THE search is on for the North West's top street cleaner. Anti-litter charity the Tidy Britain Group is looking for people who not only keep the environment clean and safe, but who do that little bit extra for the community. The 1999 North West Silver
A BREAD delivery man tried in vain to catch an 88-year-old woman when she threw herself off the top of a town centre market car park, an inquest heard. The hearing was told that Alice Harper died after taking a taxi into Blackburn at around 6.45am. Warburtons
STARGAZERS are looking forward to a pre-millennium light show thanks to a meteor shower due to be at its best early tomorrow morning. Providing clouds don't block the view, the sky looks set to sparkle with dozens of shooting stars from the Leonid Meteor
CHRISTIAN Dailly is drawing on his experiences with Blackburn Rovers as Scotland prepare for tonight's do-or-die Euro 2000 play-off with England at Wembley. The Scots have a mountain to climb after Paul Scholes' double at Hampden put England firmly in
POLICE will urge the public to shop a drink-driver - including family and friends - in this year's festive season campaign to save lives The idea was immediately endorsed by campaigners who said: "There should be no qualms about this - you could save
COMPANY boss David Anthony Brown became a target for police after celebrating victory in a clay pigeon shoot. Blackburn magistrates heard that when stopped driving home in the early hours, Brown was found to be more than one and a half times the legal
LEADERS Pump Handle were surprisingly outplayed and only a late equaliser earned them a 1-1 draw with the very impressive Hollands FC. GW Flooring, although not hitting the form of last week, still beat the enthusiastic TLM Blackburn 4-1. The major surprise
FRUSTRATED gamblers claimed they had been sold short by the National Lottery. Wannabe millionaires in Darwen were angry that there was so few places in the town to buy tickets. And pensioners claimed they could miss out on the possible jackpot because
NELSON emerged from this Marsden LFA Trophy first round tie with their heads held high after matching their highly-rated opponents from the Premier Division of the UniBond League for most of the 90 minutes. The Blues might even have taken the lead when
RAMSBOTTOM bowed out of the Carling FA Vase when they were sunk by an extra-time winner from the 1998 finalists. Russell Brierley took the second-round replay into extra-time when he converted a penalty 20 minutes from time. But it was Northern League
WE stood in silence at the eleventh hour on Armistice Day; the older generations remembering their own personal experiences. But how can they convey to future generations the enormity of the conflict spread over two world wars which took the lives of
RESULTS - Under Nine Red: Blackburn Boys Res 0, Rishton Utd 3; Blackburn Dyn Colts 0, Feniscowles Jnrs 7; Gt Harwood Tigers 4, Oswaldtwistle Juniors B 0; Readstone Utd 2, St Joseph's 1; Town Mouse Juniors 1, Akzo Juniors Red 2. Under Nine Blue: Blackburn
A TOURING festival brought nearly 100 gift and craft stalls inside marquees to Burnley's Towneley Park. Visitors chose from traditional Christmas gifts such as cushions, clothes and candles while music came from Paradise Caribbean Band. Demonstrations
ON the eleventh day, of the eleventh month and at the eleventh hour, in Burnley men and women of all ages stood in silence for the dead of two world wars and with respect and admiration for them. But from the steps of the Magistrates' Court came shouts
THE World Society for the Protection of Animals is one of four successful new applicants for street collections approved by Burnley Council. Other successful applicants were the Children's Country Breaks Association, which provides care for terminally
FOLLOWING the campaign to make the Grane Road safer, one incident I witnessed left me incensed. Two young men travelling in a white car had the misfortune to be behind two HGVs. Not having any patience, the driver decided to overtake and proceeded to
DID you listen to the silence? I did. For the first time in many years, I reflected on the reason for "Remembrance" and what it might mean to me and the many thousands of others who devoted this fractional two minutes of their lives in contemplation.
