THE phrase "doing bird" has taken on a new meaning thanks to Lancashire Probation Service. Offenders in the county who have been sentenced to hours of unpaid community service work are supporting birdlife conservation. Their task is to make and help site
AN organisation which supports community environmental projects is hosting a fact-finding seminar on Saturday. Between 1994 and 1998, Rural Action funded 147 projects throughout Lancashire. But funding dried up after the merger of the Countryside Commission
JAPAN'S Blackburn Rovers superfan Takeshi Yamamoto is flying half way around the world to watch a match that has been cancelled. Takeshi, who has made regular trips to watch his favourite team since 1994 after falling in love with the team's blue and
BREWERS Thwaites have won a deal to take over production of one of Britain's most famous lagers. The Blackburn-based firm has been awarded the contract from Carlsberg-Tetley to brew Wrexham lager when the firm's North Wales brewery - one of the oldest
ROSSENDALE MP Janet Anderson will be taking a look at a school's bid to become an international language college for the 21st Century. Mrs Anderson is due to visit All Saints High School, Rawtenstall, on Friday, and will discuss the school's bid for government
AGRICULTURAL engineer Roger Stephenson is going out to Gambia to set up a scheme to help a women's co-operative grow their own crops. Roger, 56, of Edenfield, has also designed a "down to earth" easy to maintain tractor, similar to a dumper truck, which
YOUNG soccer stars from two Pendle high schools are on a roll after winning through to the area finals of a national competition. The boys of West Craven, Barnoldswick, and girls from Park, Colne, beat offw stiff competition from other high schools in
TROUBLE makers on school buses are to be tackled in a new clampdown which will see police ride "shotgun" and a new code of conduct brought into force. Education chiefs have asked the police and the council's transport inspector to travel on some routes
REGULAR readers of this column will recall that last week I was less than complimentary with regards to Burnley's less than convincing displays away from home. In the interests of balance it would be remiss of me this week not to mention the Clarets prodigious
AN angry councillor has pledged to make a council committee a laughing stock for relying on a "flawed" consultation exercise over plans to change traffic flow in Feniscowles. Coun Alan Cottam says he will knock on every door in Sutton Street, East Street
FOR the second week running, my friend from Huddersfield got it spot on. After predicting a 2-0 Rovers win against his team, he advised me: 'Look out for Barnsley - they're the best footballing side in this Division'. Pity he didn't tell Tony and the
BBC Television would like to hear from claimants and defendants who are currently involved in a small claims case. If you would like to take part in a new BBC documentary series about small claims disputes, you can contact me in confidence. SALLY DYAS
HOME Secretary Jack Straw is surrounded by controversy. We have all read of spies living openly in England - traitors to the country - without charge. A suspected war criminal offered a quick exit to Australia, and, of course, General Pinochet, wanted
FROM about September 1929 to April 1931, I attended the Prince of Wales Sea Training Hostel, Limehouse, London. At the same time, a Kenneth Markland also attended the hostel, run by the British Sailors Society. I believe he came from Blackburn. I joined
A BIRTHDAY celebration will be held tomorrow for the 125th anniversary of the Accrington and District Blind Society. The social room of the society's premises in Bank Street has been repainted for the occasion by volunteers and new chairs bought from
GOVERNORS at a Hyndburn school have backed the decision to expel a pupil in the aftermath of a gang attack on the headteacher. But the boy's parents, who do not want to be named for fear of reprisals, are to appeal against the move, claiming their son
TWO teenagers who started a skip blaze which spread, damaging Accrington Netto to the tune of £50,000, have escaped a jail sentence. Judge David Pirie said normally detention would have been inevitable, but the case was "wholly exceptional," and he wanted
FASHION chain Monsoon, which owns Accessorize in Burnley, has reported pre-Christmas sales were ahead by nine per cent on last year. And pre-tax profits for the 26 weeks to November 27 were £12.8million, up from £11.8million for the same period last year
SUBBUTEO fans have been left stunned after the world-famous table soccer game was shown the red card by its makers. The flick football institution has been a favourite with generations of youngsters all over the world since 1947. But now makers Hasbro
