THOUGH its long-overdue connection to the main motorway network almost five years ago took away its derisive "Road to Nowhere" tag, there is no doubt that the M65 still has some distance to go -- in terms of fulfilling its economic potential and as a
AREN'T there things that just make you want to spit? Now we have this 'problem' with the monuments, statues, carvings, decorations or whatever it is that is to adorn Blackburn's cafe society area -- you know the area that, at the moment, is without cafes
THE Rossendale Players have been invited to appear at the prestigious Fleetwood Drama Festival on Thursday, with a one-off presentation of Someone Who'll Watch Over Me, which the Players staged for a week at the beginning of October. Franco Paolucci is
THE article by Margo Grimshaw (LET, September 27) reminded me of the time I was employed by Roy Marlor's, but at that time the name was "Cash and Co." I knew the Mr Green she mentioned as the manager of "Hunter's", but did not get to know him properly
I SUPPORT the global free-enterprise economy -- which is really 19th-century Free Trade by another name. First, it is giving people from around the world a greater choice of food and consumer goods than ever before. It is giving employment to people in
I WONDER whether the author of your Comment column (LET, September 10) has read any of the considerable amount of correspondence on the subject of speed cameras. Whilst agreeing that some is from motorists caught by cameras, there are several regular
A NEW advice surgery for pensioners will be launched in Bury today (Tues Oct 22). The surgery will be held once a fortnight from 10am to 1pm at Bury Carers Centre at 146 Hornby Street, Bury. Senior citizens can get advice on pensions, and also potential
CHILDREN and families who use a Bury disability resource centre got a monster surprise in the form of 7ft Sulley. The furry character, together with sidekick Mikey from the hit film Monsters Inc, was donated to the Re:d centre in Morley Street. The premises
UP to 300 jobs are on the way to Blackburn after plans to create a new retail park in the heart of the town were unveiled. DIY giant B&Q plans to open one of its 100,000sq ft Warehouse superstores to anchor the new site, on land between Russell Street
A BURY teenager died when a car catapulted into the air and landed on its roof. Passenger Andrew James Whitby, (18) of Skipton Close, was thrown 20 feet from the vehicle which crashed in Bradshaw Road, Bolton. Two others, from Ramsbottom and Bury, were
DIXON Motors is to shut its Car Clinic operation in Derby Street, Bury, because of a general skills shortage and other key factors. But the 25 staff are being offered alternative employment at similar company centres in Leeds and Bradford. The Bury Car
A PROMISE of tropical bliss was all it took to entice Edenfield lad Nigel Clucas along to "Temptation Island". The 22-year-old, of Croftacres, was chosen to take part in the latest series of the reality TV show, filmed on the idyllic Thai island of Ko
THE kick-off time for Blackburn's second leg tie against Celtic at Ewood Park has been changed. The game, due to be played on Thursday November 14, originally had a 8.05pm kick-off time. To comply with the requirement of BBC TV, the club has agreed to
DAMIEN Duff has been ruled out of the first leg of the 'Battle of Britain' clash with Celtic. Rovers manager Graeme Souness admitted this morning: "He won't be back until the Aston Villa game or even beyond that. "It is a big blow for us, but with a hamstring
A WOMAN who stole from her bosses has had sentence adjourned for a psychiatric report. Averil Morgan, 28, had had "areas of concern," in her life such as bullying, a paracetamol overdose when she was 13 and an offence committed against her, Burnley Crown
FIGHTING fires in terraced houses and rubbish skips might not be the usual fare for the emergency services on a tiny island in the South Atlantic -- but that is just what one fireman from St Helena has been doing for the last month. St Helena station
A FURIOUS householder today blasted 'cheeky thieves' who dug up a set of flagstones from the front garden of her home. Joanne Naylor, 27, of Mount Pleasant, Worsthorne, said the stones were taken while she and her boyfriend Jason Fenwick, 31, were at
EMPLOYERS today paid tribute to a woman who was killed in a horror road accident. Nichola Snowden, 32, of Williams Road, Burnley, died in hospital two hours after she was involved in an accident in Blackburn Road, Oswaldtwistle, at 1.13am on Sunday. She
