Archive

THREE Blackpool postal workers are about to make a very special delivery to Bulgarian orphans. The men are helping to drive a nine-vehicle convoy carrying 30 tonnes of aid across Europe to help deprived children in five orphanages. Setting off on March

THE treatment of hard working, loyal employees at Career Apparel is typical of the way business is conducted these days. Thanks for your loyalty, thanks for the profits and good luck at the job centre! The company is a success, even the boss says so,

BURY 1, NORWICH CITY 0 WHISPER it quietly but the Shakers' fantastic February might just have given way to marvellous March! While the football might not have always been haute cuisine not even Norwich City director Delia Smith could have cooked up a

Cllr Henig's letter 'Facts on Tax' (Citizen, March 5) whilst sympathising with Mr Hubbard of Carnforth states neither he nor the council have any responsibility whatsoever for the council tax levied by the Parish Precept. How very extraordinary, as the

THE public now know that in early 1994 councillors were told that the Unique Group had agreed to consider reducing their share of the Crinkley Bottom gate money if attendances fell below the break even point. This was the 'side letter' agreement and it

TREE thieves are being given a chance to redeem themselves. A fortnight ago Mayor and Mayoress Cllr Ken and Mrs Joan Pye planted a young tree at a footpath opening ceremony in Westleigh. Westleigh Tenants and Residents Association, led by Michelle Trotter

BLACKPOOL is in line for a giant festival of fun this summer, with top-line comedians, singers, bands and street entertainers. The resort's Town Centre Forum has set up a string of events, from a six-week Festival of Comedy to a heritage week and an international

JAILED tycoon Owen Oyston will never admit he raped a teenage model even if it means giving up any chance of parole, the House of Commons was told. Labour MP Dale Campbell-Savours revealed that Oyston had told him from his prison cell that he would stay

St Helens Crusaders 30 Westhoughton 10 CRUSADERS kept their promotion hopes very much alive with this convincing win. Try scorers were Hull, Bloor, Whitrow (2), Lee and Capewell with conversions from Whitrow (2) and Saunders. Format NDE man of the match

CARING Barbara Priestman is guiding a second group of children...From Russia With Love. Twelve deprived youngsters will make the pilgrimage to Leigh in August. And they all come from the same impoverished village - Solkonichi in the Mogilev area of Belarus

GRAHAM Taylor does not have many happy memories of the colour orange since meeting a certain Dutch side when manager of England - and Blackpool made sure it was a colour he would remember in his Division Two surroundings. And Gary Brabin went some way

A NURSE accused of killing her American husband on Valentine's Day is carrying a baby, thought to be his. Dramatic news was revealed in a Florida court this week that Helen Cummings, from Preston, is in the early stages of pregnancy. The 32-year-old,

THE planning countdown has started for Leigh's controversial Xanadu snowdome project. In the Spring, the outline application will be considered by the council's Planning and Development Committee. But before that the developers will mount an exhibition

IT'S not only the Rugby League team in Leigh that's bad! As a Wiganer working in lobby-land ,I am finding it harder to get to work every day. The roundabout at Twist Lane drives me round the bend, and the new one way system on Railway Road, that no-one

LEYLAND Warriors U10s played a home game at Leyland Motors sports complex against Royton Tigers from Warrington, beating the opposition with a convincing 68-38 score. A good first half saw Leyland score some good tries, displaying solid defence and flowing

THE parents of a little girl who is terminally ill have sent a big 'thank you' to everyone who has helped raise funds for an appeal set up in her name - including a trio of Blackburn Rovers stars. For Gary Croft and James Beattie drew the prizes for a

FOOTBALL-MAD Yunus Selant loves Preston North End so much he works there every Saturday - free of charge! The 29-year-old, who grew up in the shadows of Deepdale, became besotted by the game aged six and hasn't looked back since. He remembers his first

I don't know if you can help me but I guess it's worth a try. I have been trying to find my friend. I moved from Leigh 7 years ago when my family and I moved to Canada. At the time, I was attending Lowton High School and my maiden name was Samantha Taylor

CREWS from Garstang and Preston Motor Club took part in the Bay Stages Rally. The Morecambe Car Club event was a round of eight championships. A sunny day at Flookburgh did not improve the conditions - stages were in their usual wet and slippery state

TOP COMEDIAN Steve Coogan got serious on a visit to Preston when he joined his sister to appeal for over £400,000 for a unique charity. Celebrity Steve, who performs as a whole host of characters, was himself for the day as he gave his backing to L'Arche

AT LAST it appears Cllr Jarvis has got the message: "The dome is not wanted". The extra cost on everybody's rates to pay for it will ensure nobody local will be able to afford to use its facilities. Add to this the costs involved in traffic signs, re-surfacing

THERE was a real star guest at an International Women's Day exhibition at Accrington Town Hall. For Julie Hesmondhalgh, who plays Hayley Patterson in Coronation Street, went to the "Woman to Woman" stand to hand over a gift parcel to Gloria Gibson, the

SQUADDIES have a hearty appetite, so they say. But even a crowd of St Patrick's Day revellers attending the Sergeants' Mess function at Kimberley Barracks, Deepdale, couldn't finish the huge pot of Irish stew prepared by their army hosts. So rather than

