Archive

A FULL head of eight straight wins gave Botanical Gardens a thumping 168-56 triumph in the latest round of matches in the Leigh Ladies League. Eastleigh 140 Tyldesley 126 (G Chantler 16 P Bullock 21, K Rigby 21 J Pennington 7, A Unsworth 20 R Sutton 21

THE welfare rights service in Pendle has been given a reprieve, after a meeting between local and county councillors. Pendle Council voted to end its funding of the service after hearing other authorities in East Lancashire received the service but did

MARTINE McCutcheon has had the perfect start to her new single 'Perfect Moment' now two weeks at number one. Will Gerri Halliwell do the same - I hope so. If you've not heard her single yet then keep listening to Radio City 'cos were playing it. Here's

THE search is on for East Lancashire people who can offer a Ukrainian child a home for two to three weeks. The board of the Leleka Fund is searching for homes in East Lancashire so children who live near the Chernobyl nuclear disaster can breathe radiation-free

IF tomorrow's Britannia Stadium showdown is important for Burnley, it also represents a final throw of the die for Stoke City. The Potters have all but thrown away their play-off chances after a disastrous run since the turn of the year. But mathematically

A VANDAL-plagued play group in Brandlesholme, Bury, may have to close - just weeks after yobs forced the community centre to shut its doors. Now play group organisers fear for the future of Play-Away, a pre-school group which has cared for youngsters

THE family of a missing Preston woman believes she may have been lured into the religious cult exposed in the Citizen last week. Pauline Dixon, 23, disappeared after a row with her mum and sister the day after Mother's Day last year, taking all her belongings

AN EDUCATION boss from Blackburn has been given a key role in deciding who should be the next to benefit from cash to raise classroom standards. Mark Pattison, director of education at the town hall, has been invited to sit on a government assessment

Peter White on Liverpool's aerial threat THE absence of both Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler from tomorrow's vital Ewood clash should not be allowed to lull Blackburn Rovers into a false sense of defensive security. For their defences must remain on red

LEYLAND played host to the division two champions from Castleford, Yorkshire and put in the best performance of the season, winning 24-16. In this game Warriors skilfully moved the ball in the backs through Simon Crowther, Greg Baron and Wayne Sumner

BURNLEY could be virtually safe from relegation tomorrow night, but manager Stan Ternent is anxious to point out that his side's trip to Stoke City is far from make-or-break. A win at the Britannia Stadium would take the Clarets to Ternent's 50-point

ALMOST 200 former Leigh Girls' Grammar School pupils and teachers attended their annual reunion on Friday. Old photographs triggered happy memories of old friends, sports days, plays and other special events. Many of the women had come from all over Britain

A COACH carrying Bury FC fans was "bricked" by rival supporters after Saturday's (April 17) match at Grimsby. The vehicle, carrying 50 people, was pelted by a gang of Grimsby fans who lined the route as the coach left Blundell Park at the end of the drawn

HAVING spent all twelve seasons of league rugby in the same division, Hoppers at last claimed the single promotion place with an excellent all-round team performance in front of a large and exuberant band of travelling supporters. Only Ian Ashton remained

HILLSBOROUGH Disaster victim Carl Brown - one of the 96 football fans who died as a result of the Sheffield tragedy 10 years ago - was specially remembered last Thursday. Sean Hodgkiss, of Langdale Street, Leigh, who grew-up with Carl, and another mate

PENSIONER Daniel Cunningham believes he has traced the roots of the district's pioneering motor-bus service. Dan (79) from Kensington Avenue, Sherdley Park, writes: "In my youth I saw garages on land next to Sutton Manor Colliery, for buses to and from

A TELECOMMUNICATIONS giant is bracing itself for a stampede by job seekers. Around 2,000 jobs are up for grabs now that Cellnet has chosen to site its regional call centre on Dumers Lane in Radcliffe. But bosses are refusing to release recruitment details

FRAN Raftery had a stroke of fund raising genius. While attending The Unitarian and Free Christian Church's annual general assembly meeting in Southampton he decided to complete a sponsored swim. Fran, a worshipper at Chowbent Unitarian Chapel, completed

SO a Leather (alternatively, Leather Hill) Brewery did indeed exist in the Sutton region during last century! An1850s map, forwarded by a local history buff, seems to finally confirm this fact. The frothy subject has been fizzing around this cobwebby

A GROUP of local people are working with the Civic Society to restore the churchyard and surrounding area of St John's Church. This is an important building in the heart of Lancaster and could provide a peaceful oasis for people working or spending time

RAMPAGING thugs have led a Radcliffe headteacher to dub her own school "Fort Apache". The teenage vandals are using Radcliffe County Infants' School for sex, drugs and boozing, leaving chaos in their wake. "It is very dispiriting and depressing," said

Mr Cunliffe (letters April 8) really has missed the point. A few years ago, St Helens Council was intent on selling Rainford Village Hall - it was only when they realised there was a convenant on the premises that they were forced to let Rainford keep

I HAVE read with interest the letters regarding the cost of works in Williamson Park. While I would congratulate Cllr Fearnley on the work carried out, I would ask when is the park going to get some proper maintenance to the main horticultural features

A BONE marrow donor has at last been found for Chelsea Noone. The good news was broken at the end of a nightmare week for the eight-year-old leukaemia sufferer and her family. Chelsea, of Alma Street, Radcliffe, had been rushed into the Royal Manchester

GREETINGS from New Zealand. My name is Janet Marsh and I was born in St Helens in the 1950s and emigrated to New Zealand with my family in 1966. In May of this year I'll be making my first trip back after almost 33 years (quite an experience). I would

I AM a parent of a child who attends the Manor C of E Junior Controlled School in Newton-le-Willows and I am appalled at the local education authority's proposal to close the school. The Local Education Authority issued a leaflet to all parents with four

A MUGGER stabbed a 14-years-old Leigh boy while he was tying his shoelaces on Monday. The attacker struck at 7.25am in Milton Street. Police said that while the lad was bent over a youth came up behind him and thrust a knife into his arm leaving a two

FIVE men have appeared in court charged with indecent assaults on former pupils at St Mary's Hall at Stonyhurst. The five include three former teachers at the top preparatory school, another teacher, who was at St Mary's Hall but was this week suspended

IT has come to my attention that a leaflet published by Independent councillor Geoff Knight (The Kellets - Independent, March/April 1999) and circulated in the Kellet Ward contains a number of inaccuracies, which if uncorrected would tend to mislead the

AN extra £50,000 has been dished out in Leigh and Wigan to help groups tackle poverty and homelessness. Wigan Council's Social Services voluntarty bodies sub-committee distributed the cash aid to voluntary groups and organisations whose work complements

ACTOR David Grime reckons he has learned lines in some odd spots. But last week he came up with a real hot spot - the local sauna! David plays a sinister secret agent in the St Joseph's Players May production of Francis Durbridge's thriller "A Touch of

