MANY firms are still unaware of what the self assessment tax system means a year after its introduction, an accountant claims. Leslie Bury of Blackburn-based Kidsons Impey warned businesses need to make sure they know how to comply with the system and
STAFF and pupils at a Hyndburn primary school have been given the thumbs-up by inspectors who say their standards are improving. Huncoat County Primary was described by Ofsted inspectors as "a warm, caring community" encouraging children to develop in
Nature Watch, with Ron Freethy THIS week I walked a little bit further than usual but Worsthorne Moor is worth every mile. There are car parks at Hurstwood and on the Long Causeway, which is one of the most ancient highways in Europe. Worsthorne Moor,
PACKAGING firm RPC Group has delivered a 47 per cent leap in profits. The group, which includes a Guide factory, saw pre-tax profits for the year to April increase to £15.5 million. Turnover rose by 86 per cent to £240 million. The Guide site manufactures
AEROSPACE leaders in East Lancashire are taking their industry's message to the top. The Consortium of Lancashire Aerospace is to stage an exhibition at the House of Commons next week highlighting the importance of the industry to the local economy. Home
APART from the moments of madness displayed by the likes of David Beckham - and there but for the grace of God went Dennis Bergkamp too - the daftest thing about this World Cup has been the officiating. And not just by the referees and their assistants
ELDERLY residents were led to safety from a fire in the middle of the night at a Pendle retirement home. Six people were moved from their first floor bedrooms at Derclife rest home in Juno Street, Nelson, to the ground floor of the building because of
DAVID "Brat" Beckham, the 23-year-old juvenile who cost England the World Cup, is probably writing the exact opposite of wish-you-were-here postcards as he holidays in America with his Spice Girl bride-to-be. For if he has any idea of the anger his red-card
RIGHT, hands up those of you who have heard of the Cusichaca Trust. No, dear, it's not a surgical appliance. It's a charity that breeds guinea pigs to make them larger so that poor peasants in Peru who eat them can have bigger dinners. And that makes
PUPILS from East Lancashire schools are dipping into the Darwen to find out about river life. Over the next few weeks, youngsters from a number of schools will be taking part in the scheme, led by Groundwork Blackburn and the Darwen River Valley Initiative
A BLIND widower came out of hospital after an operation to find that his home help had been cancelled because of "a breakdown in communication." Robert Haworth, 67, of Cherry Tree, Blackburn, who had an operation at Burnley General Hospital, says he was
A MAN will be questioned by trading standards officers after 3,000 pairs of fake designer jeans were found in a van. The officers, who do not have the power of arrest, will travel from Staffordshire to question the Blackburn man at his lawyer's office
STAFF and pupils at a Blackburn school which has been marking its 75th anniversary ended the term with a junior prize-giving ceremony last night.. Westholme Middle School, Preston New Road, was founded in 1923 and the anniversary was marked in April when
A POLLUTED former bleach works site is set for a new life as a small industrial estate with four factories and parking for over 250 cars. The plan, an Action for Haslingden Parnership project, would see the complete decontamination and redevelopment of
THE full line-up for this year's Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival, to be held in East Lancashire over the August Bank Holiday weekend, has been confirmed by organisers. The festival, which will feature more than 750 artists on a dozen stages across
BRAVE kids were given awards at an NHS 50th anniversary celebration for showing courage through long illnesses. Blackburn youngsters Ashley Chew, 13, Craig Hession, 14, Emma Henrick, 11 and John Clarke, 10, received brass plaques from Granada TV presenter
CLARETS fans' takeover favourite Ray Ingleby has hit problems with his multi-million dollar business empire, writes NEIL BRAMWELL. But the New York-based tycoon has stressed that a recent stock market plunge has not dented his determination to buy Burnley
DAMIEN Duff faces a month on the sidelines after becoming the third injury victim of the close season for Blackburn Rovers, writes PETER WHITE. Billy McKinlay and Jason Wilcox are both on the recovery road after hernia operations and Duff had surgery
A DISGRACED policeman faces the sack after being branded a phone pest. Father-of-three Inspector Stephen Lawman, 40, was convicted of making a series of malicious and indecent phone calls to a blonde. Preston magistrates court heard that Mrs Lorraine
ONE of the UK's favourite birds is vanishing from its farmland nesting haunts in East Lancashire and across the North West, people have been warned. The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds says modern agriculture is forcing the lapwing from areas
Valerie Cowan Surfs the Net GEORGE Michael is to talk to his fans live on the Internet - and he has promised to be as honest and as frank as possible. The singer, who was recently prosecuted for lewd behaviour, will answer fans' questions during a two-hour
A DOG'S hatred of smoke prompted a Lassie-style rescue in which two men were saved from burning to death. Alsatian-labrador cross Shane, sniffed out the fumes of a double blaze from the flat below and alerted his master, Joe McCourt. The clever canine's