I HAVE read with interest the many letters in The Journal recently concerning the proposed 'guided bus' route linking Leigh and Tyldesley to Manchester. I can see the merits of the system but I can also see the pitfalls, and that is why I feel that the

ASKED about Preston being back in the relegation dogfight, North End boss David Moyes said: "I don't think we have ever been out of it. "We had two good wins that helped us, but we are there and we have to work to get out of it." He went on: "We were

AN AMAZING row has broken out between Preston's mayor and a theatre group after they BANNED him from future productions for complaining about a violent play they are staging. Certain Curtain has barred Councillor Dick Evans from all future shows after

I WOULD like to clarify that Brain Jarvis's statement in the Xana-phobia article last week "we were savaged", was as can only be expected as the norm for Mr Jarvis - slightly exaggerated. The point that I have made that Wigan MBC councillors have lost

COMEDIAN Steve Coogan had a packed Guild Hall audience in stitches as he blasted his way through a whole host of his best characters. In a gem of a show lasting over two hours, the Norwich funnyman transformed himself into Pauline and Paul Calf, Tony

A HUGE commercial development close to the new M65 extension is set to bring up to 1,000 new jobs to Blackburn. Arrowcroft Northwest has submitted plans to regenerate 43 acres of land close to Haslingden Road, Guide. And they say the high quality 'gateway

A SMOKER has fanned the flames of the heated debate about smoking by claiming people should NOT pay high taxes on cigarettes. Leyland pensioner Albert Tilling made his controversial statement on National No Smoking Day when thousands of people throughout

A MYSTERY woman from Preston was saved from death by a heroic holidaymaker when she swallowed her tongue in France. Simon Matthews sprung into action and put his first aid skills - which he learnt only weeks earlier - to the test when the woman collapsed

LOCAL representatives of the WRVS descended on Blackburn Royal Infirmary in a bid to attract new members. People were able to drop into the hospital's staff dining room and chat to members about their community work. Rosemary Leigh, Lancashire's area

WOMEN who experience domestic violence are not always aware of the services available to help them, but a new play has been written to put out a positive message. The play has been written by Blackburn Police Link Worker Munover Shah and and Nagina Choudry

HI, we'd like to thank all you Citizen readers who rang and called in to our studios to wish us well with our new show. We've already been up to high jinx. This week we foxed staff at Red Rose 999 when we announced that 10 of us were going to be photographed

A FRUITY scheme has been devised in a bid to put English food back where it belongs. Residents in Brookfield say the amount of home-grown produce we can buy in supermarkets has dropped dramatically - so they have got out their shovels and are planting

RESIDENTS have vowed to continue the fight to banish juggernauts from their roads even if they do not have the backing of the council. Blackburn with Darwen Council was expected to turn down the pleas of residents in the Intack area this week to introduce

A PRESTON soldier, wounded while rescuing a comrade in the First World War, is to have a street named after him. Private William Young, a member of the East Lancashire Regiment, was in the trenches near Foncquevillers in France. On December 22,1915, acting

CALLOUS thieves have brought new heartache to a Bury businesswoman whose shop has been raided for the second time in only four months. After being forced to shut down and reopen after thieves cleaned out her Smarty's designer children's wear premises,

PRESTON North End followed up their brilliant FA Cup victory away at Brentford with an indifferent display at Deepdale against Leicester City on Wednesday afternoon, Match 9 1938. It was a re-arranged game, brought forward from March 26 when North End

BRITAIN'S leading motoring organisation this week blasted the owners of Blackburn's most notorious bridge for ignoring calls for action - despite a THIRD lorry hitting the bridge in just FOUR months. The AA is now urging Railtrack to make Darwen Street's

PROBLEM pupils will only be excluded from Bury's schools only as a last resort. Growing fears about the effects of exclusions has prompted education bosses to adopt a new approach. They want to cut down on the number of children ordered out of schools

THREE men from Blackburn were today being questioned by detectives investigating the shotgun murder of heroin addict Paul Rothwell. The men, who are all in their 20s, were arrested yesterday by armed officers in Penwortham near Preston. Detectives say

A BURY huntsman whose horse trampled a fox was cleared of cruelty in a landmark case. Magistrate Mr Jonathon Finestein cleared huntsman Alex Sneddon (pictured) (61) of the Holcombe Harriers, of cruelty under the Wild Mammals Protection Act. The magistrate

CABIN stallholders at Clitheroe Market have been ordered to trade on Thursdays in an attempt to boost flagging attendances by shoppers. But councillors have dubbed the new rule "grossly unfair" and are warning that some of the traders might quit. And

A VICTIM of paedophile couple Peter and Christine Thorpe has spoken of her relief after a judge ruled that their whereabouts cannot be kept secret. The Burnley couple launched an Appeal Court action to try to stop the police revealing their details after

A LABOUR leader in Burnley has beaten off a challenge to oust him, in the wake of the council housing row. The bid to remove long-serving councillor and ex-mayor Les Harrison as vice-chairman of the council's ruling Labour group was defeated by an 11-

A £5 MILLION "washing machine" aimed at tackling pollution in Clitheroe has been unveiled - by a firm which plans to start burning tyres and plastics. The high-tech gas-scrubber will reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide and ammonia from Castle Cement's

TYLDESLEY RU were edged out 16-13 in a nailbiting finish against Blackpool. They had to battle back from 10-3 down, their only reward for first-half effort being a Dave Sivill penalty. The Seasiders extended their lead before Tyldesley hit back with a

THOUGH it has evidently yet to convince all of its own members, the ruling Labour group on Burnley Council was right to set up a disciplinary panel to inquire into claims that councillors had assisted tenants to jump the queue for council houses. The

RIDERS with Astley & Tyldesley Cycle Speedway battled hard for success in the British Indoor Team Championships. And, for the first time in seven years, they reached the semi-finals. That was an outstanding success with three juniors in the team.

