Archive

LEIGH CC were in a spin at Newton-le-Willows. A career best return of 6-15 from 14 overs from slow bowler Keith Jones all but ended Leigh's title hopes. Put in to bat first, Leigh reached a comfortable 51-2 before an England-style batting collapse left

THREE people are seriously ill in hospital after a road smash. Sisters Naheed Huma Ahmed and Sadia Ahmed, of Beardwood Fold, Blackburn, are in a critical condition after being involved in the crash on the M55 near Kirkham. Naheed, 19, suffered internal

PARENTS who risk their children's lives are being targeted in a police road safety crackdown. Traffic officers based in East Lancashire will be handing out spot fines to motorists who fail to ensure their children wear seat belts. Police officers will

GOLBORNE'S hopes of an hat-trick of Association titles disappeared when they were surprisingly beaten at home by Walshaw. Departing pro Ewan McCray took 6-58 to restrict the visitors to 145-9 then looked set to win the match himself hitting 44 out of

BURY'S Market Place was transformed into a giant outside film studio this week when a Granada TV crew arrived in town. Unfortunately Wednesday's shoot outside the Parish Church was hampered by torrential rain showers. As far as the technicians and actors

THE future of about 60 jobs was in the balance today as liquidators were called in to advise directors of a Haslingden firm. Accountants were called in at James Way Print Finishers on Hud Hey Road, Haslingden, on Monday, just five months after the firm

BRIDE-to-be Christine Stevenson will walk down the aisle to a very special piece of music on Saturday. The Initiation of Queen Nefertari was written by her fianc Steven Glover, a musician, and inspired by a holiday they shared in Egypt last winter. Steven

TRADING standards bosses have issued guidelines to help people who are planning to buy a second-hand car. In the three months of Blackburn with Darwen Council's existence, between April and July, more than 50 complaints were made to the trading standards

SEVENTEEN local groups and charities have received the "Lions" share of cash raised through this year's Bury Carnival. The proceeds from June's annual gala, organised by the Bury Lions, were divided up and distributed at a presentation evening. Bury Carnival

DIVISION One: Blackpool 118-1, C Cornall 42 (no), M Pickles 39 - *Leyland Daf 115, D Cresswell 5-32, M Sharp 4-41; *Chorley 160, R Horridge 71, G Barnes 7-29 - Kendal 164-2, A Mawson 59 (no), T Hunte 78; Fleetwood 139-2, J Wright 85 - *Morecambe 137,

Fuming locals from Mendip Road claim water comes rushing down from housing estates further, and higher, up the road, leaving the drains overflowing. All the rubbish floating in the sewers is then brought up to the surface, where it floods into their homes

AN angry family who claim their holiday was ruined by the food bug salmonella are threatening legal action against the travel firm. George Fielding, 49, booked a holiday on the Costa Brava with his partner Valerie Collins, his brother Trevor and his sister-in-law

A SUPPORT group to help parents of still-born babies to come to terms with their loss has been set up in Bury. And a bench, in memory of the babies, has been placed in Bury Cemetery to mark the opening of the local branch of SANDS - the Still-Born Neo-Natal

MARK Winstanley is to join Shrewsbury Town and goalkeeper Tony Parks is on his way to Vauxhall Conference outfit Barrow as Stan Ternent begins to clear the decks at Turf Moor. Both players are going on loan initially as Ternent moves out the first players

KEVIN Gallacher has an outside chance of rejoining Blackburn Rovers' squad for next Monday's crucial Premiership clash with Chelsea at Ewood - thanks to Sky TV! For the Scottish international, suffering from a calf strain, reckons he would definitely

TWO years-old Megan Benson and her teddy bear stole the show at the official opening of a £1m Lowton hotel. Megan (pictured) from Lowton, joined the Mayor of Wigan, Cllr Sam Little and other dignitaries at the opening of the Wayfarer Lodge. Situated next

A CYCLING nightmare in Bury could be turned into a sanctuary for the borough's two-wheel riders. Traffic bosses want to bring in more cycle-friendly measures to make bike-riding safer at the notorious Bury Bridge. They hope that new cycle lanes will make

SOME passengers are to set to get a fare deal from bus operators, First Manchester. Reduced adult prices will be introduced on journeys from Leigh town centre to Mosley Common (via Atherton and Tyldesley), Higher Folds and Lowton and between Leigh town

Burnley Youth Theatre present "Wuthering Heights," in the grounds of the Quarry Theatre, Burnley, 7.30pm. Edward II - folk and world music, Accrington Town Hall, 7.30pm. Women's Centre offers health information, library, drop-in, listening/counselling

THE public-clock yedscatter set by Alan Warren of Billinge (August 27) has certainly had our readers reaching back in time. Alan wanted to know if anyone could name all the public clocks which currently exist or once graced the St Helens town centre scene

I WAS disgusted by Miss E. Rigby's letter (Star, August 13) about the theatre. I have been in quite a few musicals and dancing shows at the Theatre Royal myself. I am 10-years-old and this is an ideal opportunity for children like me to perform on a large

NEW boy Mr Andrew Mackenzie is settling in as the head teacher of Bury's Broad Oak High School. Mr Mackenzie (44) succeeded Mr Peter Jefferies who has taken up a new post in Farnworth. Prior to his new appointment in Bury, Mr Mackenzie, who lives in Clitheroe

RYAN and his mum and dad Jeanette and Chris Hull would like to take this opportunity through the Star to thank everyone who gave so willingly to the Ryan Hull Appeal. We were so overwhelmed by people's generosity and how people also gave their time and

BISCUIT lover Sue Whitehead paused for thought...and won herself £1,000. She picked up the grand's worth of shopping vouchers at Atherton Kwik Save won in a McVitie's competition run by their stores throughout the UK. Sue said: "I can hardly believe it

CRAB-apple trees once blossomed along the length of an old St Helens side-street around the turn of the century. And now, a green-fingered Wiganer claims to have what might be off-shoots from that long-gone arboreal feature. Ron Hart of Soughers Lane,

I OFFER my sincere congratulations on your marvellous paper. Whalley's World is just great. The photo of Ernie Kirkman and Harold Ball brought happy memories flowing back. Ernie once showed me his great collection of Alpine plants, and loved all types

IN response to Tom Hagan's letter. I wholly agree with his remarks about Cllr Heath and her colleagues, past and present, especially with reference to political kippers... two faces and no backbone. The electorate should be asking what have the MBIs done

PRESTWICH councillor Stuart Kaufman is not letting his children eat beef - even though Bury Council are putting it back on the menu in schools. The St Mary's ward representative spoke out when he and colleagues voted to end a ban on beef on school menus

I READ with great interest the letter from the gentleman who felt that the local police gave too much emphasis on policing the town centre, virtually ignoring the rest of the town. This seems to be the strategy for both the police and the council and

COUNCIL chiefs have slammed an anti-Xanadu leaflet circulating in the Leigh area as "utter nonsense". Borough planning officer John Sloane has described the "Xanagloom" newsletter as inaccurate and misleading. Mr Sloane, who is referred to several times