TERRY Dunfield's Gigg Lane loan experience is to continue a while longer. Manchester City boss Kevin Keegan yesterday agreed to let the young Canadian midfielder stay with the Shakers for another month and that's music to the ears of his Bury counterpart
RUSHDEN & DIAMONDS 0 BURY 1: IF you'd asked Bury boss Andy Preece whether this result was on the cards on Thursday afternoon he'd probably have laughed you out of town writes Phil Thorp His first team squad had just put in what he described as 'one
RESIDENTS in Reedley were left in the dark last night after a series of power cuts. The five cuts started at 7pm and lasted through to midnight each lasting around an half an hour. A spokesman for United Utilities said: "We had a cable fault on our underground
CHILDREN from schools across Pendle took part in the launch of an awards scheme in Nelson aimed at making their visions a reality. The Our Place -- Our Pendle awards are part of the council's Local Agenda 21 plan to meet the Government's pledge to protect
PENDLE Hill -- the legendary home of the witches -- is expecting hundreds of visitors to flock to the area to celebrate Hallowe'en. And the district will play host to three spooky events especially designed for kids. The ghoulish gatherings will take
A FATHER who subjected a woman to a nine month campaign of fear could not complete community punishment because of his addiction to drugs, a court heard. Azhar Ali, 31, was given 180 hours community punishment in June last year after being convicted of
CONTROVERSIAL plans to move a health centre will go under the spotlight for the next month as a public feasibility study gets under way. The four-week public consultation will look at the feasibility of relocating Nelson Health Centre to Yarnspinners
FORMER Hear'Say singer Suzanne Shaw has become engaged to a record producer after just four months of dating. The 21-year-old blonde is said to be "blissfully happy" with boyfriend Terry Adams, aged 28, although they have no current plans to marry. The
EMPLOYEES at Royal Ordnance, Blackburn, raised more than £1,000 for multiple sclerosis charity at a night at Highfield Working Men's Club, Darwen.
EAST Lancashire's business leaders are being invited to the launch of a breakfast networking club. Around 80 businessmen and women from a wide range of industries and services are set to be represented at the meeting, due to take place at Sparth House
CABBIES have called for a review into the opening hours of Accrington police station to be brought forward amid fears for their safety over the festive season. And they are looking to install CCTV cameras inside their cabs to help prevent and detect crime
A CARERS' group is upping the stakes in its bid to find and register more of the estimated 13,000 carers in Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley with a new centre to be opened by Princess Anne today. But what is the new Carers Link in Accrington and why was
A TEENAGER said to have broken into a neighbour's home to steal, is to be committed for trial to the Crown Court. Gary Crawford, aged 18, is alleged to have entered the property just a few doors away from his own home in Stirling Grove, Whitefield, in
RIBBLE Valley MP Nigel Evans is calling for an end to mixed sex wards at the Royal Preston Hospital in Fulwood. He has written to the hospital's chief executive, Tony Curtis, calling for the removal of the wards, after a constituent from Fulwood claimed
TOP international chef Breda Murphy looks set to boost the culinary skills of East Lancashire home cooks. Breda, chef at the famous Inn at Whitewell, Trough of Bowland, is to host a series of cookery demonstrations and masterclasses in the Ribble Valley
A SCHOOLBOY who helped catch a Post Office robber has been awarded £250 in a ceremony at Preston Crown Court. The youngster, called Joseph and from the Clitheroe area, was 100 metres away from where the robbery took place at Whalley post office. He thought
A CARER selected to present a posy to the Princess today spoke of how she dedicated her life to looking after her father. Caroline Blackwell's 72-year-old father has a degenerative disease and his wife died four years ago. Caroline, 37, had to give up
CONFIDENCE could not be higher among the Clarets stars as they prepare for the long trek to Portman Road today. And Ian Moore and Glen Little, two of the stars from Saturday's win at Leicester both admitted: "We can't wait." The Clarets are going in search
THE new line-up for this week's show at the Lock 'n' Load Comedy Club, at The Wharf , Blackburn. The show on Saturday features Tony Skip, Dave Turquoise and MC Martin Cassidy. The laughs start at 8pm and costs £5 on the door.
