project, funded by the Overseas Development Administration as part
ERIC HUGHES believes he must be cruel to be kind to turn Leigh round. Three weeks into his new job and the ex-St Helens coach now knows the full extent of the mighty task ahead of him. "If we are going to get the club back on its feet the players are
TODAY we can announce the finalists in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph East Lancashire Business Awards 1996. Those in the running for a share of a £10,000 prize pot range from one man bands to major international companies with multi-million pound turnovers
THE newly-elected Mayor of St Helens has spoken of his pride at being chosen as the town's 97th first citizen. Councillor Alex Worth (67) from Prescot Road, has served twice on the council, once from 1980 to 1986 as a Labour councillor for Thatto Heath
One ray of sunshine and they're all out aren't they? Yes you've guessed it the unsightly crew of monsters that think the moment those uv rays penetrate the blanket of cloud (which hovers almost permanently over Lancaster and Morecambe) they have the right
A TALENTED teenager has taken the first steps to a career in showbusiness. For 16-year-old Katie Bradbury has won a place at one of the country's top dancing schools. Starting in September, Katie, from Clifton Road, Billinge, will be one of a select band
COLLEGES across East Lancashire have been told how much money they can expect to receive over the next year. The Further Education Funding Council is distributing a total of £2.9 billion to institutions across the country. After consultation, the FEFC
NEW name, new livery and new owner is the order of the day for Bury's largest bus operator GM Buses North who have sold out to First Bus plc which operates in Scotland, the Midland, Yorkshire and the South West. Now they will cover the old GM Buses North
A FORMER Darwen headteacher has died after a short illness. Gordon Wright, 53, was head at Moorland High School for four years. He left for Parklands High in Chorley six years ago. He was taken into hospital last week with breathing difficulties. A cause
FINES and costs totalling £11,294 were imposed by magistrates in Bury after three companies were found guilty of Health and Safety at Work offences. The prosecutions followed an accident which happened at the Village Leisure Hotel in George Street, Prestwich
A POLICE chief today issued a plea urging shopkeepers to stop selling lighter fuel to gas-sniffing teenagers. Inspector Harry Bretherton's appeal came after a Catholic priest revealed he had recruited a team of altar guards to protect his church from
ADDITIONAL car parking facilities, a new access road and improved playing facilities are on the cards for Sedgley Park Rugby Union Football Club. A planning application from them was under the review of Bury Metro's planning sub-committee yesterday as
TRACEY Neville, a 19-year-old student from Bury, has been selected by the All England Netball Association as part of the England U21 side due to play in the World Youth Cup in Toronto, Canada, from August 11 to 24. Tracey, whose brothers Gary and Neville
CHILD minders, nursery nurses and nannies throughout the region are being offered a fist-aid course run by the Greater Manchester Ambulance Service in a bid to reduce accidents among young children. The courses start on June 1, last four hours and will
MARK Eccleston is a man with a transatlantic mission after being called up by the British Paralympic Association to represent Great Britain in wheelchair rugby in this year's Paralympic Games in Atlanta. The 26-year-old from Bridge Road, Clock Face, earned
A NEW local initiative is being launched to clean up Atherton. The scheme is being launched by Derek Bullock, former environmental officer for Atherton Heritage Society. His new scheme called Atherton Environmental Projects is a new voluntary body which
STAYING PUT! That was the response of Saints' boss Shaun McRae in answer to reports that he was heading back to Australia to take charge of his old club Canberra Raiders. WHITTLE: How did the rumours start that you were lined up to take over from Tim
CARING kiddies from schools in Billinge have presented a cheque for £2,000 to the Marie Curie Fund to commemorate all those who have died of cancer in the area. Last year more than 15,000 bulbs were planted by local schoolchildren at the Billinge Field
RACING camels are going to be one of the many highlights at Burnley's summer carnival, now only 10 weeks away. A spectacular array of events are being planned by Burnley Round Table to to make it a day to remember. Most of the entertainment is now booked