VEHICLES with a wide wheel base, such as lorries, large cars and buses, can straddle the new traffic calming humps on Parkhills Road and Wellington Road, Bury. And this is understandable in the case of emergency vehicles. However, for car users like myself

I WOULD like to comment on the recent "Young and Equal" event held at the Met theatre in Bury. In my opinion, the sad incident involving Stephen Lawrence was used in this case as an excuse to put over a subtle form of propaganda of the left-wing variety

I WOULD like to respond to the article about our mayor, Councillor Connie Fitzgerald (April 16). I am surprised and disappointed that the Bury Times printed this slur on such a wonderful mayor. Coun Fitzgerald has done a brilliant job in her mayoral year

FATHER Giles Allen, pictured, has been appointed the new vicar of St John the Evangelist Church in the parish of Lund, Clifton, near Kirkham. Fr Allen is from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and served at Palmers Green, Lonfdon, before joining the parish to

A BRAVE policeman, who was stabbed while arresting a violent blackmailer, has received the Chief Constable's Commendation. Acting Sgt David Sinclair, 28, from Leigh, and Pc Graham Farrer, were both stabbed by the man who later received eight years imprisonment

POP singer Lolly will take a lot of licking when it comes to the charts as she swizzled into two Preston schools. Pupils at Our Lady's High and Tulketh High School took a break from class to enjoy the music of brunette Lolly. The young audiences were

WHAT a generous council we have got at Preston. They have no money to give for a park attendant at Waverley Park, to look after the bowling greens, but they can give Preston North End £7,500 - '£200,000 over the past ten years'. We are only a few pensioners

QUACK-POT Deepdale Duck was in his element when arch-rivals Blackpool FC took on North End. While the score didn't go Preston's way, the little quacker gave fans something to snile about when he took time out to annoy and distract the Seasider's Jason

OVER 40 Leigh and Wigan churches are uniting to prepare for the visit of international evangelist, Luis Palau. Over 4,300 Christians are combining to prepare venues and publicise events for the biggest evangelical event in the area for many years. The

WITH regards to Councillor Marie Milne's comments about hanging around Moor Nook after school (Citizen, March 25). Thousands of children have gone through the doors of Moor Nook School over the years and no, they didn't hang around after school like most

SUPER-fit scouts from Preston are set to loosen their woggles and dib-dib-dob down to the banks of the Lancaster Canal for a tough sponsored barge pull to raise cash for their group. Members of the 6th Fulwood Scout group taking on the tough 12-mile narrow

PROTESTERS claim plans for the £146 million snow centre at Pennington are wafer thin and won't stand up to serious challenge. Firing the first salvo minutes before the start of the three-week public inquiry at Leigh, 'No Xanadu' campaigner Chris Maile

THE Citizen's reference to 'the Idle Toad Party' (April 15) may lead readers to think that the Idle Toad is a political party. It isn't; it is a regular monthly newsletter that tells everyone what's going on and what two local councillors - Barrie Yates

PRESTON North End's Football in the Community scheme got a boost on Saturday, when organisers were presented with a £7,500 cheque. The cash, from Preston Borough Council, will help the club foot the bill for running the scheme over the past year. Preston

I WRITE regarding Woodbank CP School and Woodhey High School. I am a parent of two children, aged 10 and 11, who both currently attend Woodbank and while I have every sympathy with the parents and children of Brandlesholme CP School, I have found Woodbank

STUDENTS at the University of Central Lancashire have a great reason for saying 'suits you, sir' to their tutor Steve Bennett. Steve, head of building design in the university's property services department, is having an outfit made-to-measure, using

DETECTIVES believe a sex attacker who assaulted a 16-year-old girl is responsible for a similar offence earlier this year. The teenager was walking to work across Walton-le-Dale High School's field when her attacker grabbed her, threw her to the floor

LEYLAND residents have slammed South Ribble Borough Council for rushing through Towngate's development plans - even though they've been in the pipeline for 35 years! A report issued by the residents says: "Although we support the council's desire for

MUSLIMS in Blackburn criticised the town's planned Asian art gallery, saying it would do more harm than good for their community. They called for a rethink by planners and said cash earmarked for the project could be better spent elsewhere. Ismail Lorgat

VOICES from beyond the grave could hold the key to an 800-year-old mystery involving two Penwortham clergymen. Local author and journalist Andrew Atkinson is hoping to contact Penwortham's Mad Monk, and a prior linked with a local sex scandal, in a live

WINNERS of three St George's Day competitions were presented with their prizes during a street party in Accrington town centre. Accrington Young People's Library ran three contests to coincide with the celebrations. A design-a-dragon challenge for paintings

CHORLEY begin their Northern League campaign under new skipper Nigel Heaton and with Australian medium fast bowler Josh Marquet returning to Windsor Park for a second spell as professional. An already formidable batting lineup will also be strengthened

IAN Austin today reassured the England selectors about his World Cup fitness after handing them an injury scare by pulling out of Lancashire's Championship game against Middlesex at Lord's. The popular all-rounder withdrew yesterday, prompting fears that

HERE and there, a few flags fly in flickering testimony to St George's Day. Most will go unnoticed. Yet, now that devolution dawns in Scotland and Wales, might England's shy and long-subdued distinction begin to come to the fore? Many believe it should

IT first took shape as a wooden mock-up in the basement of a converted garage in Corporation Street, Preston - a humble beginning for what has now become a flying legend. Now the mighty Canberra aircraft which was created more than 50 years ago is still

Clitheroe 2 Kidsgrove Athletic 1 CLITHEROE won their first silverware in 13 years last night after a dramatic late winner from the most unlikely of sources secured the North Western Trains League Floodlit Trophy. The Blues looked to be heading for extra

THE top two teams both lost this week, Sunnybank remain at the top but their lead is now just one point, they went down 10-4 at last season's champions St Andrew's. Simon Willcocks won 21-5 for St Andrew's, with Phil Storey winning 21-15 for the leaders

GREAT HARWOOD chairman Bill Holden was today anxiously awaiting a letter from the UniBond League which could decide the Reds destiny. The Showgrounders were told earlier this season they had to implement costly ground improvements if they wanted to retain

BLACKPOOL Borough Council is running a multi-sport club which offers free organised sports games and coaching for children. Sports such as football, hockey, athletics, basketball and rugby all feature. All sessions are led by fully qualified sports coaches

THE Anglican Diocese of Blackburn and the Lancashire Council of Mosques jointly condemn the current policy of genocide and ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. We are appalled at the destruction of a people's religion, culture and identity through forcible removal

DALTON Steele has vowed to bring Chorley straight back up next season if the Magpies are relegated to the UniBond First Division. Monday night's 1-0 defeat at Emley consigned the Victory Park outfit to a place in the bottom two. And though only one club

THE Lancashire Football Association has appointed Joanne Ashworth as their Women & Girls Football Development Officer. In her new role Joanne will join the highly successful Lancashire FA Football Development Scheme and will be responsible for all

MY mother, who is 90 on May 22, was born Elizabeth Moore at 5, Maitland Street, Darwen, but lived in Tower Street afterwards and went to St John's School before working at India Mill until about 1930, when she came to Lancaster and where she has lived

ANGLING: UNTIL we get a settled spell of much warmer weather, coarse anglers cannot expect much improvement in their sport. Trout anglers, on the other hand, are much better off. It is a scientific fact that coarse fish, carp for example, do not really

CATERING and beauty students are on their way to Finland after securing £10,000 of funding under the European Leonardo Project. Twenty four staff and students from Blackpool and the Fylde College set off from Blackpool on Monday for a work programme set

AS a parent of a child at Darwen Moorland High School, I fully support the headteacher and staff over the action they are taking to prevent pupils leaving the school site to visit the burger van which has appeared opposite the school (LET, April 19).