SALES at conservatory roofing firm Ultraframe are booming. The firm told its annual general meeting that the first quarter of its financial year had seen sales rise by 20 per cent over the same period last year. And chairman Don Greenhalgh said sales
A DRUNKEN man abused and shocked people with his behaviour, Burnley magistrates heard. Edward Blessington, 56, was sitting on a bench, clutching half a bottle of red wine and swaying from side to side. Blessington, of Albert Street, Nelson, was fined
FIREFIGHTERS smashed down the front door of a house and battled through smoke to rescue a disabled woman trapped in her bedroom. Pearl Bamford, 51, of Mansfield Crescent, Brierfield, who has to use a stairlift to get up and down stairs, found her escape
A PRIMARY school in Darwen has made major improvements in the last three years, according to inspectors, but can still do better. Schools watchdog body Ofsted says St Barnabas Church of England Primary School in Knowlesley Road has succeeded in raising
A DRAIN layer accused of killing his cousin in an Oswaldtwistle pub will have to go before a Crown Court judge to ask for bail. James Singleton, 29, of Kingfisher Court, Oswaldtwistle, is accused of unlawfully killing his cousin Mark Taylor. Mr Taylor
A SEMINAR looking at how businesses can develop their creative skills is being staged next month. Bob Muller, founder of the Oxford Institute for Creativity, will be speaking to members of the Blackburn-based North West Artificial Intelligence Applications
BUSINESS life is a gas for entreprenuer Susan Bedward! Susan set up the New Gas Showrooms in Haslingden to meet demands of customers of her husband who intalls and services gas appliances. Now 12 months on the business employs six staff and is planning
TWENTY-five East Lancashire schools can be justly proud of their venture into journalism as our NIE Time Capsule supplement is delivered into their classrooms. The schools accepted our invitation to mark the new millennium by researching and writing articles
TWO schools in Blackburn are finally to close after the Government gave the green light to controversial council plans to restructure special education. But parents of children at Blackamoor and Dame Evelyn Fox special schools have blasted education chiefs
MISSING schoolgirl Amy Hunt has returned home. She left the family home in Griffin Street, Blackburn, last Monday evening, and returned after reading about her concerned family in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph. She had been staying at her auntie's
ROSSENDALE Borough Council worker Mark Hughes brushed off the opposition and was Lancashire's runner-up in the North West Silver Broom Awards. Road sweeper Mark, of Todmorden Old Road, Bacup, was due to receive his engraved trophy and certificate at an
DRIVERS are dicing with death if they use mobile phones behind the wheel, according to East Lancashire police and road safety groups. Lancashire County Council is also backing the national campaign launched this week, which includes television advertisements
UGLY metal security screens which are fitted to empty council homes and have been described as making estates look like "war zones" may soon become things of the past. Dozens of empty houses in Darwen have been fitted with an alarm system which transmits
PAUL WELLER could be on his way out of Turf Moor after being transfer-listed by boss Stan Ternent. The 24-year-old midfield man, who has returned to action this season after a year out through a series of stomach operations, is unhappy at his lack of
EVERY parent's nightmare became a dream come true for Angela and Andrew Threlfall. A year ago their longed-for twin boys, conceived after fertility treatment, were born three months premature and suffered a series of life-threatening illnesses. But twins
STRIKER Ashley Ward is hoping to return to the frontline in the next two weeks to help re-ignite Blackburn Rovers promotion charge. The six-goal hitman has been out of action since Boxing Day after damaging his shoulder in a collision with Nottingham
Quiz Night, St Stephen's Infant School, Little Harwood, 7.30pm. Ann Bond, Blackburn Cathedral, 1pm-1.30pm. Queen's Lancashire Regimental Association, Somme Barracks, Moss Street, Blackburn, noon. AGM. Parkinson's Disease Society, Temple Street Resource
SNOOKER: ACCRINGTON-based Ian McCulloch reached the last 32 of the Regal Welsh Open at the Cardiff International Arena last night. McCulloch, 4-3 behind, won the last two frames to complete a 5-4 victory over world No 8 Alan McManus to complete a miserable
GLITCHES and teething troubles are to be expected with the installation of any large-scale computer-based system, but the problem Lancashire Constabulary has been landed with after the launch of their new communications network is far more than that.