RAMSBOTTOM put an end to Lowerhouse's Lancashire League winning ways in an exciting and high-scoring match on Sunday. Chasing 255 for victory, Lowerhouse looked to be on course with Shawn Flegler (39) and Chris Blezard (45) making good progress. But when
CAVERS will be leaping off the top of a hotel in Burnley centre to raise cash so they can continue to help others. Members of Burnley Caving Club have for years shown youngsters the ropes by introducing them to the sport. They have been told they have
A COLLEGE principal says he does not expect further job losses despite being granted less money. The Further Education Funding Council has provisionally allocated £8,119,346 for Accrington and Rossendale College - a 4.3 per cent reduction on the previous
Here we go again - the we-love-fluoride brigade campaigning to force us all to take compulsory medication in the water supply because a few people can't be bothered to look after their teeth. Poor dental health in children in this area is mostly because
THE lack of any transfer action at Turf Moor has not stopped rumours circulating about which big-name players could be coming to Burnley. Adrian Heath was not being drawn this week on the players he's interested in - and so all kinds of speculation have
THE import of mahogany into Britain through ports such as Heysham came under scrutiny in a national television programme last night (Wednesday). The programme, filmed by an undercover Channel 4 Dispatches team in Brazil, exposed the felling of mahogany
SUNDERLAND boss Peter Reid has finally called it quits in his efforts to sign Blackburn Rovers young keeper Shay Given - after having a club record bid rejected. And Ewood hopes of making an early capture themselves could be resolved in the next few days
FANCY yourself as a bit of a demon on the old pool table? Now you've got the chance to pit your cueing skills against the best players the world has to offer. More than 400 professional pool masters from all around the globe will be taking part in the
HOLDEN & Hartley of Burnley and Lookers in Blackburn, have been awarded formal recognition as Vauxhall Approved Accident Repair Centres. This was granted after the dealerships met strict standards of workmanship and customer service. They will be
THE slaughter of cattle due to the mad cow disease panic could cause more smells over Lancaster this summer according to councillors in the city. As more cattle are disposed of under the government's BSE culling programme, councillors are worried that
A TRIO of little kittens could be forgiven for being confused about their identity - they have the body of a cat and the curly tail of a pig! The threesome have all followed in the footsteps of mother Bobby, whose unique tail has left vets and experts
ANGRY North Shore hoteliers and residents are campaigning for a clean-up of the area in time for the summer season. In particular, members of RONSA (Revitalisation Of the North Shore Area), want to see Gynn Square roundabout return to its former glory
MINER'S son Owen Oyston who worked his way up into a millionaire, was facing retiremnt in jail last night (May 22). He was sentenced to six years imprisonment for the rape and indecent assault of a girl who was only 16 at the time of the offence. Oyston
THIEVES have stripped the roof of a disused chapel at Atherton cemetery of slates worth hundreds of pounds. The thieves targeted the former chapel, which has been put up for sale, over the weekend. It is the latest in a series of attacks on the cemetery
OWEN Oyston was last night (May 22) sentenced to a total of six years in jail after being found guilty of raping a young model and indecently assaulting her. The judge, Mr Justice McCullough, told the 62-year-old Blackpool Football Club chairman: "She
LIKE others, I would add my goodbye to Noel Wild. When he became editor of the Nelson Leader, I was able to help him on some feature stories and we became somewhat friendly. I also gave him and his wife, Joy, a hand when I removed a wasp-nest from their
A CATHOLIC priest dedicated to serving the needs of young people is being plagued by a gang of teenage hooligans. Father Kevin Griffin has resorted to recruiting a team of eight bouncer style volunteer guards to put an end to the yobs' reign of terror
WHEN it comes to showing off their business skills three Leigh firms have proved that they are among the best in the region after walking away with top awards. The three, Direct Security Group, Atherton Windows of Leigh and Peter Miles Engineering Ltd