Stan's stout defence ALL you pot-bellied chaps could do worse than take a leaf out of Stan Roberts' book of life. The midriff section of this portly character with the impish sense of humour has always stretched the tape-measure to snapping point. "I've

THIRTEEN has become a lucky number for Tyldesley SC. They won the 13-Year grouping in the final weekend of the Central Lancashire Championships. And the youngsters capped that with four NQTs plus 12 gold, seven silver and four bronze with nine other swimmers

TWO civilians have been commended and awarded £200 each by a judge at Liverpool Crown Court for "their public spirited actions" in assisting a police officer in the arrest of a burglar. The incident took place at about 8.25am on November 3 last year after

KEITH LATHAM steadfastly defends Leigh's decision on the fast-track to Division One. His declaration follows Sunday's fourth straight defeat - a 32-20 home hammering by Wakefield Trinity - which leaves his side anchored at the foot of the table. Encouraged

THE parents of Luke Bryan, the promising young rugby player whose playing days were tragically cut short following a freak tackle which saw him paralysed from the neck down, are quietly confident that it won't be long before he can return to his Haydock

Plumbing the pit depths TWO readers, living half a globe apart, have chipped in with response to a couple of yedscratters concerning coal-mine depths and the old Hippodrome Cinema, now converted into a bingo hall. Thanks to the wonders of the Internet

LABOUR stalwart Connie Fitzgerald is to be the first woman Mayor of Bury in more than a decade. She will take over from Tory councillor Roy Walker as the borough's First Citizen following the local elections in May. Coun Fitzgerald has represented the

BURY North MP David Chaytor this week tackled Prime Minister Tony Blair over the Government's commitment to education. Mr Chaytor asked for reassurances at Prime Minister's question time on Wednesday that money raised from charging students tuition fees

SHOPS in Bury were thrown into chaos yesterday (March 12) when a water main burst on The Rock. Staff arrived at commercial premises in the town centre to find their water supplies cut off. Workmen from North West Water carried out urgent repair work and

BONE marrow transplant patient Aimee Read is back in hospital, weeks of intensive treatment having taken their toll on the youngster. Aimee, who suffers from leukaemia, was re-admitted to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital in Pendlebury last week

A HOSPITAL intensive care unit is to be closed for cleaning for four days after three patients were found to have contracted the MRSA bug. The action at the Burnley General Hospital surgical unit is being taken as a precautionary measure following discovery

AFTER three years in exile, Prescot Cables will return to their Hope Street ground this Saturday, when Mossley will be the visitors. Cables reclaimed their spiritual home back in October, and after five months of solid hard work North West Counties League

POLICE have launched an investigation into a road crash which claimed a teenager's life. Stuart Marshall, 19, of Peel Brow, Ramsbottom, was a back seat passenger in a Vauxhall Cavalier which was being followed by a police car when it crashed into a stone

UP to 150 jobs could be created at a new plastics plant. Its foundations have just been laid in Washway Lane in St Helens which could create up to 150 new jobs. The site, which will comprise an industrial production building and ancilliary offices, will

ST HELENS boxer Mark Harrison made a successful professional debut with a points victory over Brian Stanwayat the Royal Hotel, Hull. Harrison is a former member of the St Helens Glass Amateur Boxing Club and turned professional in December after a lengthy

A FRAIL 94-year-old Radcliffe widower is struggling to look after his mentally handicapped son. And due to a social security blunder Mr Thomas Poole has been without money since his 92-year-old wife, Maria, died last month. It is only due to the kindness

THE approach of spring and the excitement of England's West Indies tour have resulted in a burst of enthusiasm at St Helens CC's Windleshaw Road home. Work on the pavilion, ground, scorebox and seating are all proceeding ahead of schedule. This year the

POLICE in St Helens are urging schools to be more security-conscious following a spate of classroom computer thefts across the town. First to be hit was Longton Lane Primary School, Rainhill. Thieves broke in between 9pm on Tuesday, March 3 and 8am the

EAT your heart out Stuart Hall - Blackpool is staging its very own It's A Knockout tournament. Being held during May Bank Holiday, the event is in aid of the MRI Scanner Appeal and will use Blackpool Football's Club pitch as its showground. Two fun-filled

Ruskin Park 26 Shell Stanlow 31 DUE to the non-appearance of their original opponents from South Liverpool, who forfeited two valuable league points, Ruskin arranged an 11th hour fixture against a strong well-balanced outfit, who have lost only three