Radcliffe Borough ... 1 Chorley ...1by IAN HANNAY BOROUGH are still searching for that elusive first home league win of the season after a host of spurned chances meant they had to settle for a point. With Nicky Spooner unavailable and David Bean carrying
THE parents of Melissa Strickson are continuing to campaign in her memory by lobbying the government to install a Minister for Children. Sue and Vic, of Tythebarn Street, Darwen, said they believed the post would help protect vulnerable youngsters and
ROSSENDALE Council has a new strategy to help save hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money. The move has been welcomed by the district auditor after council staff formulated a policy on risk management. Comprehensive surveys of all the authority's
ROSSENDALE Council has a new strategy to help save hundreds of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money. The move has been welcomed by the district auditor after council staff formulated a policy on risk management. Comprehensive surveys of all the authority's
A NEW NHS dental practice in Rossendale has been officially opened by Janet Anderson MP. She cut the ribbon at the Dental Health Centre, in Burnley Road, Rawtenstall, after prospective patients had queued for hours in the cold during the four-day registration
THREE troublemakers are the first to be banned from pubs in Rossendale as part of a scheme to reduce violence in licensed premises. The trio have been outlawed under the area's Pubwatch scheme, which involves landlords taking a tough stance against violence
STAFF working for crisis-hit holiday company MyTravel today appealed for assurances over their future following last week's disastrous profits warning and share price collapse. The GMB Union represents a large proportion of call-centre staff which work
TRAFFIC came to a standstill in Blackburn town centre today after a 38 tonne truck clipped Darwen Street Bridge and toppled over. The truck, from Heath Hill Haulage in Shropshire, blocked the road after jack-knifing. The driver, who has not yet been named
A MAN battered his lover's seven-year-old son with a hammer, stabbed him five times with a kitchen knife then strangled him, a murder trial was told. Former Blackburn man Ronald Mariner, 23, then used a wheelie bin to carry the body of schoolboy Ryan
DAMIEN DUFF is a fine player, but I think Barry Walsh (Sport Letters, October 15) is going a little bit over the top when he puts him in the same league as Bryan Douglas and George Best. Bryan Douglas was one of Rovers' most skilful players of all time
ROVERS' game against Newcastle was a case of all's well that ends well. Drama and incident are better than a tame one-sided stroll in the park. The referee usually comes in for blame. But, fortunately, when Graeme Souness could not galvanise his troops
REGULAR readers of this column will know I have nothing against referees (!) so I am sure former ref Kevin Lynch will feel right at home at Accrington Stanley's next Sportsman's Dinner in November. He is the guest speaker and will feel right at home sat
A LANDMARK Bury church which was forced to close its doors more than six years ago could undergo a £600,000 conversion into 14 high quality apartments. A planning application to establish the flats at the All Saints Church in Orrell Street, Elton, has
Ramsbottom Utd...1 Curzon Ashton...1: RAMSBOTTOM United managed to cling to a 1-1 draw against Curzon after playing for half the game with nine men. United started the game much the better team and were unlucky not to be a goal up in the first minute
OSWALDTWISTLE Players are staging an early festive attraction -- with their production of A Christmas Carol. The traditional treat has been adapted by Players member Michael Flanagan from Charles Dickens' classic novel. John Kirby will play Scrooge, Paul
MARTIN Callaghan (Letters, October 11) says that Darwen is never included in Blackburn with Darwen Council's bids for government funding such as Single Regeneration Budget. In fact, Darwen was included in the council's first successful SRB bid. This money
RESIDENTS are being urged to put pen to paper and back the borough's fight for a fairer funding deal. People are asked to send in letters of support, which will be passed to the Deputy Prime Minister, as part of the "Bury Deserves Better" campaign. Bury