PRESCOT Rugby Union Club are staging a Past versus Present match on Saturday, April 24 to mark the club's 50th anniversdary. In addition, a celebration evening, including a disco and live group, will be held at the BICC Club on Friday, May 14. Ticket

SCHOOLCHILDREN at Stanah Primary School, Thornton, have cause for a double celebration after picking up a handful of awards. Members of the school's Science Club, for seven to nine-year-olds, scooped Bronze B awards in a national scheme and pupils are

SOMETIME soon, our MEPs will be informing us of how well they have kept us informed of events taking place in 'Europe.' Do you recall any information on the following items during the past four years? Corpus Juris: A plan drawn up by EU lawyers for a

CONGRATULATIONS to Sporting QCS who emerged as champions of Division A in the Rossall Sixes small-sided soccer league. They were held by Coop Late Shop until late in the game but eventually ran out 4-2 winner. Team Macprint finished second and beat Supreme

BAINES High School, Poulton-le-Fylde, took advantage of a partnership between Wyre Borough Council and British Aerospace at Warton recently. By joining forces the pair aim to provide basic health and safety training to pupils about to embark on work experience

WITH regard to the letter in Journal Mailbox about Chowbent School (April 15). The main objections of the residents to the proposed site of the school, off Douglas Road, is the proximity to houses and access problems, none of which would be answered by

ST HELENS Combination outfit, The Anchor, created history on Thursday, when they lifted the LCFA Intermediate Cup for the second time in succession. Their 5-3 extra-time victory means they become the first team to retain the trophy since Florence Albion's

Golborne Parkside under 12s 6 Pilkington Recs 14 A GOOD all-round effort saw Recs home. Their tries came from J. Smith (2) and P. Robertson, with St Helens Motor Auctions man of the match R. Pilling adding the conversions. J. Smith also did well, while

BLACKPOOL Liberal Democrat leader Robert Wynne is to ask for immediate consultation with the town's residents about how they would like to be governed. Mr Wynne is to call on local Labour leaders at next week's full council meeting to ask the public what

SANDERSON Ford's new £1.3million showroom, garage, service centre and after sales department in Burnley has been officially opened. Ian McAllister CBE, chairman and managing director of Ford Motor Company, was invited to perform the honours and also in

NORBRECK Road is a diabolical disgrace - potholes everywhere. It won't be long before a car or lorry falls into one of them as they are getting so bad! The grass verges are a disgrace as well - the grass is allowed to fly all over the place and is never

Caldy 7 West Park 10 TO maintain the slimmest of chances for promotion West Park had to winn handsomely at Caldy on Saturday. Martin Strett's drop goal in the last seconds of injury time gained the two league points which took Park back to the top of

I REFER to John Sumner's letter (Journal Mailbox, April 15), concerning the non-working pelican crossing indicator on Leigh Road, Leigh, outside the White Lion pub. Mr Sumner states that the council is 'not doing its duty to the elderly and infirm people

THE first day of St Helens CC's new season saw excellent wins for both first and second teams against tough opposition. The first team, away to Formby in the Penketh Trophy, allowed the home side to get off to a quickfire start with New Zealander James

IT WAS 23 years ago when this 26-year-old from Morecambe first dared to dream of being British motorbiking champion. And John McGuinness is not alone in thinking this could just be the year when he achieves that dream as the new season kick starts its

WE are seeking to reunite men and women who served in the army with the Royal Military Police in World War II, the Korean War and with the many Provost companies around the UK and the world. The response so far has been very good and we now have in place

Rose Bridge 41 Haydock 14 HAYDOCK saved their worst performance of the season for one of their most important games against a Wigan side who dominated from start to finish. Haydock were their own worst enemies by making too many mistakes and putting themselves

LANCASTRIANS have petitioned the city and county councils in protests at road work they say will cause a serious accident. The 28 petitioners from the small Meadowside street in Lancaster argue that alterations on the exit to Bowerham Road and the Pointer

Fleetwood 7 Carnforth 31 CARNFORTH'S penultimate game of the season saw them enjoy a welcome victory over a Fleetwood XV. Carnforth scored five tries and were happy to see the return of two key players from long injury lay offs- Jason Coutlon and Phil

ONE Morecambe mother is praying burglars return her taped memories of her little girl. The burglars stole a video cassette player belonging to Janet Daley from a house on Primrose Street. They almost certainly didn't know it contained a tape with hundreds

I WISH everyone could see the rubbish and filth around the bottom flats of Scorton Avenue, Layton. The council don't seem to care because it is away from the town centre, but Scorton Avenue is now becoming a slum. The tenants have complained to the council

COWLEY under 16s let slip a commanding lead in the final of the Liverpool St Helens Floodlit Cup. They started the showdown with Arnold School in fine style, racing into a 22-9 lead thanks to tries from Chris Hill (2), Mark Richards and Jonathan Simms

BLACKPOOL played magnificently to destroy arch-rivals Preston 2-1 in an exciting and invigorating derby clash at Deepdale on Saturday (April 17). A poignant one minute silence to mark the anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy soon turned into cheers

New Earswick All Blacks 26 Blackbrook 6 BLACKBROOK, playing their third game in seven days, were forced to make eight changes to their squad, following their midweek victory over Keighley Albion, and included four teenagers in their line up - all of whom

IF you go down to Blackpool Zoo today you're sure of a big surprise. Jitu the Western Lowland gorilla may not be Mighty Joe but he sure is an impressive fella weighing in at 33 stone and with a swinging arm to watch out for. The 15-year-old has recently

BREAKING up is hard to do but sorting out issues to do with children, property and finances can make a very stressful situation even worse. Up to now, couples thinking of separation or divorce were often forced to resolve differences in an acrimonious

MR and Mrs J. Brown and Son won St Helens Flying Club's race for the third week in a row. And Alan Greenall was first and second in the strong Haydock club. First two places in Sutton Oak HS went to J. Wills. RESULTS Simms Road HS, racing from Kempsey

ENTRIES are being taken for the Jim Lane Memorial Bowling Trophy, staged at the Railway Hotel, Thatto Heath. A total of £1,510 in prize money is at stake and first round dates for the pairs event are: Friday, August 6, Saturday, August 7, Sujnday, August