THIEVES got away with thousands of pounds worth of jewellery from a market stall. And the early Monday burglary at Leigh Market Hall has brought a cry for tighter security from traders. Irate Christine Bamber, surveying her damaged stall and counting

A CORONER recorded a verdict of death by natural causes on a 23-year-old man found dead in a dog kennel where he slept. A pathologist's report revealed that Stuart Bailey, of no fixed abode, had died from pneumonia. No traces of drugs were found. The

CORRESPONDENTS Ray and Luise Fitzwalter (Your Letters, August 28), express the hope that Conservative councillor Dorothy Gunther will be able to shake off the affliction that is again coming to the fore. I refer, of course, to her unfortunate lapses into

A LAST-gasp try by Nick Camman and conversion by Scott Barrow earned Saints' Alliance side a cliff-hanging 26-25 win at Salford in the quarter-final of the Challenge Cup. Mark Edmondson, Joey Hayes and Steve Hall scored Saints other tries and Barrow converted

Adlington Rangers A 6 Vine Tavern 58 A RUGBY League 'legend' returned to the amateur ranks this weekend when the newly-formed Vine Tavern made a winning start in Division Six B of the North West Counties League. The Thatto Heath outfit scored an encouraging

TWO Hindley police officers have embarked on an initiative to re-assure vulnerable elderly residents. The move follows an analysis of crimes affecting the elderly in several areas of the town (writes MALCOLM RYDING). Now Pcs Mark Schofield and Dave Malee

I AM writing in protest (to understate it enormously) at the number of public houses in the centre of Bury who have adopted a dress code. In some pubs it is proper shoes and trousers while in others they actually insist on a shirt with a collar. Now I

A SHOPPING centre car park is to be razed to the ground and rebuilt after its owners decided it would be too expensive to repair. The 420-space St George's Centre car park was closed several months ago after engineers found it had serious structural defaults

I WRITE to the Preston Citizen to express my annoyance at the standard of Preston buses. The blue and white bus service is very popular in the town and is used by thousands of people every day. But I wonder whether bosses at Preston Bus have any pride

LAST month I was privileged to be invited to present prizes at the Prestwich High Summer Literacy School, having earlier visited the opening session of the scheme. I was also delighted to visit Radcliffe High School - which took over the Coney Green Summer

LIBERAL Democrats in Preston are calling on council leaders to issue an apology to thousands of council tenants. The group's latest onslaught follows Lib Dem leader Bill Chadwick's promise to help tenants who want to sue the council for the poor standard

PRESTON'S Flag Market resounded to the roar of Town Criers last Saturday when the country's best attended the annual competition. The Criers were dressed in traditional costume and provided an attractive and distinctive display as they displayed their

MAY I take this opportunity to thank all those people who worked so hard during the summer holidays to ensure that Coney Green was open for business at the start of the new term, after the serious fire which damaged a large area of the high school in

SINCE Easter, the Bury Times has reported at least two primary school break-ins, vandalism at two churches and a Scout hut, and arson at two factories, a bowling club, the Asda and, of course, at Coney Green High School. Some correspondents have blamed

A PRESTON woman is preparing to walk through the pain barrier in a bid to raise money for an infant death charity. Hazel Waterworth, from Ashton, has been unable to prepare for her mammoth trek across African desert after she fell foul of a double dose

THE store at the centre of a proposed shopping complex in Leyland is to get a face-lift - and a change of name. As from next week, Food Giant, in Towngate, will become Kwik Save. The move follows the purchase by its parent company Somerfield of the Kwik

ADVENTUROUS diners will soon be able to dig into food from the Alps as the first Alpine restaurant in the country prepares to open its shutters in Preston. For Alpenhof, run by German-born Charles Ruppert, promises to give locals a taste of the popular

STAGECOACH Ribble is laying on a regular service to the new £600m complex near Manchester. The X60 will run hourly throughout the week between Preston, Chorley and the plush Trafford Centre which opens today (Thursday). But the bus company has been blasted

HACKNEY cab drivers in Preston have launched a high-profile campaign in a bid to steer new students away from rogue taxi-drivers. Members of the Preston Hackney Association have put posters up in the University of Central Lancashire's halls of residence

FACTORY workers unearthed something furry peculiar in a delivery of peat! Surprised staff at Joseph Metcalfe's in Oswaldtwistle spotted a wild baby rabbit nestling in the pile. They rushed the new-born bundle to Rothwell's Pets in Union Road where an

AN American teenager who spent four years studying in Leyland has scooped a record 15 GCSEs. Young brainbox Chrisptoph Luschin spent came to England with his father, the chief architect behind Lancashire's new Mormon temple. His amazing haul of results

THE future of a popular sports centre has been secured after a local council took control of the site. It had been feared Penwortham Holme, in Leyland Road, Penwortham, would be forced to shut after Lancashire County Council said it could no longer afford

THIRTEEN policemen were injured and 16 soccer fans arrested during a half-time riot at Burnley FC's match at Stockport County. Trouble flared after a Stockport fan told police that a missile had been thrown from the Burnley end. Four policemen raced into

PRESTON'S business leaders say they are shocked by a new survey which places the town way down the league of profitable areas. According to the new study, compiled by information company Experian, Preston is the 130th most profitable town in England.

SWEET-toothed dessert lovers will be in chocolate heaven when they gat their teeth round the University of Central Lancashire's newest club - dedicated to puddings! Third course fanatics are expected to arrive in force at the University's Scholars restaurant

DOWN again goes unemployment - to its lowest since 1980 - and following the fall in the inflation rate two days ago, pay-claim pressures that would send it up and wreck jobs are also shown to have eased up. These are encouraging figures for the government

For a chance to win a £1,500 sound system, a three-month contract with Yates's, and a chance to play on The Bay, read on... This is a competition would-be DJs on the hunt for stardom, can't afford to miss! Your Preston Citizen has joined forces with Yates's

REGARDING the views expressed in 'Benefits disbelief' (Letters, September 14), about the woman who was jailed for huge benefits fraud. She was reported to have had 10 children, of whom three were registered as disabled. In that case, someone must have

LANCASHIRE have come close before since sharing the title with Surrey in 1950. They were second in 1956, 1960 and most recently in 1987, when they went into the last game at Essex in a similar position - having won their last five, but needing leaders

WASIM Akram's Lancashire team mates want to give their "king" the perfect Old Trafford send off against Hampshire over the next four days - the county's first championship since 1950. Wasim's life has been turned upside down in the last ten days as he

REGARDING your Insight feature (LET, September 10) on benefit fraudbusters, one point that seems to have been omitted is the possible number of malicious calls to the benefits hot line. One example is a couple of malicious calls that were made regarding

RAIN brought an abrupt end to Lancaster's last home game of the season on Saturday (Sept 5) and the match was finally abandoned at 5.45pm. St Annes captain Brian Tennant won the toss and put Lancaster in to bat. The home side lost their first wicket at

