HOUSEHOLDERS in East Lancashire are being warned of the fire risks surrounding Christmas trees. A series of tests revealed that real trees are far more of a fire hazard than their artificial counterparts. To stay safe this festive season, the Building
FIRE chiefs are warning that mixing alcohol and fireworks over the New Year period could kill. Fireworks have become increasingly popular during Christmas and New Year as well as at the more traditional time of Bonfire Night. But fire bosses say that
IN reply to Jim Shorrock's question on the most common pub name (Letters, December 14), the definitive answer is 'The Red Lion.' I found this not by counting them personally, but on the Brewers and Licensee Retailers Association's web page. The wonders
MAY I congratulate Blackburn on getting a government road grant of £5million (LET, December 14)? May I also relate a story of a visiting American friend after his first car ride through Blackburn town centre? "Is this little town of yours twinned with
WHAT an extraordinary admission from UK Independence MEP, Jeffrey Titford (letters, December 18) -- that he deals with "committee meetings by having appointed two senior staff...to represent me." Let readers be under no illusion about what Mr Titford
ALMOST every day in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph we read of a violent act locally. Recently, two of them have caused me to ask: "Where did we go wrong?" I refer to the 80-year-old lady who was mugged and badly injured in Pleasington by an attacker
CHRISTMAS shoppers in Atherton dropped their bags in disbelief...as Prince Charles and TV funnyman Basil Fawlty rolled into town. Convincing look-alikes Charles Haslett and Edmund Wells mingled with shoppers after arriving in a luxury limo. The duo assumed
ONE OF Darwen's most familiar buildings is under new ownership -- with a guarantee it will be completely refurbished. A deal has been struck to sell the old Darwen Technical School to an unnamed national company who say the Union Street Centre will be
FINAL WORD on Birmingham GEOFF HORSFIELD: Trevor Francis broke the Blues' transfer record in the summer to sign Geoff Horsfield from Fulham for £2.25 million. The former Halifax and Scarborough forward bagged seven League goals for the Cottagers last
Rovers v Birmingham, Ewood Park 3pm BIRMINGHAM chief Trevor Francis is banking on Dele Adebola to fire the goals to lead his team to promotion -- even though the former Crewe man remains on the transfer list. Burly striker Adebola, a one-time target for
INTREPID volunteers are needed to join the East Lancashire Deaf Society's latest daring fund-raising challenge. The team which came up with fire walking and broken glass walking are now planning to send their volunteers right over the edge. Fund-raiser
A TEAM of youngsters who are in care researched and reported on the views and needs of their peers. A Burnley teenager was one of the team set up as part of the Teenagers to Work initiative of Lancashire Social Services. Their brief was to speak to other
A MULTI-million pound re-development of a key Nelson centre shopping area is on the cards in the New Year. Plans to develop the site of the former Grand Cinema in Market Street -- destroyed by fire early in the year -- will give town planners the opportunity
PEOPLE living near the Heasandford Industrial Estate in Burnley are keeping their fingers crossed that a second application by Alta Gas to buy land for storage will be turned down. Ten letters and a 74-name protest petition were sent to Burnley Council
AN "irrational," man who torched an Indian takeaway, causing £30,000 worth of damage, is behind bars for 18 months. Burnley Crown Court heard how Stephen Marsden, 33, had been upset because the previous night the owner would not let him use the telephone
POLICE have appealed for a woman who was standing outside a post office during an attempted robbery to come forward. Postmaster James Addison was allegedly threatened by a man brandishing a large kitchen knife at around 1pm on Wednesday. Mr Addison, of
BLACKPOOL MECHANICS 0 DARWEN 1 DARWEN registered a vital away win in NWCFL Division Two. Andy Walsh got his 10th of the season as Steve Wilkes's side went up to eighth in the Second Division against fourth-placed Blackpool. They were set to play Holker
DANGEROUS cemetery memorials will be taken down in Pendle following inspections by council officers. Safety inspections of all six cemeteries in the borough will begin on January 8, in line with the council's health and safety policy. A report to councillors
PHOTOGRAPHERS are seeking sitters to pose for an exhibition of Hyndburn residents to commemorate the Millennium. Members of Hyndburn Documentary Photography Group want to photograph local people and show what is most special to them. Christine Wilkinson
LITTLE Lucy O'Shaughnessey is settling in with her new classmates after her parents won their 12-month crusade to find her a place at a local school. Lucy's parents had spent nearly a year teaching their daughter in the front room of their Clifton Street