PLANS to put a prime Poulton town centre site up for supermarket bids have sparked fury. Wyre Council policy committee last week agreed to invite bids for the Teanlowe car park after hearing that 34 supermarket developers had already expressed interest

GREEN campaigners' plea to save a North Shore site for wildlife failed once more at Blackpool Council this week. The council voted to invite homebuilders to put in new bids for the Leys Road former horticultural site in North Shore, after Bellway Homes

NURSES saved Morecambe couple Donna and Mark Brearton's baby boy's life when he was just minutes old. Now the grateful parents are doing everything they can to give something back to the nurses and health workers at Liverpool's Alder Hey hospital - the

Garswood United 2 Warrington Town 1 - Whitchurch Alport 1 Garwood United 3 TWO successive victories mover Garswood into second place in the Mid-Cheshire League. Goals by Andy Flood and Simon Corns put Garswood in the driving seat against Warrington in

Widnes Vikings 25, Swinton Lions 10 THE Lions went down to their third successive defeat as the Vikings plundered their way to victory at the Autoquest Stadium on Sunday. Howard Hill had a try disallowed 10 minutes from time with the score standing at

BURNLEY could be virtually safe from relegation tomorrow night, but manager Stan Ternent is anxious to point out that his side's trip to Stoke City is far from make-or-break. A win at the Britannia Stadium would take the Clarets to Ternent's 50-point

Lancaster 1 Leigh RMI 2 LANCASTER City are safe from relegation - despite this defeat on Saturday. Chorley were beaten on Monday night so City can fight another day. And new manager Tony Hesketh is already looking for new players for next season's campaign

JASON McAteer faces a poignant afternoon against his old club Liverpool at Ewood tomorrow as Blackburn Rovers chase a desperately needed victory. The Merseysider, stung by Liverpool's decision to sell him, has been an inspiration in Rovers' relegation

LATEST results and fixtures in the St Helens McDonalds JOL are as follows: Results Under 16s: Gorsey Lane 1 Whiston Juniors 5, Rainhill United 3 Penlake 2, Rifle 3 Rainford Rangers 4, Haydock 1 St Annes Rovers 9. Under 14s Premier: Haydock 7 Crosfields

Grimsby Town 0, Bury 0 BURY travelled east in search of three vital survival points, but it was a certain Mr West who saved them from returning empty-handed. Ever-alert Dean was the hero of the hour, twice clearing net-bound efforts in a 'stop-start'

WRESTLING hero Davey Boy Smith has been told he will never walk again after breaking his back in the ring. The 35-year-old star emigrated from Golborne to Canada and then America in the 1980s and became a favourite with wrestling fans around the world

A REUNION is being held for former pupils of Rainford High School who started in 1972 and left between 1977 and 1979. The event is planned for Saturday, May 1 and will include a 70s/80s disco, buffet and bar. Further details from Helen Scholefield on

PRESTON'S Nationwide League Division Two game against Fulham on Saturday May 8, kick off 3.00pm, is an all-ticket fixture for Preston North End fans. Preston North End supporters have been allocated 4,000 tickets in the Putney Terrace. A small allocation

DEFIANT Bury skipper Chris Lucketti has warned the football world - 'Don't write us off!'. The inspirational defensive king pin believes his team will definitely be playing Division One football next season and has highlighted past Shakers success stories

THE Wigan-Angers Twinning Committee is inviting people to join them in France for the long weekend of a lifetime. Party-goers will join the 11th anniversary celebrations of the union of the two towns. They will enjoy four fun-filled days at the Angers

A LIBRARY with a difference has opened in Tyldesley. And children from Shakerley CE Primary School called on the help of their mystic mascot Schoolwatch Scholar to open it. Shakerley PALS (Parents and Literacy Support) have launched their learning is

A LEIGH group is again joining a human chain of love in a bid to save babies' lives. The Leigh branch of SPUC (The Society for the Protection of Unborn Children) will link up with fellow supporters from all over the country on Saturday, April 24. An annual

RUTLAND House Veterinary Hospital is holding an Open Night for local pet owners to mark National Pet Week. The event follows the theme, 'Best of Friends' and animals and representatives from various organisations, including the RSPCA, will be present.

A YOUNG Leigh woman who died after a crash on the East Lancashire Road has given others the chance of a better life. Sarah Elizabeth Blake's life support machine was switched off last Friday, the day after her car ploughed into a lamppost. A funeral service

FOUR young Albanian asylum seekers have been deported from Lancaster Farms Prison in the last few months the Citizen can reveal. As war ravages the Balkans the news comes in the month that local politicians said they would welcome Kosovan refugees to

NORTH End are back on the fringe of automatic promotion after a blistering 1-0 win that had the nerve ends jangling against a very good Walsall side. Preston's injury crisis grew as Basham, Nogan and Rankine were all ruled out and Jason Harris came in

A GREETINGS card shop in St Helens is calling on the generosity of St Helens folk to help them raise money for the war-ravaged Albanian refugees of Kosovo. Pack of Cards in Cambridge Road is planning to hold a charity raffle with a five-foot cuddly teddy

WOULD-be teenage entrepreneurs will be taking part in Bury's Young Enterprise finals next Tuesday (April 27). The final presentation and awards evening is being held at Bury Town Hall between 5pm and 8.30pm. The youngsters, drawn from schools and colleges

THE Hamblett School is celebrating its 70th birthday this year and to mark the occasion the school will be holding an open day on Wednesday, April 28, between 10am and 3pm. Former staff and pupils at the school in Rainford Road, Windle, plus members of

COUNCIL leader Stan Henig this week welcomed a survey carried out by a Sunday newspaper which compared the city favourably with rivals in the county when it comes to services. Of the 14 district councils in Lancashire, Lancaster has come out top and is

BURY-based solicitors Butcher and Barlow are offering a free new service to the public. Each Tuesday, solicitors Martine Swinscoe and Anthony Higham will be running a free "drop-in surgery" from 5pm to 6.30pm. They are hoping that people with a legal

AN 82-year-old woman had her handbag snatched as she walked along a street in broad daylight. The pensioner was walking along Radley Street, Thatto Heath, at about 10.10am on Saturday, April 17 - after getting off a bus in nearby Dorothy Street - when

BURY-born Julie Edmondson has worked her way up a carefully chosen career ladder. And now, she holds the prime position of training manager of The Training Company, based in Swinton. After building her academic skills at Bury Church Secondary Modern School

THE St Helens division of the St John Ambulance Brigade is looking for new volunteers to help curb a national shortage of members at the organisation. A national recruitment campaign has been launched and Leah Crowe, the divisional superintendent over

IAN MILLWARD has paid tribute to the player he almost let go. The Leigh coach was quick to hold his hands up and admit he had got it wrong as Andy Fairclough inspired his team to yet another win in the Northern Ford Premiership. "When I first arrived