WELCOME hellos and tearful goodbyes have resounded around the corridors of King Edward VII School in Lytham. Autumn term has started with some new faces, namely history and religious studies teacher Peter Shipston and David Culpan as head of information

BLACKPOOL Football Club have snatched up teenager Phil Thompson after he took Trevor Sinclair's record of youngest Pool player to score in the league. Phil (pictured) signed a three-year contract after impressing in three first-team matches this season

I WOULD like to reply to Lesley Richards' criticisms of Leigh fans for failing to attend the recent Hilton Park Pop Festival. As a paying supporter of both the rugby and soccer team I feel I put enough money in to the coffers of the club without feeling

IT WAS reassuring to read (LET, September 14) that the commercial development project in the village of Guide had been "put on the back burner" by Environment Minister John Prescott's watchdogs. The 90 per cent of Blackburn and Darwen's population who

Portico Panthers 34 Latchford Albion 14 AUSSIE Troy Cummings signed off in style for Portico Panthers. He scored four tries in his last game before jetting off back Down Under. Dave Leyland set the ball rolling with a try in the corner. Then Andy Mercer

WRITING as someone whose entire life has been centred around the theatre, both professional and amateur, may I express my utter dismay at the prospect of the Hippodrome being converted in to yet another pub. By my reckoning this would make a total of

WHO wants to be a millionaire? the Granada TV quiz hosted by Chris Tarrant every evening for a couple of weeks is money for old rope. It's an absolute doddle. All contestants, lucky enough to be selected, have to do is answer 15 multi-choice questions

HAYDOCK CC's first and second teams took on Tarleton with differing results. The Seconds claimed an easy home win. Having put the opposition in, they soon had the upper hand. Nick Tinsley finished with 6-35 as Tarleton were on the rack. Paul Johnson also

LABOUR'S big guns will be firing in Blackpool next week as the annual Trade Unions Congress rolls into town. Prime Minister Tony Blair will attend the TUC general council dinner on Tuesday night, while his deputy, John Prescott, addresses the 900 delegates

I CRITICISED local people last week for not supporting the Leigh RL open air concert, and have received a bit of flak myself. One local landlord put the obvious question "How many people knew about it?" He said we certainly know when the circus is coming

LANCASTER and Morecambe College has been awarded two contracts to run the education and training programmes at both Lancaster Castle Prison and Lancaster Farms Young Offenders Institution from January 1999. College principal, David Roddam says, "We are

Clock Face 17 Orrell St James A 10 A WELL TAKEN drop goal by Damian Grimes put Clock on their way to a well earned win. Putting the previous weeks defeat behind them Clock withstood some early opening pressure, but good defensive work by Steve Ludden,

POLICE netted scores of suspected drug dealers, burglars and thieves across the Fylde Coast this week in a county-wide swoop codenamed Operation Bream. Stolen property, weapons and drugs, including one haul of £30,000 worth of heroin, were seized as detectives

WHO'S scared of the spanking new £600 million Trafford Centre at Dumplington? Not the business people of the Leigh area. Some have greeted this week's opening of the giant shopping and leisure complex which boasts three miles of shops with a degree of

A SCHEME to build a 50 metre high chimney to deal with odour problems at Nightingale Hall Farm goes before planners next week. Fats and Proteins Ltd believe the huge chimney will put an end to the 'smell' problem which has blighted Lancaster for many

RAINHILL CC produced a stunning performance at home to title-chasing St Asaph. Captain Ray Ford won the toss and requested the visitors to bat first. In a match both teams desperately wanted to win Mattie Dale struck a major blow when he bowled Neil Schittler

Waterhead 8 Thatto Heath 18 HEATH were made to fight all the way for this victory. After the early exchanges Waterhead stand-off John Perks opened the scoring with a penalty when Heath were guilty of straying offside. But Heath winger Wayne Jackman hit

SPORTS physiotherapist Luke Smith has spent the last 11 days in Kuala Lumpur preparing England's Commonwealth Games team. The Lytham-based physio left on August 31 to help set up fully operational medical and physiotherapy facilities for the 400-strong

IT WOULD appear Wigan Metro is up to mischief again. I wonder if residents of Sycamore Road, Douglas Street and Chanters Avenue, Atherton are aware that the Metro intends building a school on playing fields in their locality. Mr Heywood, from Wigan Borough

THE White Cross in Lancaster is celebrating success in a national quality awards scheme operated by Bass Leisure Retail. The quarry Road pub has scored 100 per cent after a visit from a 'mystery customer' in the company's Who Cares Wins programme for

ST HELENS Recs First XI suffered at the hands of Lytham's Australian professional Sainsbury at Ruskin Drive on Saturday. Winning the toss Recs put the visitors in to bat but must have regretted the move. Ford bowled well but the runs were piled up. Coming

Barrow 2 Morecambe 1 MORECAMBE'S disappointing away form in the conference, so far this season, has ranged from poor to disastrous. What could have been a comprehensive victory for Jim Harvey's side, against a Barrow team lying second from bottom in the

CHILDREN with disabilities are to have a say on existing care and services open to them in Blackpool. It marks the beginning of a major overhaul of social services provision for under 19s with disabilities in partnership with health, education and voluntary

LANCASTER is to pilot a scheme to 'decriminalise' parking and hand enforcement of parking policy to the local authority. This could mean local traffic wardens being employed by the local authority instead of the police. Lancaster is currently being studied

FOUR hundred runs, last-over drama, spectacular individual performances, Saturday's game had the lot as Halsall came to Rainford. The home side lost the toss, and after being put in found themselves in the unusual position of three wickets down with not

A HOST of footballing stars descended upon Morecambe's Christie Park Stadium last Wednesday for the grand opening of the new north stand by World Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton. "You have a ground that the whole town can be proud of," said Sir Bobby as

Ideal Isberg 14 Blackbrook 14 A TREMENDOUS tackling stint earned Brook a share of the points against the BARLA National Cup finalists. With several key squad members out of action, Blackbrook were well and truly up against it. Although the homesters started

FYLDE Coast ambulance crews could take industrial action if a three-year dispute over roadside standby points cannot be resolved in talks on September 11. Response times could be hit, though a strike was ruled out in a ballot carried out by the Association

A MAN caught out by the tides on the way back from Sunderland Point was left stranded on the roof of his van in 6ft of sea water. The emergency services worked through the night to rescue the 42-year-old from Morecambe who was trapped on the notorious

NEW ZEALAND Test player Mathew Hart retired sick on 91 in the Wigan versus Saints fixture on Saturday by which time St Helens bowlers and fielders were equally sick of the sight of him especially since he recovered sufficiently to return and take his

NO point in whingeing about the result, but Saints had cause for complaint about the 80 minutes overall. That was the considered view of Shaun McRae in the aftermath of the defeat at Leeds. WHITTLE: Have there been any repercussions from decisions that

PROPOSALS to shut a Lytham residential home have been recommended after a consultation exercise by social services. Clifton House, off South Park, is one of six in Lancashire to be closed or used for other purposes after a working group, led by county