PEOPLE across East Lancashire are being urged to raise a glass to recycling after Christmas and over the New Year. Householders are being urged to put a deposit in the bank -- the bottle bank -- in a national campaign to encourage more recycling of glass
PAUL Smith looks set to line up at Barnsley this afternoon after ending his injury nightmare against Bolton on Saturday. The injury-jinxed wide man finally forced his way back into the Clarets starting line-up for the first time since April and did enough
BIG MONEY MAN: Former Barnsley boss Dave Bassett paid £750,000 to Nottingham Forest in July, 1999 for striker Neil Shipperley, left. The big front man hit 14 League goals last season to help Barnsley into the play-offs and has scored eight in the League
BOLTON'S former Blackburn Rovers defender Colin Hendry claimed he was merely making a nuisance of himself when Burnley felt he had conceded a crucial penalty at Turf Moor. Hendry looked to go into the back of Micky Mellon as the Clarets' midfielder shaped
Oakwell Kick-off 3pm CLARETS striker Ian Moore should be spared split loyalties at Barnsley today. But that may not be the case when the Tykes visit Turf Moor next month, by which time his dad might have been appointed as Barnsley's new manager. The Yorkshire
TWIN strikers Andy Payton and Ian Moore may be fit to spearhead the Clarets attack at Barnsley this afternoon. The duo missed Saturday's 2-0 home defeat by second-placed Bolton Wanderers after failing to shake off knocks. But manager Stan Ternent hopes
THE Shakers new managerial dream team got off to the perfect start on Saturday. And now Andy Preece reckons the experience new coach Billy Ayre can add to the squad will be invaluable. Preece said: ''It is something I've been mulling over for a long time
ANIMAL shelters across East Lancashire have criticised television bosses after a celebrity vet was shown giving a dog as a Christmas present. The BBC has been accused of being 'careless' and 'misguided' by sending out the wrong message to the public after
Christmas was ruined for a family when a high-fi system caught fire causing a blaze which destroyed much of their home. One man had to be rescued by firefighters called to the blaze in Ambleside Close, Blackburn, in the early hours of Christmas Day. Anthony
THE Bishop of Blackburn urged Christmas churchgoers to be more welcoming of refugees seeking asylum in Britain. In a sermon at Blackburn Cathedral on Christmas Day, he said efforts by churches to help refugees and other homeless people were rays of hope
A CONGREGATION forced to celebrate Christmas inside a small school hall after their church was set alight has prayed for the arsonist to be forgiven. Father Jim McCartney led around 30 people in celebrating Christmas at the 10am service yesterday. Normally
SHOP staff are taking a well earned rest after customers shopped until they dropped in possibly the busiest-ever pre-Christmas rush. Staff were rushed off their feet in the run-up to the festivities to keep up with the clamour at the counters. Christmas
A HISTORIAN is seeking help to track down a pair of long johns -- but not any ordinary ones. John Girvan, in Wiltshire is looking to trace the pair which belonged to Frederic Kempster, a man who stood at 8ft 4ins. Twenty-seven years ago, on June 25, 1973
AFTER ten years of tears, an East Lancashire couple finally celebrated their own little Christmas miracle -- a baby boy. Paula and John Swinscoe, who longed for a child for ten years, have enjoyed their first Christmas with the son they thought they would
DAISY HILL 0 PADIHAM 2 PADIHAM earned a first round tie against Rossendale after getting the Worthington Challenge preliminary round match against Daisy Hill finally played -- at the sixth attempt. In a dire game the Storks led at half-time thanks more
GREAT HARWOOD 1 SALFORD CITY 1 GOAL hero Shaun Bursnell was stretchered off before half-time as Harwood were unable to capitalise on his dream start. Bursnell put Harwood ahead after just two minutes when he volleyed home John Riley's flick from a Les
CLITHEROE 2 FLIXTON 4 CLITHEROE stayed top of NWCFL Division One despite a shock 4-2 home defeat to Flixton. Dave Burgess's men felt they should have got more out of the match but failure to put away their chances cost them dear. Flixton took the lead
COLNE 2 CHADDERTON 2 COLNE conceded an equaliser five minutes from time to throw away two vital points in NWCFL Division Two. But boss John Lister was grateful for at least a point against a strong Chadderton side. Colne were without a number of key players
KIDSGROVE 1 RAMSBOTTOM 1 RUSSELL Brierley took his Ramsbottom goal tally to 17 this season but the Rams just failed to make it four successive wins. Ken Bridge's side dominated the first half against fellow NWCL Division One promotion hopefuls Kidsgrove