ELDERLY people in residential and nursing homes are to get a £40,000 windfall following a council U-turn on paying their care costs. Social services bosses have been told they must pick up the tab when residents' capital falls below the legal £16,000

Tick back in time SUE Hurst began ticking with excitement when she discovered that one of her ancestors, Matthew Tootell, was a famous grandfather clockmaker from St Helens. This cropped up when she was researching her family history. Now, Bolton lass

A FYLDE photography student has snapped herself a £1,000 top prize in a national competition. Janice Lowe, a British Aerospace computer programmer who studies photography one night a week, won Canon camera equipment with an uplifting picture of Blackpool

CHOIRMASTER Alan Herbert is to lead a choral classics concert in a car showroom! Alan, from Boothstown, is one of the region's most-respected figures in the world of choral music. He will conduct the 50-strong Macclesfield Male Voice Choir to raise funds

Haresfinch 26 Shevington Sharks 2 FINCH completed a league double with this comfortable success against a sprited but limited Shevington side. Solid defence was the key to the home victory, but they could - and should - have had more points to show for

HEALTH chiefs have pledged that a specialist clinic for Parkinson's Disease sufferers will continue, despite fears it might be forced to close. The clinic, based within St Helens Hospital, has been operating on two days a month for the past 18 months,

LYTHAM'S wind-ravaged windmill should be restored to its former glory and open again to the public by early August. An inspection of the site by loss adjusters estimated the damage to be more than £23,000 and the council's insurers have now agreed a fee

IGNORE the recent past - if Saints are good enough on the day they can do it. That's the opinion of an optimistic Shaun McRae in assessing his team's chances at Wigan on Sunday. WHITTLE: Including the 'mickey mouse' encounter at Christmas, Saints have

THE annual St Helens Volunteer Awards are being launched today (Thursday, March 12) and organisers are on the lookout for all those unsung 'angels' who devote their free time to helping others. The launch is at Hollywood Bowl when St Helens Council for

Yeovil 2 Morecambe 3 TEN-Man Morecambe rolled up their sleeves and battled their way to victory on Saturday. Shrimps had their central defender, Steve Hodgson, sent off after just 20 minute with the score 0-0. The Reds reacted superbly in this exciting

BLACKBURN Rovers are sweating over Dion Dublin's decision on a new contract with Coventry, writes PETER WHITE. Rovers are waiting in the wings ready to pounce for the England international should he reject fresh terms offered by the Sky Blues. Dublin

CHRIS Brass has focussed his sights and homed in on winning a battle for safety in the shadow of Burnley's Wembley heartache, writes PETE OLIVER. The Auto Windscreens Shield northern final defeat to Grimsby Town has closed one avenue for end of season

LANCASTER'S polo team are on the cup trail again after beating Scottish side Renfrew in Glasgow last weekend. Despite the absence of Colin Burgess Lancaster ran out comfortable 14-7 winners and are rewarded with a home tie against Polytechnic at Salt

BATTLERS against the stink at Nightingale Hall Farm could secure a significant victory this week. Planners at Lancaster City Council have recommended refusing owners of the 'farm' permission to build a 50 metre high chimney. Councillors will make the

SENIOR council officers involved in negotiating the ill-fated Crinkley Bottom deal knew that there was no 'side letter' agreement with Unique to reduce financial risk "a few days" after the deal was signed. Last week Council Leader Stanley Henig went

THE battle for control of Burnley Football Club is about as fierce as a mauling by Mary Poppins, writes NEIL BRAMWELL. In fact, to take various statements at face value, there is no battle at all. Peter Shackleton has said: "I would be prepared to talk

LOCAL worshippers are "devastated" at road building plans which will mean the demolition of their newly-opened church. The Lancaster Spiritualist Centre opened its doors last November after raising more than £14,000 to fully refurbish the derelict church

BURNLEY have secured a new six-figure shirt sponsorship deal with P3 Computer Services Ltd, writes PETE OLIVER. The two-year deal with the Burnley-based firm ends a 10-year association with Endsleigh. Shirts bearing the name of the new sponsors will be

Re your front page picture of the town hall and headline Crinkley Bottom Mystery Deepens. My view is that if they have nothing to hide then they should welcome a full scale public enquiry and I look forward to hearing what the district auditor has to

BLACKPOOL'S MRI Scanner Appeal fundraisers will be Walking in the Air when singer Aled Jones joins the effort to raise cash at a special concert. The star, whose former boyish treble on Raymond Briggs' cartoon The Snowman still wins hearts every Christmas

HE must be the biggest loser in Carnforth. Carnforth slimmer Lawrence Holmes lost twelve and a half stones in just one year. And he could gain from the loss! Lawrence has been entered for national slimming final awards and could win £2,000. "I'm so excited

JAILED tycoon Owen Oyston will never admit that he raped a teenage model at his home even if it means giving up any chance of parole, the House of Commons was told. Labour MP Dale Campbell-Savours revealed that Oyston had told him from his prison cell

Prof Whitelegg (Letters March 5) asserts that community groups such as the Freehold Community Association, are "under attack from the city council" which is devoting "large amounts of officer time to producing attacks on ...political opponents." This