Southport v Leigh RMI preview by Martyn Hindley A NIGHT of tension and excitement awaits Leigh RMI fans in the LDV Vans Trophy this evening - but the club are left cursing their luck with no league action for a fortnight. The Railwaymen are starting to
THE owner of a shop in Oxford Road, Burnley, was the victim of confidence tricksters who stole £1,200 from his premises. Police are anxious to speak to four men and two women who were in the shop on Friday afternoon. While the owner was distracted it
MYSTERY today surrounded when Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott would fulfil a promise to return to Burnley to discuss housing needs. It is hoped that when he does come back he will bring hundreds of millions of pounds worth of grants to upgrade crumbling
ANDY Preece admits to having something of a selection conundrum ahead of tonight's LDV Vans Trophy first round clash against local rivals Rochdale at Spotland. Should he rest some of his first team squad or put out his strongest team for a game that is
FIREFIGHTERS used a special hydraulic platform to pluck a 28-year-old man to safety during a river rescue drama. A stretcher bearing the injured man was hoisted from the River Irwell 10 metres up to the bridge at Dumers Lane on the Bury-Radcliffe border
A CAMPAIGN to transform the M65 and A56 has been launched in a bid to end East Lancashire's reputation as a 'cul-de-sac'. The North West Regional Assembly -- made up of councils from across the North West -- has made improvements to the M65 and A56 a
NOW we're talking. In last week's column I suggested that although Burnley had done well to turn their season around, they had faced only moderate opposition in doing so. The time to gauge just how good the Clarets were would come when they faced teams
THE national rush for Madonna's book "Sex" passed almost unnoticed in Blackburn. People were reportedly uninterested in shelling out £25 for the sleazy volume.
YESTERDAY morning, 4.35 am: arrive at Ewood Park on mission "obtain Celtic ticket". Suffering badly with heavy cold, 56th in the queue. By 6.30am 310 in queue. Shortly before ticket office opens at nine, people joining the back of the queue now approaching
A MOTHER of three broke down as she told a jury how she returned home days before Christmas to find her home ransacked and the family's presents missing. Patricia Savoini wept as she described how the Christmas tree had been knocked over and all the rooms
THREE young actors staved off an attack of Cold Feet to appear in the popular ITV1 show which stars Robert Bathurst and James Nesbitt. Sixteen-year-old Stonyhurst College theatre studies pupils Anthony Wilson, Rachel Betts and Sam Martin were invited
A QUALITY of life officer is to be appointed to keep unruly youngsters and problem families in rural Ribble Valley in check. The Ribble Valley Crime and Disorder Partnership has received £20,000 from the Government for the appointment of an officer to
THREE more men have appeared in court charged in connection with an incident in which a teenager was impaled on his car seat with a sword. Blackburn magistrates were told there was a suggestion that a gun had also been produced during an altercation involving
A MAN who raped a mum while her two children were at home has been jailed for six years. The terrifying attack at her home left the victim battered and bleeding. As her ordeal unfolded she felt sickened and disgusted and truly believed she would be killed
RESIDENTS near a controversial nightclub have pleaded with councillors to reject plans for its re-opening and said: "We're enjoying our sleep!" The new owners of Cubes hope to be given a public entertainment licence later this month and re-open the Duke
STAFF from a Blackburn-based telecoms software company cycled the length of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal to raise money for the Magic Eye appeal. The team of eight colleagues from Ryder Systems in Appleby Street raised £1,000 for the Lancashire Evening
UP to 300 jobs are on the way to Blackburn after plans to create a new retail park in the heart of the town were unveiled. DIY giant B&Q plans to open one of its 100,000sq ft Warehouse superstores to anchor the new site, on land between Russell Street
ACCRINGTON Theatre Group is busy rehearsing for its production of The Sound of Music which will go on stage at the Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre on Monday, November 11. Tickets cost £8, with concessions priced at £7. BURNLEY Gilbert and Sullivan Society