THEIR faces said it all - the Lancashire Lynx players were absolutely delighted with their championship success. After a hard league campaign, which included 20 intense games, every Lynx player deserved their championship medal. Almost six months after

BLACKPOOL'S drab season burst into colour when Chris de Burgh switched on the Illuminations at the resort's biggest party of the year. Thousands of people crammed into Talbot Square to see Chris topline a star-studded show and throw the switch to light

A FORMER local grammar school boy is about to stand trial in America charged with being one of the country's worst ever serial killers. Charles Ng, who attended Bentham Grammar School when he was 14, is thought to have murdered at least 25 people in a

EMERGENCY workers arriving at the scene of a huge traffic pile up on the M6 motorway on Monday morning say it was a miracle no one was killed. The motorway network ground to a halt after five lorries collided near junction 34 north of Lancaster at 5.30am

CHILD FC have started the defence of their St Helens Star Premier Division championship with a bang. On Saturday goals from Mark Lewis, John Ruddick and Earl Harding gave them a 3-0 home win over expected challengers The Anchor who in the previous Tuesday's

Maine Road 1, Ramsbottom United 2 (FA Cup replay) RAMPANT Ramsbottom United added a new chapter to their history book when they stormed to victory in the FA Cup. In the competition for the first time since they were formed in 1966, United entertained

A BABY DAY medal, unearthed in a Lancaster garden, is coming back to its Hyndburn birthplace. The medal, which dates back to a mayoral event in 1929, was discovered in the garden of Mr John Riley. It was originally presented by the mayor and mayoress

DroylsdenM-I3, Radcliffe BoroM-I2 BOROUGH gave a Jekyll and Hyde performance against Droylsden on Saturday when a sterling second half performance could not quite overturn a three-goal half-time deficit. On-loan John Bagnall replaced the suspended Steve

GLEN Chapple was delivered a cruel blow as Lancashire started their must-win Championship clash against Hampshire today. Chapple was omitted as Lancashire opted to play with two spinners in a game they must win to have any chance of pipping Surrey and

CITY got their first win thanks to a superb all round team performance. The Altrincham team was full of former league superstars thanks to a mysterious millionaire backing them, but there's no use hanging on to the past, and it showed. Instead it was

A CONMAN who got £5,000 from a building society and then lied his way to a £10,000 car while on bail has been jailed for 14 months. Anthony Saunders, 23, 'frittered' the £5,000 on luxuries and wining and dining his wife. His trail of deception began when

RADCLIFFE Borough manager Kevin Glendon was so annoyed at his side's display against Droylsden on Saturday that he apologised to the chairman - and now wants to do the same to the fans. Following a hopeless first 45 minutes, Glendon said: "The first half

KEVIN Gallacher has an outside chance of rejoining Blackburn Rovers' squad for next Monday's crucial Premiership clash with Chelsea at Ewood - thanks to Sky TV! For the Scottish international, suffering from a calf strain, reckons he would definitely

ANOTHER powerful fightback earned North End a point that at half-time, trailing 2-0, looked beyond them. After a good start for the away team it suddenly went mad in the Preston defence. With a cross delivered into the goal area, Foster should have made

TWO boroughs in East Lancashire have cashed in on a total of £170,000 from a new 'green kitty' to spend on community projects to improve the environment. The new community-based environmental charity for Hyndburn, the Prospects Foundation, has secured

Bury 2, Portsmouth 1 ANY thoughts the Bury bubble had burst at Birmingham were quickly dispelled with a fourth successive home win on Tuesday. The Shakers are proving that blood, sweat and tears really can produce miracles as they sit shoulder to shoulder

PRESTON North End chairman Bryan Gray has issued a 'don't worry' plea to the fans after he announced the club made a loss of £1.4 million in the last year. Mr Gray said he was confident that the club were going in the right direction despite the huge

A PLANE trip to New Jersey for a delayed honeymoon turned into a nightmare for Richard and Victoria Humphreys and their baby daughter, Chloe. Twice their Continental Airlines flight took off from Manchester Airport and was forced to return to the UK because

Birmingham City1,Bury 0 BURY survived a mauling then could have escaped with a point. Off-key in the opening 45 minutes when they were lucky to still be in with a shout, the Shakers responded valiantly to Andy Woodward's 57th minute sending off to give

AN ambulance crew was sacked after taking 10 minutes to travel the 1.6 miles to reach a heart attack victim, it was alleged. An industrial tribunal heard that Tracie Collier of Astley and Garry Rostron of Leigh ended up out of a job after questions were

A BLACKPOOL vicar is about to embark on Bog Trot 98 - to raise funds for new church toilets! Father David Jenkins will scale Snowdon in Wales, Ben Nevis in Scotland and Sca Fell Pike in the Lake District along with five parishioners to raise the much-needed

A WOMAN on her way to the bank with a bag containing the takings from a pub was the victim of a sneak thief. It happened at about 2.15pm on Thursday, September 3 as the 21-year-old woman reached the junction of Hardshaw Street and Tolver Street in St

LANCASHIRE County Council's Social Services department is looking for volunteers to develop its reach out befriending scheme for adults with learning disabilities. Call 264210 for details. Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and

FOR 75 minutes, North End battled to break down the Wycombe defence and as time ran out there was always the danger Wycombe would strike from defence to win the game. Preston completely dominated the opening 20 minutes with a fluent passing style that

A CHANCE remark about a disc jockey in a Tyldesley pub being "gay" resulted in an attack which put two young men in hospital, a Crown Court was told. Ben Waddington had a broken bottle pushed into the side of his face and his friend, Stephen Boyle, was

SHE has travelled the world as a beauty queen, a television presenter and a model and her love affair with Granada television presenter Tony Wilson made front page headlines. The international music convention she founded when she was just 23 has become

PERSEVERANCE has paid off for student Alexander Alderson. The 21-year-old has just won joint first prize in the Shell Technology Enterprise Programme after carrying out a project at Padiham-based Perseverance Mills. The programme places undergraduates

A Morecambe man was punched, forced to the floor and had his mobile phone stolen in Central Drive. One attacker, a white male, aged 20, 5ft 9ins tall, well built with short brown hair was wearing an orange top. The other attacker was a white male, aged

SOCIAL Services chiefs are launching a campaign to recruit carers. And the campaign ties in with Adult Placement Awareness Week (September 6-12). The adult placement team, which is part of the social services department, aims to find carers who can offer

LYTHAM's cantering canon is rehearsing a unique dressage event to music to raise funds for the Blackburn Cathedral rebuilding project. Canon Godfrey Hirst, vicar of Lytham Parish Church, will complete four tests on four different horses under the watchful

THE raunchy male dancers from the Real Monty will be in St Helens this Saturday, September 12, to raise money for the Derian House Children's Hospice in Chorley. The lads, who do a Full Monty style routine, have appeared on Channel 5 and they will be