EMLEY 1 ACCRINGTON STANLEY 0 ACCRINGTON Stanley will hope their next trip to Emley in the FA Umbro Trophy in January will be more productive than this UniBond Premier League clash. After five games without loss, John Coleman's side had high hopes of defeating
DETECTIVES are hunting for a man wearing a deerstalker hat who subjected a Bury motorist to a vicious attack. The 22-year-old victim was set on by two men after he had pulled up at traffic lights on Brandlesholme Road, Greenmount, at 12.15pm on December
MANY people will be waking up in East Lancashire today with one of the worst unwanted Christmas 'gifts' - the hangover. But - unlike socks from Auntie - a banging head and queasy stomach should be easy to get rid of according to top scientists. Boffins
THROUGH your newspaper, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff, volunteers and the public for the tremendous support they have all given to the East Lancashire Hospice in 2000. Looking back over the past 12 months, it amazes me how
HAVING worked within education for many years, I was extremely concerned but, sadly, not surprised to learn that calls to Teacherline, the counselling and advice service, have been of a more severe nature than was anticipated when the service was launched
AFTER recently researching the funds needed for me to attend university, I was horrified about the fact that I may have to reconsider if it is at all possible for me to go to university. At the start of the year, Mr Tony Blair was talking about how he
OH no! Not another Don't Drink and Drive campaign by the police this Christmas! Big yawn. We've heard it all before. Don't get me wrong; I think it's vital that the police -- and everyone else -- gets across the message about the dangers of drinking and
A MULTI-million pound redevelopment of a key Nelson centre shopping area is on the cards in the New Year. Plans to develop the site of the former Grand Cinema in Market Street -- destroyed by fire early in the year -- will give town planners the opportunity
BLACKBURN skipper Garry Flitcroft believes Rovers could undo all their good work from the last 10 days if they slip up at home to Birmingham today. Two terrific away wins at Burnley and Crystal Palace have put the men from Ewood firmly back in contention
WEST Ham boss Harry Redknapp is hoping to avoid the January sales by resurrecting his bid to land Ewood exile Christian Dailly. Redknapp has been back in touch with Rovers about a £2.5 million move for the defender over the weekend. And, though no formal
SEVERAL residents in Healey Wood Road, Burnley, were asked to ventilate their houses after the smell of petrol swept through their cellars. Firefighters were called to the area at around 7.30pm yesterday after it was reported petrol was leaking from a
SUPER swimmer John Drummond swam the equivalent of crossing the Channel but missed out on his target of completing 2,000 lengths of a pool for charity. Exhausted John, 29, of Middlesex Avenue, Burnley, had to give up his marathon challenge after completing
AS people across East Lancashire slept off their Christmas Eve celebrations, new mum Bushra Younas was holding her baby for the first time. She gave birth to Burnley General Hospital's first Christmas Day baby. Weighing 9lbs 11oz, her son -- who she has
THE heat is on for three catering students from Nelson and Colne College. The talented teenage trio have won through to the heats of the prestigious Nestle Toque d'Or student catering competition. The team, Philip Marchant, 16, of Roughlee, and Rachel
A 36-YEAR-OLD woman had to be cut free from her car and three other people including a toddler were taken to hospital after two cars collided in Brierfield. Eight firefighters from Nelson and Accrington spent 15 minutes cutting the driver of the Nissan
A WALKING route through some of East Lancashire's most beautiful countryside is to be relaunched in the New Year. The "Hyndburn Clog" is a 33-mile circular walk in the centre of Hill Country and passes through dramatic and varied countryside, from moorland
A 25-year-old woman who fleeced a deaf middle-aged man of cash after he left a night club in the early hours, is awaiting sentence. Catrina Biggs was found guilty of robbery after a two-day trial at Burnley Crown Court. She was remanded in custody until
A PLAN has been unveiled to give a 'forgotten' community a focal point. A community garden is set to be created in the centre of Baxenden, near Accrington, in the New Year after residents claimed the district had no identity of its own. At the centre
HYNDBURN'S Conservative Party has been accused of costing the taxpayer more than £200,000 by helping a controversial ex-councillor win an election. The allegation, from Labour leader Ian Ormerod, was made as councillors approved several new working practices
BURNLEY 0 BOLTON WANDERERS2 (Ricketts 53, 72) IT probably goes against the grain even to suggest it, but Burnley might just be glad to be heading for Yorkshire this afternoon. After all, Lancashire hasn't been too kind to the Clarets in recent weeks.