POLICE investigating a fatal assault at a Todmorden nightclub have released a 35-year-old man on police bail. Father-of-two Darren Jay, 32, of Halifax Road, Littleborough, died in Trafford Hospital, Manchester, on Monday night after an incident outside
A DECISION to make a late-night cup of tea may have saved a Burnley woman's life - and it has led to fire chiefs sending out an urgent warning for electric blankets and smoke detectors to be regularly checked. Mary Ann Sutcliffe was in bed at her bungalow
A WOMAN who provided the getaway car for two thieves to do an Asda "trolley dash," is behind bars. Burnley Crown Court heard how Diane Jaques, 34, had fallen in with the wrong crowd. Jaques, of Queensberry Road, Burnley, was sent to prison for six weeks
WATER bosses are looking for "weather-proof" volunteers to help protect the countryside around their homes. A call for people to join the special volunteer rangers and support the work of the water company's Countryside Service on the huge Worsthorne
A FREE advice shop has been set up for companies across East Lancashire on business, information technology, employment or recruitment matters. Time Computers have teamed up with ADM Recruitment Services Ltd to set up the shop, at which coffee from across
BEING made redundant after 23 years as a machinist spurred Shereen Trayford to find a new career. After taking part in a Target Training scheme aimed at providing the unemployed with new skills the 40-year-old from Nelson has secured a new job as an accounts
MEMBERS of a group that provides "talking" newspapers for the blind in Pendle are being asked for ideas on how to mark its 25th anniversary next year. Pendle District Talking Newspaper Association runs Pendle Voice, providing audio taped versions of local
The opinions expressed by John Blunt are not necessarily those of the editor THE debate on the legalisation of drugs was cranked up again this week with the findings of the survey on BBC1's Panorama showing the police much more tolerant than they used
CONCERNED parents have accused education chiefs of splitting Ribble Valley communities and juggling with children's education in a heated school places row. And Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans has called on Education Secretary David Blunkett to visit his
THE fading colours of autumn will be captured in a family print and collage workshop at Groundwork Rossendale's Countryside Centre, New Hall Hey, on Sunday from 1.30 to 4pm. Visitors can make their own collages or add to a larger one which is being made
A HOSPITAL radio team will celebrate its 20th anniversary with a party at Rawtenstall Cricket Club. Hospital Radio Rossendale's first official broadcast to patients at Rossendale Hospital was on December 17, 1979. To mark the anniversary a disco and dance
AIRTOURS chairman David Crossland today revealed the travel operator had built up a £760million war chest to buy up other companies. The firm, which had its proposed £850million takeover of First Choice Holidays blocked by European Commission regulators
A TOP medic has apologised after giving the all clear to an eight-year-old girl with a serious heart complaint minutes before she collapsed in the hospital grounds. Chelsea McGuinn was carried by her father to the bus stop for the 10-mile journey home
LANCASHIRE Fire Service has criticised "self-extinguishing" candles being given out to mark the new millennium. The candles, the idea of ecumenical organisation Churches Together in England, feature a water reservoir which should put out the flame if
Manchester United Reserves 1 Blackburn Rovers Reserves 1 A CONTROVERSIAL late equaliser from United's Jonathan Greening robbed Rovers of a richly deserved victory in an incident-packed clash at Gigg Lane last night. Greening's looping cross-shot in the
Burnley Reserves 3 West Bromwich Albion Reserves 1 JOHN Williamson was sent off but two goals from rising star Anthony Shandran and co-striker Alan Lee earned Burnley reserves their best win of the season last night. Wiiliamson was dismissed in the 61st-minute
GRAHAM Branch will be fit to face Rotherham in the FA Cup on Saturday, despite limping out of the Clarets' reserve game last night. Branch turned in an impressive performance as he made two of Burnley's goals in a 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion. The
BILLY McKinlay hopes he has seen the back of his injury nightmare after he successfully made his return to action in the reserves last night. The Scottish international midfielder played 67 minutes of the 1-1 draw with Manchester United's second string
Blackburn Artists' Society meet St Gabriel's Church Hall, Brownhill Drive, Blackburn, 7pm. Still Life Demonstration, by Alistair C Adams. Alf Wright's Afternoon Music Hall, Blakeys Cafe Bar, King George's Hall, Blackburn, 4pm. Christmas Lights Switch
CONCERNED parents have accused education chiefs of splitting Ribble Valley communities and juggling with children's education in a heated school places row. And Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans has called on Education Secretary David Blunkett to visit his
THE scoreline flattered high-flying UniBond outfit Burscough although Bacup boss Brent Peters was forced to make team changes due to injuries and work commitments. The only goal separating the two teams at the break in this LFA Marsden Trophy match came