COULD you read out your own poems in front of an audience? A Graffiti Poetry Slam has been organised by Lancaster Litfest at Folly Pictures this Friday, September 11. The quick fire contest starts at 8pm and you have a three minute spot to say your stuff

BETTER homes for the borough's most needy people is the aim of a new council strategy. Bosses in both housing and social services are working to improve the lives of residents following a set of recommendations from the Audit Commission on the role of

THE streets of Lancaster and Morecambe are safer this week after police swooped on the district's criminal fraternity during a series of dawn raids that netted 60 suspected villains. The intelligence-led operation saw two teams of detectives and uniformed

LEYLAND recorded their seventh victory of the season with a comfortable 6-wicket win against Preston with ten overs to spare in a game which ended Preston 124 Leyland 127-4. Mark Pallett, the Leyland captain, won the toss and inserted Preston. Paul and

MAYOR of St Helens, Councillor David Craig has expressed his thanks to everyone involved in organising, sponsoring or donating to the Mayor's Appeal Golf Championship held at Sherdley Park Golf Club on Saturday, August 29, 1998. Councillor also gave special

GARDENERS Jimmy Salisbury and Graham Griffiths reaped the rewards at Tyldesley Allotments' Association vegetable and flower show. Jimmy received the Association Challenge Trophy for most points in show and the Garden News plaque for the best cabbage (

TRAFFIC Police are appealing for witnesses to an incident which left a young boy needing hospital treatment. Six-year-old Liam Atkinson was walking across a zebra crossing in Boundary Road at about 12.45pm on Friday, September 4 when he was in collision

SINGLE-parent families from Bury are due back from North Wales this weekend (September 10) after what could be the last-ever holiday organised by the local branch of the Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS). Bury WRVS has been running annual holidays

THE 20th Annual Moss Bank Gala will take place on the green opposite the Black Horse Hotel in Moss Bank Road on Saturday, September 12. The fun-filled event kicks off at 1.15pm with the official opening by the Mayor of St Helens, Councillor David Craig

HOUSING bosses are warning home owners to repair and occupy their properties or risk losing them. The local authority is threatening to buy 13 homes in the borough under compulsory purchase. Councillors say residents complain repeatedly about long-empty

POLICE are warning parents to be on the alert after a man exposed himself to two young girls playing in Sherdley Park. The incident happened at about 12.10pm on Thursday, September 3 between Sutton High School and the park where the two girls, aged 10

OUR story of the trolley bus days and calls at Peter's Parr shop Punch Bowl shop sparked memories from afar. A copy of The Journal found its way to Blackpool - and Peter's widow, Edna Parr. And she has now sent us a picture of the friendly little 1940s

LITTLE Emma Ball is dancing her way to happiness - and she's done it to make her daddy proud. Seven-year-old Emma has won a £1,500 scholarship to the St Annes School of Music, Drama and Dance, after winning over the hearts of judges. The youngster lost

PRETTY Hannah Broderick is celebrating this week after winning the finals of the Daily Star's 'Search for A Babe' competition at the Wembley Arena - and having her picture splashed across the national newspaper yesterday (Wednesday). Hannah, who won the

SNAKES alive! Russell McNamara was scared out of his skin when he decided to do a bit of DIY. For his hammering disturbed a four foot long snake, hiding in the rafters of his shed. Russell (37), of Keats Crescent in Radcliffe said: "I couldn't believe

TAXPAYERS face a race against time if they are to meet the self assessment tax deadline and avoid possible fines, according to the Bury Society of Chartered Accountants. With less than a month to go before the deadline for the second year of self assessment

AFTER the hiccup at Leeds, Saints will seek to tighten their hold on fourth place in the Super League table when Castleford Tigers visit Knowsley Road on Sunday, kick-of 3pm. Saints' hopes of finishing third are slim because, for that to happen, they

A LOCAL man being hunted by detectives investigating a triple murder was arrested after a spectacular car crash near Hawkshaw early yesterday. Peter Hall (34), from Moss Shaw Way, Radcliffe, was detained by two Bury police officers after being found hiding

MENTAL health care in Bury is set to receive a £250,000 boost following a successful bid for extra cash. In a joint venture with Bury and Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trusts and the local authorities, Bury and Rochdale health authority submitted the bid to

A PIONEERING project to help disadvantaged young people will expand into Bury, thanks to grant support from Bolton Bury Training and Enterprise Council's Community Partnership Fund. The project is aimed at young people who are disaffected and at risk

THE new St Mary's Market will be officially opened by Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester next Tuesday, September 15. The market, which houses 86 indoor stalls, is part of the £5.5 million redevelopment of the town centre. The duchess will receive

GIN PIT is the setting for the prestigious British Cycle Speedway Team Championships on Sunday. Astley & Tyldesley Miners' Welfare Cycle Speedway Club's track, on Meanley Road is the venue. A great afternoon's racing is promised when Stoke take on

AN operation aimed at curbing underage drinking in Newton's public parks has been proclaimed a huge success by police. Operation Breathing Space was launched in July with the financial backing of Newton 21 Partnership following residents' complaints about

A SUBSTANTIAL cash reward is being offered in the hunt for the armed robbers whose raid on a Sutton farmhouse resulted in the death of 72-year-old Alfred Sandford. Mr Sandford, of Grove House Farm, Sutton Heath, suffered a fatal heart attack in front

OFFICIALS of a charitable trust set up in aid of a former junior judo champion who suffered a tragic accident while competing in St Helens 12 years ago have launched a re-newed appeal for help. Owen Lowery who was British under-21 champion at under 60

KIND hearted footballers hope to raise more than £1,000 to send a sick youngster on a dream trip to Disneyland. A team from Crown Eyeglass, Blackburn, will clash with a side from The Sportsmans Arms, Blackburn, tonight at Darwen Anchor ground. The game

LEIGH Miners Rangers dug deep to beat the 'old enemy'. A poor first half performance against St Pat's saw them 16-4 down at the break. But a gritty second half saw them beat Pat's 23-16 and preserve their unbeaten start to the season. Tries from Chris

A MAN who was given just days to live three years ago has pledged to crown his miraculous battle against the odds by taking part in the Cancer Research Campaign's 'Relay for a Cure' on Saturday (September 12). Alan Welsby was just 32-years-old when he

BLACKPOOL bounced back from a disastrous Bank Holiday weekend with a comprehensive defeat of title-chasing Leyland Daf at Stanley Park on Saturday (Sept 5). In their Vaux Northern League Division One game Leyland Daf were put in to bat and made a paltry

Haresfinch 19 Kirkholt 18 FINCH clinched their first points of the new season but they made heavy weather of it against an enthusiastic but limited Rochdale outfit. Defences dominated the opening quarter and it wasn't until just before half-time that

WITH reference to an article in Sez Les in last week's Journal: I take great offence at your use of the word 'apathy' concerning the people of Leigh. Over the past 12 years some good friends and I have had the privilege of raising sums of money for local

THE onset of the FA Cup has left Town without a game for almost a fortnight. Town were exempt from the pre-liminary round which took place last Saturday so an open date resulted but hopes of getting back under way last night (Wednesday) against Maine