HOW many people think we are charged too much for the TV licence? Pensioners should have reduced rates like people in residential homes have. But the cost just goes up and up and is now £97.50 - for what? Black and white films on colour TV and all the
PROFESSIONAL Kashif Ibrahim has found his feet and he's hoping to lead Read's march up the Ribblesdale League table. The Whalley Road side have spent much of the first half of the season at the wrong end of the table. But a fine win against Earby last
ONCE again, both sides in Northern Ireland are prepared to risk plunging the country into outbreaks of murder and mayhem because of something as trivial as a carnival parade. I can well understand the residents being annoyed by the noise and mess, but
READING your Opinion, 'Beckham: Brat of the pack' and the comments of the daily tabloids and the public, I can't help but feel sorry for him. To quote the great Jimmy Greaves: "Football is a funny old game." While your comments were, for the most part
HERO Ian Barker turned into a villain after diving into a canal to save his 'drowning' friend, a court heard. Barker was given a bottle of whisky to help him with shock after his heroic act but then got drunk and turned violent when he arrived at a hospital
PROTESTING residents who formed a human road block in their battle to avoid a bus service being re-routed have won a temporary reprieve. Traffic calming humps in Abel Street, Daneshouse, Burnley, lengthened journey times for the Stagecoach buses and so
HEALTH chiefs have today revealed plans to create a state-of-the art casualty service for the 21st century. The work, which begins on Monday, will involve some disruption to the accident and emergency unit at Burnley General Hospital, but the 22-week
BREWING and leisure giant Scottish & Newcastle, which recently axed 60 jobs at its Chorley site, today announced a sharp rise in profits. Profits before tax at the group in the year to May were up 13 per cent to £422 million. In April, the firm revealed
HEALTH watchdogs in Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley are investigating 47 complaints received since last November. The complaints, registered with Blackburn and district Community Health Council, include: A mother who complained that her son who
A TOP policeman in charge of bringing a ground-breaking road safety scheme to Lancashire was due to outline his plans at a House of Commons conference today. Chief Inspector Dave Mallaby is transferring the revolutionary scheme from Australia to Lancashire
A SHOCK report today revealed that cancer patients in East Lancashire are having to wait longer for radiotherapy than the rest of the UK. And the statistics showed that the North West had fewer machines to administer radiotherapy than any other area.
DEFENDER Steve Morgan could become Stan Ternent's first signing since taking over as Burnley manager last month, writes PETER WHITE. The 29-year-old free agent has made around 400 League appearances for several clubs in his career and he joined in with
JAMES Beattie is on his way to Southampton for £1 million as the remarkable transfer saga between Ewood and the Dell continues. The 20-year-old striker, who has started just one Premiership game and two Coca-Cola Cup ties for Blackburn Rovers, returned
Livesey WI meet Livesey Parish Community Hall, York Terrace, Feniscowles, Blackburn, 7.30pm. Folk Mix with Aly Bain, Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre, 7.30pm. Writers On Stage Poetry Reading, Blakeys Cafe Bar, King Georges Hall, Northgate, Blackburn, 7.30pm
CONSERVATIVE MP Nigel Evans has launched an attack on Brussels bureaucrats who say the size of British peaches are too small. The EU has ruled that it is illegal to sell peaches between 51mm and 56mm in diameter. Asda, which recently ordered more than
A PLAN to build more than 260 new homes on the site of the former hospital in Brockhall has been submitted to Ribble Valley Borough Council. The application comes hot on the heels of the recent controversy over Blackburn Rovers' plans to build a giant
A COUNCIL meeting broke up in chaos as angry workers accused Labour councillors of putting hundreds of people on the dole. Furious community programme workers hurled abuse at Labour leaders and were finally escorted from Blackburn's council chamber. The
PROPOSING the slashing of £685million a year from the defence budget and selling off £2.2billion-worth of the armed forces' assets, the government's Strategic Defence Review might smack largely of cuts. Tank regiments are to be axed, more troops brought
CANCER patients in the North West wait longer for radiotherapy treatment than those elsewhere in Britain, according to two new reports today. Why? It is because our region has fewer of the special treatment machines that fire cancer-killing high-energy
MY comments are on the new education authority's rules on school uniform grants and family credit. I think it is ridiculous and unfair. Most people are on family credit and if they weren't working they would get exactly the same as if they were working
LANCASHIRE made a blistering start to their Roses NatWest showdown at Old Trafford today. The old enemy Yorkshire were reduced to 88-6 from 37 overs at lunch after winning the toss and electing to bat. Skipper Wasim Akram did the early damage, bowling
REGARDING the article 'Police called after Job Centre protest' (LET, July 1), I agree entirely with those who choose to show their opposition to the Government's 'New Deal' scheme. How else can the unemployed let the employment services know that they
A "MAN of violence" who assaulted two schoolgirls was conditionally discharged for two years. Labourer Austin Vincent Gorman, 35, left both children bruised, Burnley magistrates heard. Gorman, of Goodhall Close, Earby, was also told to pay £54 costs.