ALTHOUGH Hull are the basment club, Super League leaders Saints will not bask in complacency when they bid to sink the Sharks at The Boulevard on Sunday, kick-off 3pm. The present gulf between the sides could not be greater, with Saints having won all

BURY police are becoming increasingly concerned for the welfare of a Prestwich Hospital woman patient who disappeared almost a week ago. Kendal Stott (32), was last seen in the Lowry Unit at Prestwich Hospital at 5am on Sunday morning (April 18). Kendal

FORGET the scoreline - Leigh won this one by a country mile! No wonder coach Ian Millward tagged this as their best win of the season. You would have to go a long way to see a more perfect 80 minutes of football. Incisive and inventive in attack, Leigh

POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an incident in which a young man was attacked and had his expensive mountain bike stolen. The victim was riding along Higher Parr Street, Fingerpost, at about 8.50pm on Wednesday, March 31, when he was called over

AINSWORTH Library, believed to be the smallest in the country, is here to stay. People power saved the day when the library was threatened with closure 18 months ago. It was due to be one of the casualties when Bury Council had to make multi-million pound

A CLUB steward tried to escape from two armed men before being caught and taken back to the club to hand over the contents of the safe. The incident happened at Newton Sports Club in Crow Lane East at about 11.10pm on Sunday as the steward was locking

FOLLOWING the Star's Front Page story last week, Merseyside transport chiefs have scored a major success in their campaign against staffing cuts at St Helens stations. First North Western train company this week announced that they have suspended the

BURY will have to smash their TV hoodoo tonight if they are to exact revenge on arch rivals Bolton Wanderers. The club's players, management and supporters are still smarting from the 4-0 thrashing at the Reebok Stadium in November and hope it will be

A BOOM town Radcliffe is rapidly becoming a reality with the announcement of yet another massive investment. Just a week after Cellnet pledged to create 2,000 jobs by siting its regional call centre on Dumers Lane, it has been revealed that pub operators

FAMILY, friends and colleagues are mourning the death of former Lancashire County Council chairman Eddie Fail - a Fleetwood county councillor for the past 14 years. Coun Fail, 74, died in Trinity Hospice after a long illness. His funeral was being held

A SIX-year campaign for safer roads near two Poulton schools ended in celebrations this week. After 12 people were injured in a five-year period - most of them children - a zebra-crossing, red speed-bar markings, road humps and red junction tables have

TOP cycle speedway riders from across the country speed into action in Astley on Saturday (6pm) when A&T Miners Welfare Club host the North West Grand Prix. Leading the charge for honours is British indoor champion Steve Harris (Swindon), who is looking

ATHERTON LR gave hot title favourites Mossley a real run for their money before going down 1-0. "We were absolutely brilliant," raved manager Steve Cunningham. "We played superbly and a draw would have been a fair result. "Just like in midweek, when we

LEIGH RMI are the Fall Guys of the Unibond Premiership. The March Team of the Month have, in such a short time, taken an almighty tumble as high aspirations of Conference football have been thrust into oblivion. A succession of defeats culminated in a

LEIGH CC knocked arch rivals Wigan for six at the weekend! The Beech Walk side got a flying start to the new season with a resounding 30-run victory. In a rain-interrupted game limited to 40 overs, Leigh took the gamble and decided to bat first on a damp

LEIGH RU had a disappointing end to their league campaign as they let it slip at Northwich. Having led for most of the match, they ended on the defensive as the home side clawed their way back for a 21-21 draw with two penalties. Leigh began badly, a

NEW-FOUND confidence has given Leigh MR a fresh lease of life as they bounding away from the relegation scrap. The nimbleness of centre Mark Sarsfield and the sterling qualities of packman Paul Daniel were the foundations as Miners continued their resurgence

A FATHER of five died after swallowing 54 anti-depressant tablets - 11 times the killer dose. However, coroner Mr Barrie Williams returned an open verdict as he felt there was insufficient evidence to record Mr Thomas Duff's death as suicide. An inquest

A RETIRED businessman jailed for illegal tipping at a Pendle quarry claims his plans to build a home there will prevent further unauthorised dumping. Michael Kokocinski, 54, wants councillors to pass his full planning application to build a new home at

A FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD boy was blasted with an air rifle as he walked through Bury Cemetery with friends. It was the area's second shooting in a fortnight. In the latest incident, on Friday (April 16), Simon Castle was shot in the knee. He needed a 45-minute

ORGANISERS of the Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Macmillan Nurse Appeal are just £26,000 short of their £220,000 target. And they're hoping a series of recent fundraising events will make a big contribution to that. Macmilan nurse Simon Stuart,

Blackburn Rovers v Liverpool - Peter White's big match preview BLACKBURN Rovers, fighting for their Premiership lives, will meet a team in transition when they take on Liverpool at Ewood tomorrow. And Gerard Houllier has pleaded for a bit of "peace and

Pete Oliver on a former Stoke star's new priorities ALLY Pickering heads back to Stoke City tomorrow with his mind focussed purely on one thing - getting a result to keep Burnley in the Second Division. Pickering was allowed to leave Stoke on a free transfer

POLICE are warning shoppers to hang onto their handbags following a spate of supermarket snatches. Since January, 10 thefts from stores have been reported from Hindley Co-op, Asda Golborne and Leigh, and Sainsburys. DCI Ian Hilton said: "We want to make

BURY'S acclaimed community safety wardens have moved into a new town centre HQ. They will run their operations from an office on The Rock in a bid to make their service even more effective. Eight wardens patrol the town centre dressed in yellow and grey

THE heartbroken parents of a three-year-old tot who drowned after wandering out of the back door of a canalside pub have spoken about the tragedy for the first time - and said a simple fence would have saved him. Hazel and Robert Hutcheon, of Manxman

JASON McAteer faces a poignant afternoon against his old club Liverpool at Ewood tomorrow as Blackburn Rovers chase a desperately needed victory. The Merseysider, stung by Liverpool's decision to sell him, has been an inspiration in Rovers' relegation

THORNTON residents are digging in to save their gardens from a housebuilder's bulldozer. Neighbours in Northumberland Avenue and nearby Milburn Avenue, whose houses back onto the proposed site of a 102-home Fairclough development, are taking legal steps

LABOUR claim in their recent leaflet 'In Bulk' under the heading 'That Smell!' that they have worked with local residents for the renewal of the Borrowdale Road sewer. Well, maybe they have, but why has it taken over 30 years, during which as far as I

I HAVE just recently found your web site and would like to thank you for this link to my roots. I was saddened to hear of the death of Miss Mary Ripley who was once my teacher at Windleshaw RC Primary School. I remember her well for her patience and she

"Francis" The Musical, King George's Hall, Blackburn, 7.30pm. Janet Anderson MP Advice Surgery, Darwen Library Theatre, 10am-11am. "More To It Than Ducks!" Meet Pepper Hill Barn Study Centre, Wycoller, 2pm. Spring Fair, Burnley Lane Baptist Church, Colne