LEIGH Business Partnership was formed to enable local business people to have a voice in local matters. In the current economic climate, and in a rapidly-changing locality, it is not always possible for local business people to find the time or the direct

POLICE were called to a "domestic" after a woman found her boyfriend had made out his will - and she was not in it. Tracy Mackey, 39, was shouting and swearing and lunged at the man at his Burnley home. Police calmed down the situation and left, but 10

Pilkington Recs 34 Higginshaw 6 A VIRTUALLY error-free first-half performance was the key to this Recs victory. They dominated from the kick-off and it came as no surprise when, in the seventh minute, a flowing handling movement saw centre Andy Traverse

A GOOD, solid first half performance against Notts County at Bloomfield Road on Tuesday night (Sept 8) saw Blackpool pile on the pressure and make the three points look a certainty despite not scoring. Steve Bushell set the tone for the game with a crashing

A ST ANNES cyclist who used his wheels to reel in charity cash now hopes to speed sales of a new fundraising CD. Ian Hargreaves, 45, of Blackpool Road North, has cycled the length and breadth of Britain, covering thousands of miles and clocking up thousands

NORTH West Water is splashing out on a £2.7 million scheme to clean up the River Lune. The innovative scheme will prevent local sewers overflowing and polluting the river in the centre of town. 0 They plan to put a control room inside a disused railway

SUTTON gained a priceless victory against relegation rivals Buckley to keep themselves just clear of the drop zone and consign Buckley to the bottom. Sutton suffered a blow when skipper Andy Brogan withdrew through injury but stand-in Ian Greener had

Leeds Rhinos 37 Saints 18 CLASHES between these old rivals invariably produce all that is best in Rugby League, and this latest confrontation certainly lived up to that heady billing. But, having conceded that the second-placed Rhinos were the better

A HEYSHAM pensioner who said he was looking after a haul of drugs for someone else, has been jailed for nine months. An order was also made that a sum of £6,000 found at Stuart Bridges' home in Littledale Avenue should go to the Lancashire police drugs

RAINFORD Rangers will have to go some way to better Sunday's tally in the St Helens McDonald's JOL. The under 12s side hit the target 14 times against the plucky Lane Ends Athletic. RESULTS Under 16s: Penlake 4 Gorsey Lane 0, Rainhill United 3 Rainford

FOOTBALL fans could be in for a feast of goals this weekend. For two under 11s sides who hit 18 goals between them last Sunday meet head-on. Rocket entertain Whiston Juniors in the Byrne Hire Rainhill Junior League. RESULTS Saturday Under 10s: Blackbrook

GETTING a foot in the door is the lesson being taught at a Blackpool drama school by someone who's experienced it first-hand. Former Coronation Street actress Suzanne Hall (pictured), Curly's old flame Kimberley to soap fans, is giving up her Saturday

BLACKPOOL Grand Theatre launched its own real-life drama this week in a conflict with Blackpool Council. The Grand's managers believe audiences will be hit by a new pedestrian-priority scheme banning private cars from dropping off or picking up patrons

BROKEN street lights along parts of the Morecambe to Lancaster cyclepath are creating a muggers' paradise, claims a local resident. Mr Borrill of Scale Farm Road says that 12 street lights on the pathway close to Salt Ayre have not worked for two months

Witton Albion 1, Radcliffe Boro 1 THERE wasn't much to choose between Radcliffe Borough and Witton Albion at the start of their UniBond Challenge Cup match - and there wasn't much to choose between them at the end of it either. The two team have similar

A LUCKY teenager, about to star in a new TV series, is packing his bags for a free trip to Greece. Media student Bobby Ali, 16, has already spent six weeks on a farm in Derby making the Channel 5 documentary 'Boys and Girls'. And next month he will again

ATHERTON councillor Sue Loudon is upset by suggestions that the Council will not consider locals' views on the Briarcroft homeless plans. "I find it quite offensive that people say we are not interested," she told The Journal. "I cannot say whether I

A TIMID dog died in agony after being knifed and booted in a frenzied attack which turned his owner's kitchen in to a blood bath. In spite of immediate veterinary attention and a blood transfusion 18 months old German Shepherd Zach died a few hours later

BLACKPOOL memory man Tom Morton (pictured) is about to become a human catalogue. Tom, who holds the record for reciting the longest ever number from memory, has taken up the challenge from the resort's Index store to memorise its entire autumn and winter

SHOCKED shopkeepers have discovered their stock of musical memorabilia was not insured - because their AGENTS had not paid the premium. Janice Percy and Alison Sharples say they paid out £390 to Insurance Plus Consultants Limited of Leigh to insure their

THERE'S a lot less to Pauline Wild these days - 53lbs to be exact. After battling against a weight problem, the 30-year-old is now a trim 9st 10ozs and not only has it made a difference to her way of life it has also earned her a top prize. For Pauline

BUSINESS failures in the North West fell last month according to figures released today. There were 12 receivership and administration appointments recorded by accountants Deloitte & Touche compared with 18 in July and 16 in June. "There is little

FLEETWOOD'S vandal-plagued Memorial Park could be given a much needed facelift. Plans were due to be discussed on September 10 by Wyre's countryside, leisure and tourism committee with a view to applying for cash from the Heritage Lottery Fund's urban

MORE people are waiting for a council house in the borough. Latest figures show that there are 2,283 on the general list, up from last November's total of 2,184. A further 698 tenants are waiting for a transfer. Around half of the total are seeking one-bedroom

AEROSPACE firms in East Lancashire have been urged to seize the opportunities thrown up by a major industry shake-up. Restructuring in the industry across Europe will present more opportunities for supply firms to win crucial orders, a conference heard

A WORRIED gran has vowed to take children out of a village playschool if homeless people are housed on its doorstep. Dorothy Colbert is a helper at the Briarcroft Playgroup at Howe Bridge, just yards from where the English Churches Housing Association

THE village of Caton just outside Lancaster has turned in an excellent performance in the Best Kept Village Competition. Caton has won the Spencer Cup for the Best Large Village, the Bryning with Warton Trophy for the Best Village Hall and the British

A BABY girl decided she couldn't wait for her mum to get to hospital before she put in an appearance. Paramedics Tracey Evans and Michael Todd arrived at the Radcliffe home of mum-to-be Vickie Smith to take her to Fairfield Hospital at 6.40am yesterday

MAYOR and Mayoress Sam and Nancy Little should have been enjoying a civic engagement in France. But instead Mayoress Nancy is confined to Tyldesley after a different, painful type of trip. "I was looking forward to going to France," said the disappointed

A PENSIONER who fell asleep in an armchair was woken in the early hours of the morning to be confronted by burglars who had broken into his home. Police believe there were two intruders at the address in Carlton Terrace, St Helens, at about 1.15am on

A PUPIL at Lancaster Royal Grammar School has won a national design competition with a revolutionary design for an unmanned micro helicopter. The vertical take-off craft created by Sam Worthington, 18, has won the Stuart Pugh Prize from the Institute

THE funeral took place yesterday (September 10) of a father-of-two killed in a motorcycle accident in North Yorkshire. Mr Stefan Sowinski suffered fatal injuries when his 750cc Suzuki bike collided with a Land Rover Discovery on the A59 Skipton to Harrogate

POLICE are looking for a man in his early 20s who robbed an 84-year-old Morecambe woman of her handbag. The thief approached the woman from behind as she walked along an alley in Roseberry Avenue on August 28. The old lady struggled with the attacker

A HARDSHIP map has been drawn-up to help fight the poverty war. The publication will be a vital tool in Wigan Council formulating bids for funding from the National Lottery and the European Community. The initiative, the subject of the third annual report

AN elderly woman fell prey to a thief who snatched her handbag as she walked along a town centre street. The 70-year-old victim had cut through Mill Street, heading for Duke Street, at about 2.15pm on Thursday, September 3 when the incident happened.