A PLEA for help is going out to Fylde folk so that pupils can make history come alive at a Blackpool school. Donations of paint, brushes, turps and scaffolding are all desperately needed for a giant mural at Devonshire Road Junior School. It is being

THERE are few players in world rugby who like to play against Paul Hulme. That's exactly why ambitious Swinton Lions pounced for him this week. Former Great Britain international Hulme signed on the dotted line at Gigg Lane on Tuesday and will be thrown

In recent months an unpleasant personal campaign has been waged against the leader of the council. While anyone going into politics has broad shoulders and expects arguments to get rough from time to time it is very worrying for the democratic process

FEELING very refreshed after a well-earned break I return to find the place in turmoil. Even more traffic chaos in the city centre, flowers blooming weeks before they should and the Lancaster Guardian claiming an exclusive story on the Crinkley Bottom

BURY boss Stan Ternent has been forced to make changes to a winning side as his men bid for their second double of the season at Nottingham Forest. The Shakers' supremo has been robbed of key men Paul Butler and Lennie Johnrose due to suspensions and

There are 2,148 empty homes in Lancaster City Council's area. Of these 1,368 are being renovated or sold and 780 are 'problem empties' according to latest figures There are only 28 vacant Council houses. Six families are currently being housed in Bed

AN APPEAL is going out to help restore an historic sailing boat and return it to its Fleetwood birthplace. The Friends of Fleetwood Museum need to raise £25,000-£27,000 to bring the Harriet back to the port where she was built 105 years ago. The 64-foot

SINGING sensation Gary Barlow has given Blackpool the thumbs up and revealed how the resort gave him inspiration for his latest album. The former Take That star commented on the resort on the Big Breakfast television show when asked why he called his

A GIANT reptile has lumbered back from extinction at Blackpool Zoo. Seventy-year-old Darwin has been confirmed as a Seychelles giant tortoise - a species believed to have died out 150 years ago. Zoo and conservation experts are delighted and now the hunt

A BID by two Lancaster men to blackmail Harrods boss Mohamed Al Fayed and extort £75,000 was foiled by police, a court has heard. Geoffrey Crossley, 49, of Barton Road, and Simon Peach , 31, from Caton, both admitted trying to blackmail Al Fayed by pretending

HOW would you spend £1 million on your local community? That's the question being posed by Lancaster City Council for its new community capital initiative which aims to seek local opinion about how to spend the cash. A consultation exercise will be launched

LOCAL youngsters will be making an impact in Sweden when they represent the UK at a Young Europeans Forum. Three members of the new Golborne and Lowton Young People's Council will travel to Munkedal in May for the forum, with the theme "Agenda 21, City

COMPANY bosses have been cashing in on the stock market success of East Lancashire firms. Directors of holiday giant Airtours and computer firm Skillsgroup have sold part of their personal stakes in the companies. In the past two weeks three directors

BLACKBROOK stalwart Harold Swift has been given a double salute by the amateur game's ruling body. He was made a life member of BARLA at the association's silver jubilee dinner in Huddersfield. And he was also presented with a special award as the only

MIKE Parkington is set to make a clean-sweep in Europe. And his company is looking to take the specialised world of road and pavement sweeping by storm. On Wednesday, the Moss Industrial Estate-based Pathfinder Cleaning Machines firm handed over two appliances

LOCAL youngsters have been voting with their feet! The first round of Young People's Council meetings have been a huge success. On average there's been around 50 young people at each of the eight area meetings. As well as local meetings there will be

STEVE RIGBY is revelling in every minute of his Titanic task. The Leigh postman (pictured) is the UK authority on the world famous doomed liner of 1912. And, boosted by the astonishing billion dollar success of the movie Titanic, he has been swamped with

IT was a battle of skill and strength when the army met the navy on the rugby field at Fulwood Barracks this week. The match between HMS Lancaster and the Fourth Battalion, The Queen's Lancashire Regiment, was organised to celebrate the ship's docking

TRACEY Peake is proudly preserving the traditions of the little shopkeeper. And, beneath the ever-growing shadow of giant superstores and glittering chains, there is a golden glow of confidence and a glimmer of light at Numark Lowton Pharmacy. The shop

FLYING Finn Tepi Moilanen has been unanimously chosen by readers to be the Citizen's February Player of the Month. The popular keeper has pulled off a string of outstanding saves since regaining his place in the side and earned North End some valuable

LOCAL MPs have welcomed the Government's new child home safety campaign. The initiative launched by the DTI aims to inform parents about the potential dangers of home appliances. Latest figures show 10 pre-school children are admitted to hospital with

WIMPEY Homes have pulled-out of a deal to buy part of a council estate. The property giants have been negotiating for 12 months to buy 60 homes on a Leigh's estate. And Wigan Council's Director of Housing Mr Peter Gee admitted his disappointment at Wimpey's

LEYLAND has been chosen as the official host for the Millennium marathon, possibly the first running event in the new century. The town is expected to be swamped by the world's media when the British Millennium Marathon 2000 takes place less than 48 hours

HUTTON Grammar School's Twickenham dream fell at the final fence on Saturday when they lost a tight semi-final. The school took four coaches of fans with them to play at Wolverhampton in the Daily Mail Under-18 cup. Their opponents were the holders Colston's