A GET-RICH company which has attracted more than £12.5 million in investments has been hit by a Government winding up action. The money-making operation Titan, which has recruited hundreds of people in Lancashire, was attacked as a scam in parliament
RESIDENTS of Darwen's Avondale Road - still reeling from a council error which robbed them of the view from the rear of their homes - are now bracing themselves for a road safety battle. Blowmoulding firm Weltonhurst Limited, who were mistakenly granted
MISERABLE May has proved to too much for a pair of sun-seeking gnomes! The duo mysteriously disappeared from their Rishton garden two weeks ago, but a post card this week revealed their apparent whereabouts - Corfu! The card, which had a Greek stamp on
A NEW culture has come to Lowton High School in the vision of Japanese trainee teacher Michiko Takahashi. The 24 years-old has a packed programme of events during her stay and is busy teaching Japanese culture, poetry, and even origami, the ancient art
A DISPUTE that helped spark a taxi drivers' strike earlier this year has been resolved, after a series of meetings between operators and council officials. Pendle councillors have agreed a series of measures aimed at going some way to meeting the drivers
BRAVE five year-old Brendan Leigh Foster suffered severe burns on what should have been a fun ramble. Bickershaw boy Brendan needed skin grafts after he slipped into a fire hole of smouldering pit dirt while on an evening stroll with playmates. Burns
PARENTS in Westleigh are angry at the sudden closure of a long-established playsheme. After four years of providing a haven for youngsters at the XII Apostles Church Hall, the group were shocked to be told on Monday that they had just 48 hours to leave
ADRIAN Heath (pictured) today dismissed a report that he had held transfer talks with Sunderland defender John Kay. The vastly-experienced 32-year-old right back has been made available on a free transfer by Roker Park boss Peter Reid. But the Burnley
SOARING business rates are killing off a once-thriving town. Now Atherton shopkeepers fear their days are numbered unless the Government reduces the levy they pay. M and M bargain store owner Jack Emanuel says if the situation doesn't improve within five
SO Oswaldtwistle councillors want an intelligent conversation with Bob Dobson? Anyone who wants an intelligent conversation on a subject dripping with irony and traditional, tongue-in-cheek local folk lore humour is, in my book, highly bombastic. It's
PARENTS of children who vandalise buses could find themselves paying for the damage - and it could cost £200 or more! In a new move by the county council, bus operators are being encouraged to place hidden cameras on the top deck of buses to catch the
I WAS bewildered and amazed to read the recent comments of June Cunningham (Community Association secretary) concerning the Higher Folds estate. She claims the area is becoming Leigh's equivalent of Moss Side! She is obviously not aware the problems facing
A NINE-year-old boy was critically ill on Tuesday last week with 90 per cent burns to his body after falling into a fire left unattended in woods near Warton the weekend before. Alexander Kelly of Clifton Avenue, Warton, was playing with two friends when
I APPLAUD the Citizen's recent coverage of the plight of the Pavilion buildings on Church Street in Blackburn. I arrived in this area just as Blackburn had caught the 60s syndrome and started to demolish everything of any architectural merit. The shopping
A CONVOY of trucks and buses is set to take over Leyland this Sunday to commemorate the centenary of truck building in the town. Owners of vans, trucks, buses, coaches and fire engines built in Leyland from the earliest days of road transport to modern
LOCAL shopping centres are fast turning into ghost towns - and Preston Borough Council should step in now to stop the decline. That's the view of Councillor Albert Richardson who is complaining that something should be done to help the town's struggling
THANKS to extra cash from Children In Need dancing and story telling are currently helping to tackle bullying and racism in Bury's schools. As part of a pioneering project almost a dozen primary, secondary and special schools in the Borough are currently
WESLEY Guild - "selling it for the community". That's one way of using words to hide the fact that Wigan Metro councillors need to sell-off community land to balance the local government budget. Tom Sherratt, the deputy council leader insists that due
