LIFE has been put on hold for the parents of hostage Paul Wells since his capture two years ago today. Bob and Dianne Wells have battled to discover what became of their 26-year-old student son after his capture by Kashmiri militants. "We made plans a
ANGRY residents claim teenagers will cause chaos near their homes when a new car park and replacement changing pavilion are built on playing fields. People living in the Royds Avenue area of Accrington say noise and disturbance will escalate when the
LOVE at first sight can strike at any time, in any place and at any age, according to octogenarian Roy Townley. He is set to wed sweetheart Eileen Condon, who is in her seventies, at the end of this month. Roy, 82, says he fell in love with Eileen when
Exclusive by Brian Doogan STEVE Waugh celebrated the most vital Test century of his career and then sang the praises of the Lancashire League. The world's number one batsman might have saved the Ashes for Australia with his 102 not out yesterday at Old
IN reply to K Hargreaves (Letters, June 13), who seems to have completely misunderstood my letter about second-hand shops, I was complaining about the state of the pavements outside them. Remember? - the things you are supposed to be able to walk along
AS parliamentary sleaze-buster Sir Gordon Downey's long-awaited report into the cash-for-questions scandal delivers guilty verdicts on ex-minister Neil Hamilton and four other former Tory MPs, a sigh of relief must also permeate the stink that hangs over
THE awful limbo into which the family and friends of Blackburn student hostage Paul Wells were plunged, when he and three other westerners were captured by separatist guerrillas in Kashmir, today extends to two long years. The agony of uncertainty and
ROSSENDALE Hospice will be throwing open its new doors this weekend as it marks another milestone in its service to the community. After years of fund-raising and months of building work, the hospice has moved into greatly expanded premises in Cribden
TAXI drivers and private hire operators face weekly safety checks under tough new regulations as town hall bosses step up their bid to get dangerous cars off the roads. Owners in Blackburn and Darwen will have to carry out weekly checks if the new package
A GARDEN of Elements was officially opened at St Christopher's CE High School, Accrington. The launch, celebrating the completion of phase one of their school ground improvement scheme, was attended by deputy mayor of Hyndburn Coun Ian Ormerod, and school
A MAJOR crackdown on bullying in Blackburn and Darwen schools is poised to be launched in the autumn. Organisations plan to join forces to tackle the problem. Workers from Blackburn Racial Equality Council will be involved in the initiative along with
CHRIS Waddle has gone to the top of Burnley's wanted list to fill their vacant managerial post But he is also a target for other clubs, notably Hull City. The former England star is desperate to fulfil his ambitions of moving into management and has gone
A PIONEERING course has helped East Lancashire firms grasp the nettle of new technology. More than 90 people attended a course covering areas such as video-conferencing and the internet held in Blackburn. The trainees were among the first in the country
I SEE (LET, June 24) that a young girl was seriously injured crossing the busy Preston Old Road near St Francis' Primary School in Blackburn. Blackburn with Darwen Council say that there are not enough vehicle movements or children crossing to persuade
A MAJOR rescue operation was launched today after a driver and a puppy were trapped in a van. The Lancashire police helicopter was called to shine light on the vehicle after it left the road and veered down an embankment in Preston New Road, Samlesbury
A HAULAGE contractor gassed himself in a bedroom using a petrol generator after working long hours at his business, an inquest was told. Ian Newbould closed the windows and doors of his home in Harrison Street, Barnoldswick, put a pair of jeans across
Political Focus, with Bill Jacobs BECOMING Chancellor seems to have given new life to Gordon Brown. Labour's election victory seems to have lifted the Shadow not just from his title but from his shoulders. Admittedly there were no jokes, but the gloom
THE last remaining workers clocked off at Burnley's Prestige plant for the last time today - just six months after the stricken kitchenware company crashed into liquidation. But as the the factory doors closed for the final time, there was continuing
FIVE East Lancashire schools have been recognised for their commitment to sport and physical education for pupils. St Christopher's CE High and Mount Carmel RC High,Accrington, St Theodore's RC High, Burnley, Fisher More RC High, Colne and Mansfield High
THE case of tragic toddler Tara Jane Howe is to be raised with Government ministers in a bid to avoid similar deadly incidents. The 18-week-old baby was born with drug dependency, suffered fractures to her tiny body and was starved by evil parents John
TWO East Lancashire firms are celebrating five-star awards presented by the British Safety Council in London. Peter Stuart and Keith Edmondson, of Schlumberger Gas-Metflex, Great Harwood, together with Graeme Parkinson and Kathy Colclough, of Avesta Sheffield
BED and furniture giant Silentnight is enjoying a comfortable start to its financial year. Chairman Keith Ackroyd told the Barnoldswick-based group annual general meeting that results for the first four months of the year were ahead of target. Bed sales
TWELVE months on from the brutal murder of young Kevin Sudall we read of the sadness of the mother of one of his killers - that she will never see her son outside of a prison gate (LET, June 27). How my heart bleeds! But not for her! She will be able
CHORISTERS are tuning up for a two-week trip to Altena, Blackburn's German twin town. Deputy head chorister at Blackburn Cathedral, Alex Barnes, received a £850 cheque from Blackburn with Darwen mayor Coun Peter Greenwood to help pay for the boys' journey
A SURGE in calls to CrimeStoppers following a police promotion has helped net property, drugs and firearms worth almost £100,000. Calls to the crime information line rose by 59 per cent in the three months to the end of June as a result of the campaign
MARTIN Dahlin's transfer to Ewood has moved a significant step closer, with Blackburn Rovers agreeing a fee of just under £2 million with his Italian club AS Roma. There are still personal details to sort out and the medicals to undergo before the signing
Drive & Stroll, with Ron Freethy: Dufton, Cumbria THIS week I enjoyed a trip walking around the village of Dufton, in Cumbria, which is close to the old market town of Appleby. Driving through the Yorkshire Dales and into the fringe of the Lake District
AFTER reading (LET, June 28) about the latest creature comforts Blackburn councillors have awarded themselves on top of the most generous rise they gave themselves a couple of months ago, you have to admire their audacity. For are not they the same people
SHOPPERS in the county are still going crazy for the new "virtual" computer pets. Demand for the cyber pets Digital Doggie and Compu Kittie, introduced months ago, is still as high as ever. Mercers of Northgate, Blackburn, are still using a waiting list
EAST Lancashire was reeling under the blow of a further round of job losses. Seventy shocked workers at Bell Woven Label Company Ltd, Colne, were told not to return to work after the annual wakes week holiday. A further 70 jobs were lost at the consumer
A MULTI-MILLION pound scheme turning a former epilepsy centre into an American-style retirement village was about to be launched. Work was set to begin at Langho Colony, transforming the old, run-down complex into a bright 'model' village - the first
JASON GALLIAN is winning his battle to return from injury in Lancashire's crucial Axa Life League game against Middlesex at Uxbridge on Sunday. Gallian has been out for almost a month since suffering a broken bone in his left hand while batting in the
Friday Folk A BUILDER who suffered a massive heart attack and lay unconscious in intensive care for three days found a new lease of life - thanks to a paint brush. Dennis Frankland, of Clitheroe, collapsed on a building site 10 years ago and underwent
VANDALS have torn up roses from a garden of remembrance at a Darwen park. The garden, marked by a plaque, is in memory of the children and teacher who died in the Dunblane shooting tragedy. It was dedicated by the Rev David Deal, of St Peter's Church,
IN support of Mrs Julie Farrer (Letters, June 9) and not wanting to offend Mrs K Hargreaves (Letters, June 28) I would like to make one or two comments regarding second-hand dealers. As a former self-employed French polisher I had dealings with quite