MELIS the Turkish working dog has earned herself a second prestigious Crufts title but only after taking a year out to have a litter of pups. The five-year-old Alatonin Karabash won the Rare Breed Working Dog category at the four legged friend's equivalent

A STUNNING hat-trick from Citizen captain Chris Kershaw wasn't enough to stop the media men crashing to an 11-7 defeat by Preston North End. Right from the start of the clash against the Deepdale backroom staff it looked ominous for the newspaper team

A BLACKBURN headteacher has called for support from local residents in response to the closure of the school's public library. Sue Hyland, headteacher of Queen's Park High, Shadsworth, said plans to shut the public library, located at the school, are

BATTLE lines have been drawn between opposing camps of line dancers after one group claimed that Bury ain't big enough for the both of them! The showdown came as newcomer Kerris Milligan organised a charity line dancing event at Bury Town Hall on Monday

PICTURE the scene. You are hunched over your computer, brow furrowed in concentration, barely moving at all as you watch something very important happen on screen. Suddenly, you throw your hands in the air and scream: "NOOoooooooo!" Your computer hasn't

A BATTLE plan to give bugs the brush off will ram home the message that prevention is better than cure. Headlice are heading for oblivion now that Bury Council has adopted a new nit-picking policy. Parents will be asked to lead the way in the crackdown

I WRITE regarding recent correspondence in The Journal about ongoing commercial development of green areas in Lowton and Golborne. Although the majority of this correspondence has been concerned with Xanadu, I wonder how many of your Lowton and Golborne

A YOUNG woman who was attacked as she walked through a dark Preston park staggered to a nearby house in a desperate cry for help. And this week the resident told of the terror on the 23-year-old's face when he opened his door on Sunday (March 8) and found

DARWEN councillor Simon Danczuk has been re-elected as one of the region's Labour Party top brass. Coun Danczuk has regained his seat on Labour's North West Regional Executive Committee, the body organising the party throughout the region. He beat candidates

JANET ANDERSON has vowed to carry on holding regular advice surgeries despite calls from a top level Labour chief for MPs to drop them. The Darwen MP has held six surgeries a month in the town since she was elected in 1992 and has no intention of dropping

HEARTLESS thieves went to great lengths to take away a chronically ill woman's independence. And the theft of Miss Yvonne Cocker's mobile home-cum-ambulance will cost her dear after the motor insurance lapsed only days before the vehicle's disappearance

TOWN hall top bosses are to get inflation-busting pay rises of between £3,000 and £7,000 a year. Twenty-eight of the most senior officers are being handed an average pay increase of nine per cent. The move comes just two weeks after the Bury Times exclusively

YOUNGSTERS hurled a stone through a terrified elderly woman's window before forcing their way in to her house. After pushing the shocked pensioner out of the way they searched the property on Farringdon Crescent, Preston, smashed a table and stole keys

FURIOUS Darwen market traders feel they are being treated as second class citizens compared to stall holders in Blackburn. For while Blackburn's market has under gone a major refurbishment traders in Darwen are having to catch rain water from a leaky

BURY is to host a one-day business show of international importance to generate trade between UK and Israeli companies. The town will welcome VIPs and dignitaries from the UK, Israel and also the USA to the June event and an eve-of-show dinner. With the

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE 2 PNE 0 AFTER two successive wins lifted the hopes of avoiding the drop into the basement, North End crashed to defeat in this relegation battle and now the trap door to Division 3 draws closer. Yet, for the first 20 minutes, Preston looked

CAMPAIGNERS who claimed a golf course was to be built on a "radioactive time bomb" have been shocked by the results of a survey. The independent survey shows the site at Radcliffe E'es is not a dangerous toxic dump after all. In a report commissioned

A DEAF and partially-sighted war veteran has had his pension stolen by a thief who has left him terrified and afraid to go out. Christopher Hindle, 83, who was deafened while serving in the second World War, had returned to his home in Redlam, Blackburn

THE case of an East Lancashire businessman whose eight companies collapsed owing more than £800,000 has been highlighted by a Government minister. Competition and consumer affairs minister Nigel Griffiths said James Ashworth was a prime example of a "

CHORUS of approval was given to local schools which took part in an unforgettable concert which marked a first for Bury. Children from ten schools from across the borough which were in fine voice for one of the biggest school concerts ever seen. Bury's

EAGLE-EYED Lauren Taylor proved she was a little gem by finding a diamond from her teacher's engagement ring - four months after it was lost in the playground. Lisa Tomkinson , 27, who works at St. Mary Magdalen's CE Primary School, Devonshire Street,

WORRIED residents were given a breathing space when a plan to transform an historic hall in a Pendle park into a pub was put on hold. Councillors want more time to look into alternative uses for Marsden Hall, Nelson, and the chance for the interested

A MAN'S hobby was wrecked and a Superscan fashion show was nearly ruined when thieves stole £15,000 worth of sound equipment. The equipment was stolen after being set up at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Clayton-le Moors, for the fund-raising event. Nigel Burder