Michopoulos; Thomas, Davis, Cox Weller, Mellon, Ball, Cook, Smith Mullin, Branch Subs not used: Little for Weller 57; Jepson for Mellon 79; Johnrose for Cook 59; Maylett; Crichton BOLTON (4-5-1 manager Sam Allardyce) Jaaskelainen; O'Kane, Bergsson, Hendry
CHURCHGOERS could have a hair-raising experience the next time they see their minister. For the Rev Terry Young will soon be sporting a skinhead haircut in the name of charity. Mr Young hopes to raise £1,000 to pay for a new motorbike for a minister with
A DARWEN play group has closed after more than 19 years as a focal point for the community. And leader Brenda Cox said the closure of St Chads represented the end of an era. "It was a very sad day for us all when we closed after the Christmas party last
ONE OF Darwen's most familiar buildings is under new ownership -- with a guarantee it will be completely refurbished. A deal has been struck to sell the old Darwen Technical School to an unnamed national company who say the Union Street Centre will be
"THE best Christmas present we could have asked for" -- that's how Claire and Jimmy Coleman described the arrival of their first daughter on Christmas morning. Baby Emmie was born at Queen's Park Hospital at 5.57am yesterday, making her the first Christmas
A WOULD-BE Father Christmas had to be rescued by firemen after getting stuck on a roof. Red-faced Paul Hamer climbed on to the roof of his terrace house in Lynthorpe Road, Blackburn, in a bid to impress his children on Christmas Eve. But he became stuck
JACK Straw is to investigate the row over the closure of an old people's home in his Blackburn constituency. The Home Secretary is concerned at the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's revelation that council officers knew that Brooklands home was to shut a
IT has been a busy year for local MPs as they represented East Lancashire interests in the Commons. Jack Straw, not surprisingly, has come under fire and there have been highs and lows for our other honourable members. Political correspondent BILL JACOBS
STONE DOMINOES 1 NELSON 3 TWO spot kicks from Kiko Rodriguez helped Nelson knock the spots off Stone Dominoes. And the result also meant that John Bailey's side knocked the league leaders off top spot in the North West Counties Division Two. The Blues
BACUP 2 ST HELENS 3 TEN man Bacup put up a battling display against NWCL Division One high flyers St Helens but ended up crashing out in the first round of the Marsden Challenge Trophy. Defender Stuart Farnell was dismissed for the NWCL Division Two side
GUISELEY 0 CHORLEY 1 KEN Wright's men extended their unbeaten run to five games with a smash and grab raid at Nethermoor where Guiseley called most of the shots but significantly failed to make one count. The home side's miserable total of just 11 league
PRESTON 1 GRIMSBY TOWN 2 GRIMSBY boss Lennie Lawrence reckons his strugglers have turned a losing mentality into a winning one. And Preston manager David Moyes is keen to make sure his side don't go the other way as they bid to get back on the winning