I WAS very pleased to read in your letters column that at long last someone is trying to educate the public on the situation of the plastic bag nuisance. It is impossible to go shopping without accumulating more of the dratted things. I hate waste of
RISHTON Cricket Club have a reported a loss of just over £500 after a disappointing season both on the field and off it. The social club made a profit of £2,205 but the cricket side suffered a loss of nearly £2,842. Chairman Rod Simpson said: "It's a
SETTING aside the cynical thought that a device is being engineered to allow the Prince of Wales to marry Camilla Parker Bowles, the Church of England's preparations to permit divorcees to marry in church are sure to provoke anguished debate among its
THE NORTHERN League has been officially appointed as Lancashire cricket's first Premier League. The move was ratified at the league's AGM last night, when the clubs, including Darwen, Chorley and Preston, agreed to the English Cricket Board's criteria
(after extra-time) LAST season's finalists Darwen extended their impressive record in the competition as they set up a home clash with Unibond League high-fliers Marine in the last eight of the Marsden Lancashire Trophy. Three ex-Harwood players returned
EVERY six hours a new baby is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and often their parents are given little information on what this means. As a mother, I know that parents need advice, support, and very often a listening ear. We all know it is good to talk
HARRY'S STABLE WHISPERS ONLY eight weeks to the start of the flat season, and the two-year-olds are upping the tempo of their work. It's great to watch them on the gallops early in the morning. And in another couple of weeks they will be tested on the
HAVE Evening Telegraph readers received and checked their latest tax coding notices? I am staggered by the amount tax has risen. My tax allowance has halved in the last 12 months, even with the reduction in tax to 22p. This government showed nothing but
SO, once again we have had to put up with politicians failing in their duty to protect members of the public who have decent morality. I refer to the decision of Jack Straw, for allowing Mike Tyson to enter this country with a criminal record of rape.
A 21-year-old man has appeared before Burnley magistrates, accused of two counts of rape and one of indecent assault. Mark Anthony Ashworth, of Parkinson Street, Burnley was sent to Crown Court, for a preliminary hearing on February 1. He was conditionally
THANKS to the support of local people and thousands of others nationwide, Britain's Biggest All Day Breakfast 1999 was a great success, raising more than £120,000 for the Cancer Research Campaign. Hundreds of you hosted breakfasts for your friends, family
A BLACK and white cat used up two of its nine lives when it got its head stuck in a can of chicken flavoured Whiskas and then got the can trapped between the wheel and wheelarch of a car. The vehicle was just being driven off from the car park at Nelson
POLICE have widened their search to Blackburn for a Burnley teenager who has been missing for 12 days. Vicky Joanne Thornton, 18, is known to have a number of friends in the area. But inquiries at various addresses in the Blackburn have drawn a blank.
PLACARD-waving parents protested in the street as part of their fight against proposals to close nurseries. Parents of toddlers at Rockwood nursery in Burnley Wood were today campaigning against proposals to phase out nurseries in favour of children starting
PARLIAMENT must be a symbol of freedom throughout the world and access to it be as open as possible, Burnley MP Peter Pike told the Commons. The MP, who voted against access restrictions last year, came out in support of amended arrangements which will
A LOTTERY draw will give a guaranteed weekly £1,000 jackpot to a lucky winner in Burnley or Pendle and a £120,000 a year cash boost to a hospice. The Hospice Care for Burnley and Pendle lottery will be launched next month with a massive publicity drive