HARWOOD manager Ian McGarry watched in disbelief as two goals in injury time robbed his team of three vital points in their relegation fight. After battling magnificently with 10 men for almost entirely the second half the Showgrounders were rocked by

LANCASHIRE Lynx have secured a record-breaking sponsorship deal with brewers Daniel Thwaites. The shirt sponsorship package - worth a cool £50,000 over three years - is announced to coincide with the kick off to the forthcoming 1998 season. Paul Winter

I EXPECTED to hear the purr of a Superbike engine in a last minute spell of fine-tuning not the purr of a supermodel as I approached the house, writes ANDY NEILD. But perfume, not exhaust fumes, was the scent in the air as two of Sky TV's finest fired

IMAGINE the bewilderment of the East Lancashire pensioner couple who found they had been switched to another gas supplier without knowing. Their new firm says its the first case of its kind it has heard of. Not so with British Gas - it says it has happened

I SERVED in the Royal Navy, as a National Service Leading Writer, working in Div 2 Pay Office, Royal Naval Barracks, Chatham from october 1947 to June 49. I am trying to locate people who served with me, both RN and WRNS. I have already found 25 and our

I HAVE rung the local lunatic asylum to ask if any inmates have escaped, because a few must have and are planning the roads around Darwen. The road and pavements were done up around the library and then the day after the pavement was resurfaced, it was

A NEW rapid response team is helping to keep people out of hospital - by caring for patients at home. The first step is for the patient to be referred to the squad by a GP or by nursing staff. And after the patient has been assessed the team and can deliver

RAIN wrecked the Leigh & District Amateur Football League fixture list. Only three matches passed muster with referees. Church Inn went top of Group B of the Carl Brown Memorial Trophy after a 6-3 win against Queens. Lee Ridings 2 and Lee Jones grabbed

HAYDOCK Park Racecourse is to build a brand new stand as part of its £3 million facilities improvement programme. The project, which is already under way, will increase the capacity of the County Stand and provide more extensive catering facilities, as

MARK SHEALS' homecoming might have been a low-key affair. But that suits the latest addition to Leigh's coaching staff. He starts to cut his coaching teeth at Hilton Park this week - eager to keep out of the limelight. "I'm here to look, listen and learn

A SECOND major training programme helping to raise awareness of drug-related problems has been held at the Mansion House in Victoria Park, St Helens. Under the banner of 'Tackling Drugs Together', the St Helens Drugs Reference Groups draws on a wide arena

LEIGH RMI have had enough of the season's "plat de jour" - duck soup! Four matches against Yorkshire side Guiseley have came to nought. It was literally that on Saturday, a 0-0 home draw, with Guiseley - superbly coached by ex-Leeds favourite Bobby Davison

ST HELENS Council is out to recruit a 'green army' to wage war on litter in National Spring Clean Month. If you fancy taking part in the country's longest litter-pick, or if you want to start your own road watch programme, contact Brian Whalley in the

WHEN Star promotions specialist Sue Gerrard travelled to Manchester for a television interview about her latest poetry book she found life had come full circle! For the Manchester Live TV presenter was none other than Nicola Crompton whom Sue had interviewed

THE public inquiry into St Helens Council's refusal to grant planning permission for a landfill site at the former Lyme and Wood Pit collieries waste tip will start on Tuesday, March 17, in the town hall. The inquiry, which starts at 10am, will be open

LOCAL Health chiefs are leading the NHS in the race to defuse the Millennium "time bomb". Computer systems across the world could be in danger of crashing in the year 2000 because programmes cannot recognise dates after 1999. But Bury and Rochdale Health

TWO men armed with a handgun burst into the Post Office in High Street, Newton-le-Willows, and stole a substantial amount of cash after threatening the staff. The robbery took place at about 10am on Saturday. The men escaped in a stolen E-registered,

LOCAL people will be among the worst affected by the Legal Aid shake-up, according to one of Bury's top solicitors. Mr Chris Macwilliam is head of litigation at the town's biggest law firm, Clough and Willis. Government proposals being pushed through

BOROUGH councillors have taken steps to speed up the processing of local authority searches for house buyers. Hyndburn Council is next to the bottom of an East Lancashire performance league showing how swiftly local authorities carry out standard searches

A DOG owner watched in horror as her pet slipped through its collar into a swollen river. It has not been seen since Saturday and is feared drowned. A desperate Mrs Pat Fern and her family have searched along the banks of the River Irwell in the hope

NEWTON-le-Willows County Primary is one of 27 schools through to the regional final of a national competition run by the National Union of Teachers and the Football Association. The school now has the chance to win equipment and send pupils to watch an

A CELTIC bar and caf has opened up in Blackpool's Talbot Square offering anything from a cocktail to a shot of pure oxygen! Formerly O'Malley's, the new establishment is called Finn's bar and boasts both a traditional Irish pub and a modern bar/caf -

A TRANSPORT company was back in business just hours after a stream burst its banks and washed out its offices and warehouse. Staff had to be evacuated from Freightbroker Services Ltd in Porritt Street, Bury, when a nearby stream overflowed into the building

A GOOD school with many strengths. That was the finding of government inspectors who carried out an Ofsted report on Carr Mill Infants School. The three-day inspection found that the school's standards of teaching were particularly high with 100 per cent

FYLDE YMCA has launched an appeal for £500,000 to complete its new centre on St Albans Road, St Annes. Work is due to start on the redevelopment and expansion of the current site on St Albans Road to the tune of £3.4 million The centre, which boasts youth

EVERYONE in Bury is being invited to take a trip down the information superhighway next week. Libraries across the borough will be opening up their modems for anyone who wants a look at the Internet in the first "Metronet" week. Councillor David Willis

A MAN who posed as a customer stole jewellery valued at £3,000 from a shop in Oxford Street, Newton-le-Willows. The scruffy-looking man entered the shop at about 2.30pm on Thursday, March 5, and said he wanted to buy a bracelet valued at around £190.