WORKERS at the food distribution company Strachan's in Ribbleton, Preston, are celebrating this week after five numbers came up on their Lottery syndicate. But three of the 24 staff won't be partying because, much as they'd like to, they can't join the
I AGREE that it would be a pity to demolish the Church Street Pavilions but can't think what could be done with them. I would like to see them stay but they are such a contrast to the surrounding area. However if they were to go, what a transformation
POLICE have warned the public not to approach a man who has been missing from home since Monday, May 6. They believe Leicester man John Hogg, 35, may be in Preston where he is known to have connections. He was last seen at the Towers Hospital, Gipsy Lane
WHY be offended by the word "gormless"? In Haslingden I think it would be spoken as "gawmless" - more of an "ahh" than "oor". If the residents up "Ozzy" object to the word, why are they so proud of the Olde Calico Shop and the stocks, plus many, many
HARD-HEARTED National Lottery bosses refused to fund a special toilet for a disabled girl on the same day they doled out a whopping £125,000 to tart up some rusty old railings. Seven year-old Helen Blackwell, who is wheelchair-bound, loves her weekly
IT WAS with great delight that I read Harry Smith's comments on the extremely successful Streets Ahead festival held earlier this month and it is difficult not to agree with most of his observations. Yes, the crowds 'flocked' to the town and yes, the
A NEW craze has swept the ranks of Lancashire's Mounted Police - treading the boards for a Penwortham Gilbert and Sullivan society. For more than 30 years, Mounted Policeman Philip Walsh has enjoyed performing, singing and directing the works of Gilbert
AT Bury College's art department in Albert Road, Whitefield, students are learning their skills and finding out how to go about getting a job afterwards. Sector manager Janice Crowley recently engaged Philip Cox as resident artist, and he has been instrumental
BRITISH Telecom could come grinding to a halt if a strike by Preston computer staff goes ahead. The 35 troubleshooters, who man the help-desks and solve computer problems throughout the company, are locked in a bitter pay wrangle with their bosses. They
MEETING on Wednesday as the Journal was going to press members of Bury Metro's planning control sub-committee were being recommended to refuse planning permission for a revolutionary, six-sector antenna to be housed in the tower of Stand Church at Whitefield
AID worker John Boast has been charged with smuggling a second child out of Romania. The new allegations come five months after he was first accused of illegally taking a young girl out of the troubled country. Mr Boast, 47, is a former Great Harwood
PUPILS and green fingered volunteers have been taking a close look at the damage caused by vandals at a nature reserve project they have been working on for the last 12 months. But the youngsters from Rhyddings High School are refusing to be beaten by
PEOPLE are being urged to think twice before handing over money to a gambling consortium. Lancashire Trading Standards say people should approach the London-based scheme with caution. The company - The Racing Consortium - has sent out mail-shots asking
PLANNERS in Bury are recommending that Patrick Slattery, the owner of the controversial Taylor Nicholson Lodge, should be refused permission to lower its water depth by partial in-filling. Located off Mather Road, the picturesque lodge has so far been
MIKE Hill has crossed the Pennines to take charge as general manager at the Foxfields Hotel, Billington. He was previously at a hotel in Huddersfield and has also managed hotels for Resort and Hilton National. Converted for the new archive on 14 July
OUR hard-up sports desk are down to their last £50. Having invested a £10 National Lottery win on a series of cunningly-crafted bets (and missing out on a £175 return when Eric Cantona scored his Cup Final goal) it is time to bite the bullet. And if my
Regarding fluoride in drinking water (Citizen, May 16), why should we all be subjected to mass medication with a poisonous substance simply because the youngsters of today can't resist eating sweets and fizzy drinks? Many senior citizens (such as ourselves
ABOUT to retire on health grounds, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Taylor, today delivered a fierce parting shot at Home Secretary Michael Howard's plan for the minimum jail terms that judges would have to impose on repeat offenders. But though Lord Taylor
READING Saturday's television guide (LET, May 11) I noticed it stated that 'Match of the Day' was showing highlights of the FA Cup Final between 'Lancashire rivals' Liverpool and Manchester United. I would like to draw your attention to the fact that