RADCLIFFE United Reformed Church could begin the next millennium with a £300,000 church of the future. Plans have been submitted to Bury Council for a new 230-seat church in Abden Street. "We want a modern church building for the new millennium," said

WHAT has happened to the price of bus fares? Recently I was one of the many unfortunates made redundant from United Glass. The wife and I went out for a night in the town centre to give us a break from staying in, we decided to get the bus into town from

BLIND Bob, the amazing coal sculptor, certainly made a big - and-long lasting - impression during his gala visits to Sherdley Park between the two world wars. Thomas Rockwell of Archer Street, Sutton, has gleaned from his elderly parents, some more interesting

I have recently returned home to Norway from a visit to the UK (I am a Brit living abroad), and during my time there I made what has become a regular annual visit to Lancaster over the Easter weekend. As usual, the quality of the Maritime Festival was

LOCAL voluntary and charitable groups are being invited to apply for grants from the Community Trust for Greater Manchester. The Trust supports groups across Greater Manchester which benefit the local community and help create a better, happier and fairer

DAYLIGHT robbery is commonplace these days. Every week the local newspaper columns become increasingly plastered with small snippets reporting on muggings, bag-snatches, house burglaries, car and factory thefts. Twenty years ago, many of these crimes

LEIGH'S Lanky poet Joe Wildman is continuing his run of success. The 67-year-old pensioner's five verse dialect tribute to "T'Last Shift" at Bickershaw Colliery has been published in a book, "Lancashire Lingo Lines" edited by Bob Dobson. Joe, of Wigan

I WOULD like to reply to the Heysham resident writing in the Citizen (April 15), regarding the car boot sale and the criticism aimed at Mr Briggs and the neighbourhood council. May I ask this resident if he/she could do any better? Without the hard work

A FIERCE blaze which ripped through a warden's hut shop at the popular Giant's Seat Scout camp could have been started deliberately. Now, leaders face a race against time to have the Radcliffe District Scout Association site fully operational again for

MYSELF, and I am sure many of my neighbours, would like to thank the Prestwich and Whitefield Rotary Club for the lovely display of daffodils they planted on Bury New Road, Whitefield, along the front of the Mormon Church. After all the problems Whitefield

In October 1998 Lancaster City Football Club made a hash of trying to literally bulldoze through a new car parking area at the Long Marsh Lane end of the ground (see local press October 1998). Now, after an agonising 6 months' wait a Planning Application

AT 85 spinster Eileen Taylor doesn't make a lot of demands. One little extra she did ask for was for refuse collectors to wheel out her dustbin which is too heavy for her to man-handle. But now Eileen, of Wigan Road, Leigh, only gets her bin emptied when

AN Atherton landmark is back home - thanks to The Journal and an observant Shakerley resident. A windmill stolen from Kenneth and Betty Crossley's front garden at their Lovers Lane home recently was recovered from the Tyldesley estate on Thursday. A delighted

AS chairman of Elmport Limited, the management committee for residents of Daisyfield Court flats, I am writing to protest about the article (April 16) headlined "Night-Mayor Neighbours". I can report that only one resident has formally complained about

LEIGH'S voice against crime is getting bigger. GM Police Authority have provided 10 community consultation workers, one for each district. The new workers, Wigan's has yet to be appointed, will be based in community safety units at town halls. Their task

CORRESPONDENT Elsie Rowland ("Time TV critic came clean", April 16) is clearly grasping the wrong end of the remote control. The "Box" in Mike Badham's "On the Box" column isn't the telly - it's a soap box! He's using the column as a soap-box to broadcast

I HAD almost thrown in the towel regarding conditions at the Castle Leisure Centre, but "Ever Hopeful" of Ainsworth (Your Letters, April 16) has persuaded me to have another go. Many, many visitors to the Castle moan, but few complain officially. When

THE girls at 97.4 Rock FM and Magic 999 have formed a winning combination - a netball team which can't be beaten! The team - known as the Magic Rocketts - consists of women from every department at the station, including sales, sponsorship, promotion

THE tone of the letter from "Fair Play for Oldies" (April 9) gives me some concern. First of all, the council is neither arrogant nor profligate in raising council tax by 7.7 per cent. There was extensive consultation and everyone was invited to submit

THE work of a Preston group which helps drug users who have been arrested has come in for rare praise from a government body. The Youth Justice Board visited Drugline, in Union Street, to find out exactly how the centre is run and how it achieves its

A FULWOOD congregation will move to a make-shift place of worship to allow for their church to be modernised. Fulwood United Reformed Church was built in 1898 and the original building was only intended to be temporary, while a more appropriate construction

RAY Honeyford (Your Letters, April 9) seems to think that every young person on a bike is out to cause trouble. This is not so. I am 16 years old and frequently ride my mountain bike in and around Bury, and I must say it is extremely rarely that I see

TURN out your cupboards, dig deep in your attics and clear out your sheds - you could be sitting on buried treasure about Winckley Square, which is destined for the history books. That's the appeal being made by members of the newly formed Friends of

A FORMER international cyclist from Preston is helping raise awareness of prostate cancer and the lack of money there is for research into the disease. Peter Ward, a member of the Preston Male Concern Support Group at Vine House Day Centre, was diagnosed

HI-TEC meets history as old Preston goes digital. The archives of the Harris Museum and Art Gallery are being put on to a computer database to enable people to go into the library and look up whatever they want from the town's history. And a team of eager

THE Bishop of Blackburn has urged members of the church to back local farmers at a packed meeting in Preston. The Rt Rev Alan Chesters told the Preston National Farmers' Union Women's Section that British taxpayers should willingly support the farming

AFTER living in each others' shadows, twins Hywel and Jonathan Evans are set to fly the nest to follow separate careers hundreds of miles apart. Sibling rivalry has never been a problem for the 18-year-old identical twins, pictured, who are preparing

GOOD owd Lancashire phrases about this, that an' t' other, written in t' lingo o' Lancashire is the topic of the latest book by local author Bob Dobson. Lancashire Lingo Lines is the first anthology of northern dialect poetry to be published for several

SOUTH Ribble Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinators have embarked on a mission to secure CCTV cameras for Lostock Hall. They want the cameras to counter the growing trend of vandalism in the area. Norman Crossley, chairman of the South Ribble Neighbourhood

ROSSALL six and seven-a-side football leagues have one or two vacancies for their summer leagues which start at the end of April. The leagues give teams: One 40 minute league game per week Exciting rules of play Thrilling cup competitions Summer football

IT IS more than bizarre that East Lancashire businessman Jim Ashworth should find himself in a Dutch auction with travellers over how much they would take to remove their caravans from his works car park - a thumping £1,200, it turned out. It is outrageous

CONGRATULATIONS, again, on winning the runners-up prize in the North West of England Press and Broadcast Awards! I agree the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's redesign makes it a much more readable and attractive newspaper. Congratulations to you and all