BLACKPOOL Fire Service is raising the alarm about needless call-outs which put lives at risk. In the past year alone, fire crews responded 176 times to alarms at Blackpool Victoria Hospital - but only 12 were genuine fires. The rest were mainly due to

Thatto Heath 30 Leigh East nil WINNERS of the BNFL Barla Cup in 1987, Heath walked into the last 16 of this year's competition with a superb victory over National Conference outfit Leigh East. The visitors could find no way through the Thatto Heath defence

HUNDREDS of scooters will pass in convoy through Leigh and Atherton on a massive Easter egg mission. At 1pm on Saturday, March 28 a mods' army of scooter fanatics will ride from Lowton Civic Hall to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital at Pendlebury where

St Helens Town 4 Haslingden 2 Southport 4 St Helens Town 2 TWO wind affected games in four days brought contrasting results for Town. On Saturday they maintained their league top six placing. But on a rain lashed Tuesday evening, bowed out of the Liverpool

ST HELENS has approved a Council Tax increase of seven per cent in line with Government forecasts. The Council has decided to spend at the Government's capping levels, which means that the Council Tax on a Band A property (which covers the majority of

A HOSTEL for the homeless in Blackpool is in desperate need of a new roof and kitchen to carry on its special work for the needy. Staff and residents at Vincent House in Furness Avenue, Grange Park, have put up with a leaking roof and poor kitchen facilities

COUNCIL house tenants' views are being sought in a transfer list shake-up. With 3,000 tenants currently waiting to be re-allocated when properties become vacant a new scheme, due to be introduced next month, is intended to provide a fairer, updated system

UNDERDOGS they may be, but Saints are 'raring to go!' was the confident message from the Cup holders this week as they prepared for Sunday's all-ticket quarter-final tie at Wigan, kick-off 1.45pm. The stage is set for a battle royal. The Warriors are

A YOUNG cat had its front paw amputated after being snared in a rat trap. The tortoiseshell cat was freed by dog warden Colin Henderson who had been called out to Prestbury Gardens, Eccleston, at 10.30am on Wednesday. The animal was rushed to Jones veterinary

FORGET lying on a sun-drenched beach or cruising the Med, there's a far more adventurous summer holiday awaiting a student from Poulton. Chris Dewhurst, 20, plans to spend eight weeks in Belize helping out in hospitals and clinics - providing he can come

A SNEAKY thief stole an elderly woman's pension after conning her into thinking he was from the council. The thief got out of a van outside the 79 year old woman's home in Furness Avenue, Windlehurst, at 11am on Monday, March 9 and knocked at her door

MY husband and I have known Mr David Christley since he was a child and we feel it is disgraceful that a decent human being should be treated so badly without a shred of real evidence. He has had his good name destroyed and an internal dispute should

Last week I sent you a letter for publication (dated March 2). This was published under the heading "Facts on Tax". There is a sentence in the fourth line of my letter which states: "The increase is, therefore, £4.45 per year or 37p per month." As printed

A SPECIAL one-stop advice shop has been organised at Ryelands House, Lancaster, on March 25. The one-day event will see Lancashire Constabulary join lots of other local agencies to give advice to people from Ryelands and Skerton. Other groups who will

POLICE have given a cautious welcome to high profile security guard patrols being set up in Lancaster and Morecambe. A spokesman for the county police said: "If local people are prepared to pay for this and there's been full consultation, then I would

JIM McCluskie has hit back at Accrington Stanley officials in the wake of his shock sacking as joint manager of the club, writes ANDY NEILD. And an announcement on his successor until the end of the season - who, I believe , will be current striker Steve

I would like to express my thanks at the excellent job a local citizen carried out on Thursday, March 5. An accident occurred at the crossroads of St Peter's Road near the cathedral and there would have been a huge build-up of traffic had it not been

UNDER the smokescreen of a letter congratulating the Citizen on the excellence of its independent journalism (Citizen, March 5) Prof Whitelegg continues his campaign of misinformation against the city council. I doubt whether this sycophancy will influence

WHAT do you get when you cross a fiery dragon, a drunken bunch of guards, a 6ft 5in dwarf and an orang-utan who works as a librarian? For the confused among you, welcome to the world of Terry Pratchett. Proclaimed by WH Smiths as their most shoplifted

I HAD hoped that by now the Labour hierarchy in Lancaster Town Hall would have accepted the facts so carefully researched and presented by Nemesis, and that the line pursued would be noted as experience from which to learn. Alas, Cllr Barker, who appears