CHILDREN In Need fever swept East Lancashire as the BBC's 10th charity bonanza got under way. Fund raisers were out in force to try and top the previous year's £17.5 million total. The event kicked off at dawn in Blackburn as runners joined a Bog-Eyed
CRAIG Sargeson scored twice as Rossendale sent UniBond League First Division promotion-chasers Radcliffe crashing out of the Marsden LFA Trophy. Three goals in the last 10 minutes gave Micky Graham's in-form side victory after they had been pegged back
CLITHEROE made it six games unbeaten last night, but they needed extra time to progress to the second round of the Marsden Cup. A scrappy 90 minutes produced little entertainment as the players made hard work of the task at hand. A badly cut up pitch
I WAS appalled to hear that Lancashire's schools won't be having French meat taken off their menus, particularly as they were so quick to ban British not so long ago. The French are very good at protecting their own interests; so, it seems, is Lancashire
IN Group One of the handicap League Cup competition, young stars Steve Gover, Adam Williams and Gary Blackburn put on an excellent performance for Queen's Park 4th against a more experienced NASH, despite losing 6-3 at home. Steve won two terrific games
IT WILL be with a grim sense of djM- vu that parents in the Ribble Valley observe today the re-emergence of the school places row as yet another raft of youngsters in their final year at primary school look set to be denied admission to their "local"
ON the day the nation pauses in silence to respect our war dead, we remember past generations whose fathers and sons never came home and, as in the Falklands and Gulf wars, poppies were made with sadness and worn with great pride. Yet, this year I did
LONG-SERVING supporters Harold and Marjorie Hope were rewarded for their loyalty by being presented with the Michael Rigby Trophy which is awarded for services to Accrington Cricket Club. The couple travel to all the first team matches from their home
RESULTS - Under 10: Borrowdale Utd 1, Foulridge MInors 1; Brunlea 3, Salterforth 2; Brunshaw Park 3, West End 0; Readstone Utd 1, Colne Clarets 0. Under 11: Colne Clarets 3, Borrowdale Utd 7; Fulledge Colts 8, Michelin 2; Langho Juniors 0, Salterforth
WATERWAY workers who began their careers working on Britain's longest canal are celebrating 25 years in the job. Aaron Farnworth, engineer, and Phil Robinson, reservoir keeper, both live in Burnley and were apprenticed at British Waterways' Burnley yard
ALONG with 25 others, I stood at the cenotaph in Oak Hill Park, Accrington. Gone was the once usual tread of processions, the many observers, the band or the skirl of the pipes, and the service - all part of the tradition on Armistice Sunday for 80 years
A TEENAGER given an interim driving ban by a court did not know he was disqualified. Burnley magistrates heard Danny Ross, 19, had two previous convictions for driving while disqualified. Ross, of Lanark Street, Burnley, admitted disqualified driving
A SCHOOLGIRL'S essay on entertainment for teenagers earned high praise from the Prime Minister and a personally signed letter. Lauren Evans, 13, of Walshaw High, Burnley, composed the essay as part of an English lesson related to persuasive writing. She
GRAHAM Branch will be fit to face Rotherham in the FA Cup on Saturday, despite limping out of the Clarets' reserve game last night. Branch turned in an impressive performance as he made two of Burnley's goals in a 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion. The
LORD Clitheroe has stepped down after nine years at the helm of Yorkshire Bank. He is being replaced by Sir Hugh Sykes, deputy chairman of the bank, which has six branches in East Lancashire. "I have worked with a strong management team throughout my
Nature Watch, with Ron Freethy A LETTER from the young Blackburn naturalist Michelle Dagger set me thinking of how exciting our north western estuaries are between now and late April. Michelle, who is just 10, wrote: "WE went to Morecambe Bay and the
BOSSES in Lancashire are becoming more ethical, according to a survey. One in four senior executives questioned in the region said they believed that putting ethically correct policies into place can boost business growth. "In the '80s a lot of people
TONS of fake snow were used to bring a White Christmas to a Pendle supermarket which "stars" in a festive TV advertising campaign. Bosses at superstore chain Morrison's decided to use its Nelson store, the company's 100th in its centenary year, as the
A BAG of diamond rings valued at £25,000 were snatched from a salesman's car in Nelson town centre. The thief lay in wait until the salesman returned to his silver Volvo and then took the bag containing 150 9ct and 18ct gold rings. Detectives said the
A PENDLE high school has been praised as a "dynamic school in which many and increasing strengths outweigh weaknesses". Education inspectors from OFSTED put Edge End High, Nelson, under the microscope at the end of September. Their report praised the
ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman has strengthened his promotion--chasing squad by signing Steve Caswel from Unibond League Premier Division side Droylsden. The 23-year-old defender previously played with Coleman at Ashton United and will go into the