THE mounting campaign in schools against publication of primary league tables was backed today by the biggest classroom union, the National of Teachers. But, really, the teachers need a lesson in honesty. To begin with, the bid by both head teachers'
TOURIST information centres are to close and outside bailiffs brought in to chase debtors in a review of how Pendle spends its cash. The information centre in Nelson town hall will go first. The office in Barnoldswick, revamped only months ago, will go
BULLY for East Lancashire patients' watchdog Frank Clifford who barks back today at health bosses who defend secrecy over meningitis scares. He hit out at the cover-up after a second case of the deadly disease occurred at the same Burnley nursery in a
COLNE Gala is all set to take to the streets next Saturday (June 1), and organisers say it will be a fun-packed day for all the family. This year the small hard-working committee want to donate as much as they can to charity, and have opted not to go
FOURTEEN people have been arrested and drugs with a street value of over £10,000 seized in a crackdown on crack cocaine and heroin dealers in Burnley. Operation codenamed Avon began last night as houses in the Daneshouse and Duke Bar areas of Burnley
WHEN Clarets "super fan" Alan Beecroft told his wife he was going out for "a Chinese" he didn't mean a trip to the local take-away. Alan, treasurer of Colne Clarets fan club, and his son Simon, packed their claret and blue Burnley strips and jetted off
I'D imagined that the old 'Help to Scholars' booklets, distributed in millions by the Beechams firm to succeeding generations of local children, had fizzled out with the outbreak of the 1939-45 war. But not a bit of it! After spotting my earlier piece
THROUGHOUT the past year Councillor Keith Deakin has devoted all his time and energy to his role as Mayor of St Helens. Every day of the week was taken up with mayoral duties and although it was non-stop hard work, Keith says it was a great honour to
NICK SEDDON'S home from home is a dear do! The Leigh angler looked set for an cheap fishing break in Ireland for the annual King of Clubs competition. His parents, Ken and Christine, moved from Astley two years ago and now run a guest house in Enniskillen
ANXIOUS parents of pupils at Merton Bank Primary School are calling on the council to improve security at the school by building a perimeter fence. This follows a recent incident when a man with an air rifle was spotted on the fields at the back of the
ABOUT 250 jobs are to go at Pilkington's Triplex works at Eccleston as part of what the company describes as "worldwide reorganisation to improve competitiveness." In a statement issued this week Pilkington says it will invest £35 million in state-of-the-art
NORMAN Wilson still gets a 'buzz' when recounting his epic battle to get England's only green telephone box installed in a pleasant little hamlet. Now, much to the dismay of the Kings Moss villagers - plus all with an interest in local history - that
THE Volvo PGA Championship, one of the premier events on the European Tour, starts tomorrow at the magnificent Wentworth Golf Club. Burnley's Paul Carman, the professional at Huddersfield Golf Club, will be teeing up alongside the likes of Nick Faldo,
AS one of Noel Wild's fans, I know he will be sadly missed. He was a household name in these parts and I am proud to have met such a great sports writer. There was a different air about Noel and his writing. He had a knack of making readers feel they
MEMBERS of the Hollins Conservation Group in Bury have cleared rubbish, planted trees and wildflowers and improved footpaths, and done a host of other environmental tasks in Hollins Plantation.. Now the organisation plans to create new woodland as part
PATIENT watchdog Frank Clifford has hit back at a health boss who defended secrecy in meningitis cases. The Burnley Community Health Council chairman has renewed his call for the East Lancashire Health Authority to be more open when the deadly virus strikes
BLACKBURN MP Jack Straw has cast himself in the role of hard man. The Shadow Home Secretary's new proposals to deal with young offenders are certainly a step in the right direction, though they don't go far enough in the eyes of many ordinary, law-abiding
DRAWN together from schools around the Borough, Bury's young ambassadors - known as the magnificent seven - have received official thanks and praise for their starring role in the National Conference on Youth and Crime organised by the Association of