PLUCKY Michelle Lewis triumphed in the mini London Marathon for wheelchairs on Sunday. And a delighted Michelle couldn't hide her joy after winning the 2.8 mile race - her first ever competition. The handicapped 16-year-old Cowley High School pupil, said

THE Ovalworld Super League campaign began with several surprise results and a series of unique scores for 1995 champions Sunny- bank who had a clean sweep 6-0 victory over newcomers Fishwick Ramblers. Scores could so easily have been overturned as four

WYRE youngsters have been cooking up a disaster. A mobile kitchen, complete with hazards, has visited Northfold, Breck and St Mary's primary schools to point out some basic food safety rules. Pupils were asked to spot the hazards and then design a poster

ON behalf of the committee and members of the Bury Metro Deaf Society, I would like to thank President Window Design of Oldham for donating and fitting a double glazed window for our 50th Anniversary year, being the start of our office refurbishment plan

ACCRINGTON STANLEY have a number of injuries to key players to check before the crucial trip to Runcorn. A long hard season has taken its toll on the spine of Wayne Harrison's team, just when their destiny is back in their own hands. Centre back pairing

LYTHAM Chess Club won a second league trophy of the season with the third team lifting the Division C title. They join the second team who have already won Division B. The third team played well in their penultimate match at Cleveleys in winning by 3-

THE proposed Safeway supermarket, off Queen Street in Great Harwood, is set to create 180 new jobs and this can only be good news. However, the proposed location of the store must raise serious doubts. Why a town centre location? Alan Ramsbottom Way (

THE heat was on for a Blackpool pupil - but she managed to stay in the kitchen. Daisy Jones, a Year 9 student at Queen Mary School, reached the northern semi-finals of the Creda Challenge after preparing, cooking and presenting a Millennium meal for four

BLACKPOOL Mechanics lost their Floodlit League Youth Title and their two-year unbeaten record when they went down 2-1 to Burscough, against the run of play, to a Michael Mason goal in the 50th minute. Mechanics had earlier pulled back a first half deficit

BLACKPOOL Mechanics had to settle for runners-up spot in the U18 Floodlit League with an emphatic 4-0 victory over third-placed Accrington at Jepson Way. Danny Cooke opened the scoring in the third minute when Adam Cairns' searching corner was beautifully

RENOWNED amateur Rugby League club Pilkington Recs are poised to celebrate the 50th anniversary of their founding - and the hunt is on for former players. For the City Road management intend to parade everyone who turned professional during the half-century

SPRINGFIELD are setting the early pace in the Prescot Men's Bowling League. They have a one-point lead over Huyton BC at the top of the Premier Division. RESULTS Monday, April 12 Premier Division: Eccleston Lane Ends A 188 Springfield A 189, Brown Edge

Crewe and Nantwich 10 Ruskin Park 29 NEEDING to win this match to have any chance of avoiding relegation, Ruskin turned in an impressive display, and completely outplayed the home side. Playing with the slope in their favour, Ruskin were first on the

THE Rev Phil Hudd, new vicar of Christ Church, Lancaster will be welcomed to his new parish at a special institution service on April 23. Rev Hudd, 31, was born in Gloucester and grew up in East Anglia before studying for a degree in theology at Westminster

MORECAMBE FC have three games in six days for their injury hit squad to deal with. And guess what - they're all away. Tonight (Thursday) they take on Forest Green, on Saturday they make the trek to Welling and on Tuesday the make the long trip Yeovil.

LIKE thousands of animal lovers, I was disgusted and angered at the paltry fines given to animal abusers Mary Chipperfield and Roger Crawley. Now they say they will go to Spain - a country which has very few protective laws for animals. I feel the animals

Re the report (April 1) on street parking and the comments by Mr John Simm, one of the so called experts that pops up from time to time from within the bowels of Wigan Council. What is this expert trying to achieve? No on street parking at all or parking

SICK animals whose owners can't afford to pay for vet bills will be left with no help in future. Lancaster and Morecambe RSPCA can no longer afford to help out with the bills for people on income support. The registered charity plans to open a shop on

THE Royal Preston Hospital is at the centre of a row over treatment of the debilitating condition ME. The hospital's immunology clinic has been accused of phasing out drug treatment of the condition, which is also known as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, following

GETTING to Wembley next week will be a stroll for Haydock ARLFC . . . Well, perhaps not quite a stroll. For a group of the club's players and officials aim to walk all the way to the Twin Towers in a bid to raise much-need cash. Saints' Great Britain

YOUNG gymnasts from the area performed well at the North West Schools Championships. Among many winners were Jamie Morris and Melissa Garndner who came first in mixed pairs and doubling his success Jamie Morris also came first with his partner Philip

MOVE over Posh, David Beckham met another very special girl on Saturday (April 17) and she's from right here in Blackpool. Nine-year-old Katie Rogers, who lives in Tudor Close and attends Anchorsholme County Primary School, was lucky enough to have her

OFFICIALS at Lancaster City FC have put together a bid for a grant of about £50,000 from the city council to rebuild the ground. And they want to bid for a loan from the council at a future date. A similar proposal for an interest free loan from Morecambe

A BUSINESSMAN today called for a change in the law after he paid travellers £1,200 to get off his works car park rather than face weeks of legal battling. Jim Ashworth has owned Sawley Fine Arts on Burnley Council's flagship Network 65 for a just few

GET your running shoes on and get back in training - the Blackpool Marathon is back. The marathon hasn't been run since its previous organiser died ten years ago but thanks to the social committee of Smurfit Paper and Board Mills of Burnley the renowned

RUBEROIDS Sutton Cricket Club made a promising start to the new season on Saturday with a winning draw at Ainsdale. Batting first, Sutton's openers G Bowles and M Rimmer laid the foundations and at 115-2 Sutton were coasting thanks to a great knock of

SIR, - IT is time the law was changed to give control back to parents, police and teachers. As the law stands, younger children know they cannot be named or, in many cases, taken to court. They are getting younger and should be named and shamed and if

St Helens Crusaders 48 Mayfield 16 Crusaders gained ample revenge for their defeat at Rochdale earlier in the season. They had points on the board within the first two minutes when Forber scored under the posts, giving Saunders a simple conversion. Then

BETTER health care is on its way for Fylde folk following the inception of three primary care groups. Supported by the North West Lancashire Health Authority with a base in each of the three boroughs, the groups take on the role of a working party to

ST HELENS Sutton AC members took part in the open track meeting at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay with a great deal of success. In the under 13 years girls, winners were Danielle Whitfield in the javelin with a throw of 19.07m and in the shot put with 7.61m,

I AM carrying out research into my father's World War II bomber crew and am trying to trace any friends or family of a pilot who was a close companion of my father. Tragically I believe this young pilot who came from the Blackpool area was killed in action

A RACING team have made a flying start to the new season. Newton man Peter Alton and his rider, Roger Stockton, from Crewe, finished second and third in their first race of the F2 Sidecar Racing Championship at Darley Moor, Derbyshire. Peter and Roger

Saints 39 Sheffield Eagles 30 COACH Ellery Hanley has apologised to the fans for this lacklustre performance! The man who has steered Saints to the top of Super League and a six-game100 per cent record said: "Our display was very disappointing and the

ANGRY home owners on Blade Street have clashed with businessmen after tress near a car showroom were damaged. And one resident, Stefan Komorowski, feels that managers at Chorley Nissan broke a promise not to destroy more trees after initial work clearing

RESULTS Wednesday, April 14 Under 15s Premier: Haydock 3 Links 3, Penlake 0 Dunnes Rovers 2, Pilkington 2 Blackbrook 1, St Annes Rovers 9 Agrevo 1, Whiston Juniors 2 Knowsley South 2. Under 15s: Basildon 6 Blackleyhurst 1, St Aloysius 4 Young Gate 2.