THEY'RE camping it up at the Dukes thanks to Famous Army Stores. The shop in Market Street has donated camping gear for the theatre company to use in its first show of the autumn season, Neville's Island. Lots of outdoor equipment has been handed over

A RAMSBOTTOM firefighter is selling the clothes off his back to help send a sick youngster to America for treatment. Paul Simpson, 38, will auction off his genuine American-style firefighters' kit worth £600 to raise cash to send the cerebral palsy sufferer

FOUR years of study have added up to success for Bury Council's revenues and benefits staff. Both Julie Burges (28), and colleague Peter Demain (34), have passed the final exams of the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation following attendance at

A PENWORTHAM teacher has become the target for poison pen writers who say they want to see her sacked from a local primary school. The teacher, who the Citizen has decided not to name, is the subject of a letter which has been sent to teachers and governors

A TEENAGER was attacked as he walked along Duke Street in the early hours of Saturday, September 5. The 19 year old was on his way home after a night out when a gang of about five youths walking towards him suddenly started punching and kicking him. A

BURY'S Mill Gate centre staged a "Shop Local" promotion just days before the official opening of the massive Trafford Centre. And the message from Mill Gate was clear - "we have everything here for shoppers". Centre employees wore special promotional

LEIGH Centurions, now out of season after a tough time in Division One, keep fit with some lively sessions at Atherton Wrestling Club. 2408/22/7 LEIGH RL Lifeline week 4 winners: E Hardman, Warrington Road, Leigh (£1,000); R Mitchell, Sandfield Crescent

BURY'S thriving Mill Gate centre has been nominated for an award in recognition of its facilities for the disabled. Members of the public have put the shopping centre forward as a candidate for an EASE award. EASE stands for Ease of Access, Service and

A 16-year-old boy was threatened by a man and woman and had his wallet stolen after visiting a cash point. The teenager had just used the cash machine in Dane Court, Rainhill, at about 8.40pm on Sunday, August 30, when he was approached by the couple.

GIRL Guides Helen Longworth and Celia Brown had the trip of a lifetime when they went on camp this summer - to Siberia. The two, of 20th Rossendale and Edenfield Parish Church Guide Pack, represented North West Guides on the trip. They joined a party

A MAN was robbed of nearly £70 in cash just minutes after cashing a Giro cheque at a post office. The 48-year-old victim entered Derbyshire Hill post office in Fleet Lane at about 9.15am on Thursday, September 3 and cashed a Giro cheque for £68. He then

ONION grower Bob Waters is a novice when it comes to competitions - but he scooped the major award in Bury Horticultural Society's summer show. It was the first-ever such event the 66-year-old had entered and he took prizes in five classes. Having won

BURY'S ambitious East Ward Regeneration Project will receive Government backing next week. Hilary Armstrong, minister for local government and housing, is to call in and find out about the community-driven scheme. Her visit comes just days after the formation

A FATHER-and-son duo are set to stride out in aid of a worthy cause. St Helens Striders 'veteran' Dennis Wharton and teenage son Matthew are teaming up to raise money for two-year-old Ryan Hull who suffers from cerebral palsy. Dennis, who lives opposite

FRENCH find Laurent D'Jaffo believes there is no reason why Bury can't maintain their fabulous start to the season. An incredible opening with just one defeat in seven games has seen the unfashionable Shakers shoot up to the dizzy heights of third in

BURY police said "ello, ello, ello" to thousands of visitors when they threw open their doors on Sunday. Members of the public were treated to a behind the scenes glimpse of the local force and its operations structure throughout the day. And the force's

POLICE are appealing for anyone who may have witnessed an incident in which a woman had her handbag snatched as she walked home in the early hours of Tuesday, August 29. The victim was walking along Talbot Close in the town centre at about 2am after buying

REPORTS of the Theatre Royal's death have been greatly exaggerated . . . And it's looking forward to a long and happy life. That's the news from the team responsible for the building. It's owned by the Theatre Royal (St. Helens) Trust. And they are anxious

CRIME prevention officers are appealing for people to keep their eyes and ears open to prevent elderly neighbours falling prey to criminals. Elderly residents are regularly duped by bogus official thieves - people who gain access to houses by claiming

ATHERTON Homing Society (Yeovil): Mr & Mrs Dickens 1345.75; W Craighead 1202.02; K & E Shaw 1165.73; J K O'Connor 1163.83; S Thompson 1158.04; W Craighead 1157.07; B Walsh 1156.26; J K O'Connor 1117.04. Poole: Mr & Mrs Dickens 1289.04; J K

MRS Margaret Fitter of Bristol wants to trace her Bury relatives, namely the descendants of her grandfather's cousin Frederick Ernest Wootton. He lived in Manchester, then Little Hulton, Bolton, during the war and may have moved to Bury (possibly Unsworth

LOCAL sides had mixed fortunes in their quest for FA Cup glory! Atherton LR beat Sheffield 4-2 while neighbours Colls were dumped out of the 1st preliminary round 2-1 against Armthorpe Welfare. LR set off at a blistering pace at Sheffield to take an early

Miek Badham takes a look at events in history on this date. 1287: Scottish hero William Wallace and his men duffed up the English at the battle of Stirling Bridge. To celebrate his victory, he had one of the English dead flayed and the skin made into

Leigh RMI 3 Gainsborough 0 STAR striker Neil Matthews pounced twice in the first 29 minutes as Leigh eased into the top five of the Unibond Premier Division. Matthews, a summer signing from Guiseley, knocked in his fourth and fifth goals of the season

From the Bury Times, Sept 11, 1948 CRASH: Crowbars were used to free 26 upstairs passengers after a Bury "football special" bus was in a collision in Manchester Road. METER: A boy of ten who admitted forcing open a gas meter and taking 8s 9d did not know

MORE cases of the potentially lethal food bug E-coli were reported in Blackburn and Darwen in 1997 than in the rest of East Lancashire put together. Nine incidents were reported in the borough with several cases cropping up during September last year