IN the year The Beatles were becoming famous, one local man was retiring after driving Lancashire United Buses for 40 years. On Saturday, 98 years-old, Norman Aspinall of Stonecross Lane, Lowton, was a guest of honour at a special event commemorating
INTERNATIONAL athlete Ann Williams from St Helens has been given a major boost in her bid for a place at the Olympic Games. For she's been selected to contest the 1500 metres event for Great Britain in the European Cup in Madrid on June 1 and 2. Plagued
UNDER fire for recent lack of attacking flair despite topping the Super League table, Saints will seek to silence their critics when Castleford visit Knowsley Road on Monday, kick-off 8pm. And, if past results are the yardstick, skipper Bobbie Goulding's
BUSY roads in Burnley where dozens of children have been injured will soon be much safer. Around £200,000 will go on streets around Rossendale Road, Accrington Road and Manchester Road to slow down traffic using the area. A lot of the money will go on
I SYMPATHISE with your correspondents - 'Disbelief at article' and 'Caring community on estate' (Letters, May 6), about what they consider is misrepresentation by the Press. Of course there are friendly, hard-working people on the Princess Gardens, Feniscowles
A SIX year plan costing £10 million comes to fruition when Burnley's telephone system goes totally digital next Wednesday morning (May 29). The switch on will bring the last of the area's six telephone exchanges up to date, replacing existing electronic
Three teenagers were spotted climbing on to the stage at Lancaster's Sugarhouse last Friday, causing serious damage to a number of comfy, pop sensibilities. Next big thing Ash were loud, proud and supremely confident in their rush for the big time, thrashing
A TALKING brain warning children about the perils of drug abuse could soon be visiting Lancaster's schools. The brain, don't worry it's just a plastic model, is part of a planned £60,000 mobile education anti-drugs centre currently on the Life Education
THE roof is on and an eight-year dream for a hospice to serve people in Burnley and Pendle is finally becoming a reality. 1988 seems a long time ago to the members of Burnley and Pendle Hospice Care, but 1996 will certainly be a year none of the members
SCORES of holidaymakers were demanding to be flown home by Rossendale firm Airtours after two children died at the Alcudia Pins complex in Majorca. A 13-year-old British boy and an 11-year-old German girl are understood to have died from meningitis while
LANCASTER have opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Vaux Northern League after their convincing win at Fleetwood on Saturday. Nearest rivals Chorley had to be content with a home draw against Blackpool. Lancaster bowled out Fleetwood for 173
GANGS of youths are staging roadside robberies while roaming the streets of Blackburn's Asian community. Police have launched a crackdown on the opportunist crimes being carried out by gangs of up to six Asian youngsters. But officers have stressed that
A WOMAN who invented a device to help amateur photographers take professional-looking portraits is one of a group of disabled businessmen and women who are putting Burnley on the economic map. Brenda Kean's camera-flash diffuser - which helps prevent
MOST Clarets fans feel the team's ill-fated return to the first division in 1994-5 is best forgotten. But not Stephen Cummings, author of 'Burnley Were Back!' The book, a game-by-game account of the relegation season, is just out and, despite its depressing
SHOPKEEPERS in Lancaster are trying to force the city council to cancel their controversial new parking system just three weeks after it started. After a crisis meeting held earlier this week, traders in the city have decided to lobby city councillors
KIND-HEARTED Burnley folk are aiming to raise thousands of pounds to send a little handicapped boy to the USA for a course of treatment known as dolphin therapy. Six-year-old Liam Kowalski, who has cerebral palsy, has already made one brief trip to the
POLICE are hunting three masked men who raided a Lancaster post office brandishing a baseball bat and a gun on Wednesday morning. The Vale sub post office, on Noel Road, was held up after two men followed a post office delivery worker into the shop and
LANCASTER millionaire Owen Oyston is in prison today at the start of a six-year jail sentence after being found guilty of raping a young model and indecently assaulting her. The 20-day court case at Liverpool came to an end yesterday (Wednesday) with