"BLACKPOOL is coming to the forefront of sporting activities," says its leisure chairman Coun Roy Lewis (Citizen, April 15). So is Fylde Coast YMCA. The rapidly expanding YMCA building in St Annes stands at the centre of Fylde's sporting scene. From this

APPLICANTS for city council cash doled out for millennium community projects found out if they were successes or failures this week. In all 147 applications were received for the Million for the Millennium scheme of which 27 were approved and 30 were

Ramsbottom United 2 St Helens Town 3 TOWN'S win on Saturday, their fourth in succession means that they now can finish no lower than eighth in the North Western Trains league top flight and with four games still to go there's chance to climb higher. Their

WHEN I visited Blackpool Grand Theatre to see the musical Joseph, like many others I was looking forward to seeing yet another good production from the Bill Kenwright team. Imagine the disappointment when we heard the star of the show wouldn't be on than

ANYONE for tennis? That's the call from the Eccleston Park Lawn Tennis Club. It has a membership of 150, but only a third of those are women. And to attract more players of the fairer sex - of all ages - a ladies day is being staged on Saturday, April

THE D H Griffiths Cup quarter-finals got under way on Saturday with one startling result. Pilkington Reserves, having their best season for a long while, were humbled 2-1 at home by Division One side, Carborundum, Kevin Guy grabbing the Pilkington goal

CAPTAIN fantastic Craig Lister was the toast of the clubhouse when he shot a stunning hole-in-one at Greenmount Golf Club. Lister celebrated his recent appointment in fine style when his seven iron shot on the 144-yard sixth hole hit the green before

DISTRAUGHT relatives travelled from London to Fleetwood on Monday (April 19) to identify the body of a young woman six days after she was washed up on Rossall beach. She was 24-year-old Jaswant Kaur, of Stratford, East London, who is believed to have

LISTEN to some and you'd think Beirut had nothing on the West End of Morecambe. They'll tell you tales of violence. And, to be brutally honest, they're sometimes true. But Morecambe's answer to the Bronx? I knew that just wasn't right . And I knew it

LAST Sunday's London Marathon was more like a Nationwide First Division Forum for Bury Times deputy sports editor Phil Thorp. For Phil spent most of the early stages of the event discussing life at the top and bottom of the division with competitors sporting

ECCLESTON second XI started their campaign at Bobbies Lane with a thrilling win against Grange. Eccleston were put into bat on a very wet wicket and struggled to a meagre 46 all out with only Paul Lynan impressing with the bat, reaching 17. The pick of

CHILD porn Internet horrors should be blacked out says MEP Terry Wynn. The Merseyside East and Wigan member has backed crucial European Parliament legislation passed in Strasbourg. He said: "Access to the Internet can provide many benefits, but it is

THE stage is set for a great day's bowling this Saturday. The Greenalls Social Club, Alder Hey Road, is the venue for the Greenalls Spring Classic Finals. The action begins at 5.30 and the event is sponsored by The Mortgage Advice Centre St Helens; Westbrook

PARR High School are marking their 65th anniversary this week with a unique exhibition in Parr Community Library. The '65 But Not Retiring' exhibition features a selection of memorabilia dating back to when the school first opened and will run until Friday

LIONS coach Les Holliday is quitting Gigg Lane at the end of the season. The under-pressure boss, whose side have lost seven out of their first 10 Northern Ford Premiership matches, says he has taken the club as far as he can and newly appointed assistant

THE managing director of a Leigh company is appealing to fellow businessmen to back Bedford High's bid for Arts College status. The school is aiming to raise £100,000 to achieve its vision of providing performing arts facilities unique to any school.

NEXT meeting of the Sankey Canal Restoration Society (SCARS) will be held on Thursday, April 29 at Raven Lodge Hotel in Church Street, starting at 7.30pm. Guest speaker, Paul Nolan, one of the project officers with the Mersey Forest initiative, will talk

TRADERS have voiced fresh concerns about a proposed supermarket development in Great Harwood, councillors were told. And a meeting of Hyndburn council heard that the prospect of a new Safeway store could change the character of the town centre. Plans

A 28-YEAR-OLD motorcycle courier was catapulted almost 30ft through the air after colliding head on with a car, an inquest was told. Stephen Franks, of Havelock Street, Oswaldtwistle, sustained serious and multiple head injuries when his Honda bike was

THE public toilets in Brook Street opposite the entrance to St Helens College will be closed for about five weeks from Monday, April 26 for refurbishment. When completed the improved refurbished toilets will also have baby-changing facilities. The nearest

NORTH End's hopes of automatic promotion were destroyed in the Deepdale sunshine against a Blackpool side which treated the match as their cup final and who deserved the three points. Blackpool were sharper to the ball in the early stages and Adam Nowland

Wright On! Shelley Wright takes a wry look at life YESTERDAY I spent ten minutes trying to describe teenage country and western star LeAnn Rimes to a baffled Burnley fan who just couldn't put a face to the name. It was like a game on the Crystal Maze.

NEW health bosses have promised to work at improving services at Leigh Infirmary. But they have also warned there's no going back to the old days of acute hospital and A&E facilities. And speaking at the first meeting of the Leigh Primary Care Group

THE countdown to the Millennium has started for the St Helens and Knowsley Hospice Lottery which is hoping to recruit 2,000 new members in time for the year 2,000. Meanwhile, the latest £2,000 first prize winner in the weekly draw was Mrs C. Kerr of Clock

STAFF and patients at the RLI were celebrating this week when a new hoist costing £5,075 was donated by the official Friends of the hospital. The hoist went to the Rheumatolgoy and Rehabilitation ward and will enable the movement of immobile patients.

FORTY five children's lives have been made happier - thanks to a Leigh haven. The Stonehouse Contact Centre opened a year ago this month to provide a safe place in which children of broken relationships can meet their absent parents. Now the centre, based

A LORRY driver died and two other people were injured following a traffic accident on the M62 near Rainhill. The accident happened at about 10.20pm on Wednesday, April 14 on the Liverpool-bound carriageway when the lorry was in collision with a car, causing