THIS week could possibly go down in footballing history as it marked the first game for the brand new Radio City football team. Unfortunately, I was unable to play due to being on air and this obviously reflected on the team's performance in losing 6-

A SPECIAL-needs teacher from Ramsbottom flies to Romania today, September 11, to teach youngsters in hospital. This week Miss Hazel Brookes received vital financial backing for the project from Ramsbottom Rotary Club who presented her with £3,620. Just

DIVISION A: Fylde 73-5 - *Vernon Carus 72; *Garstang 144-7 - Penwortham 144-8, tie; *Harris Park 179-6 - Fulwood & Broughton 148-9; *Longridge 161-7 - Norcross 87; *Thornton Cleveleys 132-7 - Springfields 102; *Wrea Green 66 - South Shore 69-3. DIVISION

WE are on the verge of X-Day. The Journal expects a decision next week from the Government's NW Office which, since May, has been scrutinizing the giant Xanadu snowdome plans for Leigh. Two years after the amazing plan was revealed a decision is expected

BOMB squad officers were called after a schoolboy stumbled across a 20lb anti-aircraft shell. The alarm was raised when a 13-year-old playing with pals in fields off Atherton Road, on the Leigh-Hindley border, discovered the nine-inch device in bushes

JEWSON League newcomers Whitchurch returned home to Shropshire somewhat wiser about the level of performance required to survive in the national leagues. Hoppers' seven-try romp included four from winger Iain Bruce who clearly aims to be in contention

COUNCILLORS' surgeries: FRIDAY, September 11: Leigh Town Hall (7-8) P Smith, K Cunliffe; Hindley Town Hall (6.30-8) Mrs E Edwardson; Astley St Stephen's School (7.15-8) F Walker; Abram council offices, Library, Vicarage Road (6.30-8) Mrs A Bennett; Golborne

BOOMING British Aerospace today reported a leap in profits and record order books. Just days after its 12,000 strong Lancashire workforce celebrated winning billions of pounds worth of orders at the Farnborough Air Show, BAe revealed it had made £725

PEOPLE power has forced politicians to promise that NO part of Whitefield Park will be sold to housebuilders. Council leader Derek Boden has said that developers will not get their hands on the former Stanley Road depot as long as he is in charge. The

LITTLE Emma Ball is dancing her way to happiness - and she's done it to make her daddy proud. Seven-year-old Emma has won a £1,500 scholarship to the St Annes School of Music, Drama and Dance, after winning over the hearts of judges. The youngster lost

LAST Sunday's championship triumph for Lancashire Lynx was terrific. I have watched Lynx all season and I believe they've easily been the league's best team. However, one thing that has struck me while watching Rugby League over the past few years is

WERE you employed in the mining industry in St Helens.? Were you made redundant? If so, would you be interested in taking part in the BBC 'Close Up North' programme highlighting what has happened to former miners, their families and mining communities

PLANNERS are in a race against time to make sure the borough's green spaces are protected from developers. They want to start work immediately on Bury's second Unitary Development Plan (UDP), which is a blueprint for all sorts of building and conservation

THERE'S just no saying what fate has in store for us. St Helens-born Herbert Mundin found Champagne-style fame and fortune as a legendary Hollywood character actor, while one of his relatives earned his daily bread as a joiner at Sutton Rolling Mill.

BURY is playing its cards right to stamp out under-age drinking and smoking in the new Millennium. By the year 2000, 16-year-olds in the borough will be holders of new Proof of Age cards in a pioneering scheme designed at reducing the amount of alcohol

HESKETH Fletcher High School pupils had an assembly with a difference. A party of Namibians, visiting pupils in the lower school, started the day with a dance of welcome and traditional songs. The group called in at the school as part of ongoing links

I am not going to resist the challenge by Derek Walters to set out a vision for tourism. I do not share his obsession with Blackpool. My interest is in the future of the district. We have unique facilities to offer visitors. We now have a revamped and

WE learn from Cllr Barker's letter (20 August) that in November 1994, when faced with a choice between inquiring into the conduct of officers known to have given false information to members or terminating the agreement with Unique, he chose the latter

TYLDESLEY'S Joe Roberts'll eyt owt. And the 34 -years-old father of four (pictured) has answered a black pudding challenge to take on a champion. Known in his local, the Home Ground, as "Big and Daft", Joe, of Somerset Avenue, has pledged to wack the

I AM in my seventies and sometimes get my days a bit mixed up, like a lot of old people do. I went shopping on the market on Friday and - wait for it - a stall was selling Christmas cards and wrapping paper. I could not believe it. What is happening these

THREE local churches are to play a key role in a £1million nationwide advertising campaign to encourage exploration of the "meaning of life". Christ Church, Pennington; St Nathaniel's, Platt Bridge and St Andrew's, Over Hulton are among 399 Christian

TWO Leigh gravediggers are among the first in the country to have passed a new training course for cemetery staff, David Makinson and Simon Gregory, who work at Manchester Road, Leigh, have been awarded a certrificate under the Cemeteries Operatives Training

I WRITE with reference to the story (Sept 4) about the CSA and Mrs Nagle's "starving kids". She is not alone in her experiences with the CSA but we have to live with it. My review took 11 months and at the end of it I received £2.35 to feed my child.

A STUDENT who gains six grade A A-levels should be able to choose which university they attend (Citizen August 27). When a university has in-house exams, it appears considerations other than academic ones come into play. We still haver a class structure

Accrington 8 St Helens Crusaders 14 NEW-look Crusaders collected their first points of the season after defeat at Crosfields the previous week. They quickly opened their account when winger Daz Lee darted in and Saunders converted. And just before the

CIVIC events in Devon have been given a new flavour - of good old Leigh. For Granville Baldwin from Leigh is the new Deputy Mayor of Exeter. Cllr Baldwin was born in Leigh and then lived for many years in Little Hulton. He moved to Exeter in 1975 and

IN reply to your letter Vandals Have No Thought For The Children (Citizen letters, September 3), today's teenagers and children leave a lot to be desired. Not all, but most. And why? Because there is no deterrent. Doggy bins are burnt, litter bins are

FOR years now I have expressed my concern about the so-called public private partnership of PFI (Private Finance Initiative) which, although seeming to be more evident in the NHS, would appear to be permeating and eroding every part of the public sector

A DECISION on a new town centre store and multi-storey car park has been delayed. A row has blown-up between traders and planners over the scheme for Leigh's old swiming baths site. Upset traders say the council has no right to sell the former baths site

A PRESTON primary school is being forced to erect huges fences around its perimeter in a bid to keep vandals, thieves and drug dealers out. Saddened teachers at St Joseph's RC Primary School say they were left with no choice but to ask to have steel fences

POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an horrific double stabbing in Bamber Bridge. Two men needed hospital treatment after being found in Station Road late on Sunday night by police who had been called to break up a fight. Police found one man with serious

A PRESTON soldier was caught up in the thick of the action when Western aid arrived in financially-stricken Albania. But it was not live firing, it was action of a different sort for Paratrooper Private Simon Hinks, 27, was in the former Eastern bloc