IN 1998, as we approach the Millennium and the start of the 21st Century, Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans (LET, July 3) goes into battle to defend the medieval concept of the hereditary peerage and its right to vote in the House of Lords. These are people
A CORONER is asking for safety work to be carried out to a dip he described as a "chasm" on a country road. Talented young musician Casey Fetigan, 17, was driving the E-registered Fiat Uno she received as a Christmas present in Crown Point Road, Burnley
A NEPALESE farm growing crops from the Himalayas is being created on the windy moors above Todmorden. University lecturer Ben Campbell is transforming his hilltop smallholding at Cornholme into a terraced farm and will use the land to grow Tibet naked
DEFENDER Steve Morgan could become Stan Ternent's first signing since taking over as Burnley manager last month, writes PETER WHITE. The 29-year-old free agent has made around 400 League appearances for several clubs in his career and he joined in with
A FIGHTING fit pensioner whose favourite meal is a plate of tripe is hoping it will see him through to his 100th birthday. Former bus inspector John Cropper is 91 years old and eats three pounds of tripe - the stomach of an ox with the inner and outer
JAMES Beattie is on his way to Southampton for £1 million as the remarkable transfer saga between Ewood and the Dell continues. The 20-year-old striker, who has started just one Premiership game and two Coca-Cola Cup ties for Blackburn Rovers, returned
A COMMISSION to look into the introduction of car parking charges in Accrington town centre is examining people's views on the issue. The independent panel, set up by Hyndburn town hall bosses, is considering council proposals to bring in parking fees
EAST Lancashire actor Anthony Green is more than qualified for his latest TV role as a medieval sheriff. He has a degree in law! Anthony, 28, from Openshaw Drive, Blackburn, who appeared in Bond blockbuster Tomorrow Never Dies, is currently starring alongside
AERO engine components manufactured by East Lancashire hands have made history. A Rolls Royce-powered Cathay Pacific Boeing 747 was the first commercial aircraft to land at Chep Lap Kok - Hong Kong's new multi-billion pound airport. The Rolls-Royce Barnoldswick
AT least half of the 32 coaches who led their teams to France will have gone by Sunday night when the jamboree comes to a close. Some have been axed, others have stepped down by previous arrangement. It makes management in English football - despite statistics
ALREADY celebrating the moves in the Commons to legalise homosexual sex at 16, but still wanting another two years knocked off the age limit and councils to be allowed to promote homosexuality, gay campaigners have another milestone to mark this week.
FOR full-strength nannying claptrap, it is hard to beat the East Lancashire project which this week set about splashing out public money on scent and shampoo for the unemployed. I do not dispute that many in the dole queue would benefit from a good wash
A FARM labourer died after a gunshot wound to the head. The body of Craig Dewhurst, 21, of Meadowhead Farm, Whitehall, Darwen, was discovered early on Monday, at a farm in Sutton, near Macclesfield. Police said there were no suspicious circumstances.
TOWN Hall bosses have broken promises that they would base more services in Darwen, a Liberal Democrat councillor has claimed. Coun Karimah Foster has accused the majority Labour group on the council of failing to delegate more services to Darwen Town
OFFENDERS leaving prison will be welcomed by a police officer on their doorstep and warned: "Don't return to crime. We are watching you!" The message that the fight back against persistent offenders has begun was given by Supt Mike Griffin, commander