OH yes it is... East Lancashire's first panto of the 2002 season will be opening tonight. With two months still to go to Christmas, St Stephen's Players are presenting Jack and the Beanstalk at The Hall, Woodgrove Road, Burnley. The curtain goes up at
THE JOURNEY to a person's final resting place in Whitefield is to run a lot smoother. Members of Whitefield Hebrew Congregation were delighted to learn that Bury Council have finally agreed to "make-up" an unadopted road that leads to the cemetery. Complaints
A MAN who raped a mum while her two children were at home has been jailed for six years. The terrifying attack at her home left the victim battered and bleeding. As her ordeal unfolded she felt sickened and disgusted and truly believed she would be killed
YOUNG people's views are being sought by St John's Church. Questionnaires are to be distributed to members of the Church for their opinions on making the Church more youth friendly. Members of the village youth organisations and Sunday School are being
LOCAL history enthusiasts who enjoy a trip back in time to Burnley's past can now get their hands on a copy of one of the earliest known maps of the town. Dated from 1827, Fishwick's Map of Burnley is a large scale plan clearly showing all streets from
ROCHDALE player-boss Paul Simpson's last game in the LDV Vans Trophy back in March this year was one he'll remember. The former Manchester City winger was part of the Blackpool side that took the trophy following a 4-1 mauling of Cambridge United at Cardiff's
SATURDAY'S matchwinner Chris Billy certainly benefited from a pep talk from Bury boss Andy Preece writes PHIL THORP. The Shakers chief hasn't been completely satisfied with the midfielder's recent displays and told him so last week. It paid off handsomely
POPULAR midfielder Lennie Johnrose is back at Gigg Lane and raring to go. The Preston-born midfielder was a massive favourite with the Bury faithful during a five year spell at the club and was an integral part of the team that made the leap from Division
BURNLEY go in search of their sixth win on the run tonight as they travel to Portman Road to take on troubled Ipswich. The Clarets have recorded five straight wins, three of them away from home, and are unbeaten in 11 as they prepare to face the managerless
JOHN 'Jackie' Chew, a member of Burnley's FA Cup Final team from 1947, has passed away at the age of 82. And he will be mourned both at Turf Moor and at Rishton Cricket Club where he was captain and star batsman for many years. His death, after a long
PIERRE JOUBERT will be playing Transco Lancashire League cricket again next season. The South African professional has agreed to return to Burnley for a second year. The Turf Moor side have agreed terms with the Northern Transvaal player and are just
THE landlord of a pub in Osbaldeston has added a new name to the entertainment programme. Ian Howes, of the Bay Horse Inn, has booked Stevie C for a night of songs, disco and karaoke on Friday. The pub also has special deals on lagers and other drinks
AN AWARD-winning East Lancashire pub is currently looking for a new manager after the previous occupants were promoted to a brand new £1 million pub. Neil and Amy Murphy left The Ram Inn, in Cliviger, last Monday to go to The Honeybee, in Wilmslow, Manchester
EAST Lancashire's latest micro-brewery has started serving its first beer in a Great Harwood pub. The first pint of Bowley Bitter, from the Red Rose Brewery, Great Harwood, has been pulled at The Royal Hotel, Station Road. The 3.7 per cent real ale proved
A SUCCESSFUL Great Harwood pub that was recently recognised for its beer has now changed hands. The Lomax Arms, in Church Street, was named in the Good Beer Guide 2003 four weeks ago and one week later the pub changed hands. The previous landlord Derek
BURY man Rod Foster is a prince among mentors! He has received a coveted award in tribute to his work with the Prince's Trust in giving his time free to support young people who are starting businesses. Rod (72), has been crowned the Prince's Trust and
DAMIEN Duff has been ruled out of the first leg of the 'Battle of Britain' clash with Celtic. Rovers manager Graeme Souness admitted this morning: "He won't be back until the Aston Villa game or even beyond that. "It is a big blow for us, but with a hamstring
BURNLEY go in search of their sixth win on the run tonight as they travel to Portman Road to take on troubled Ipswich. The Clarets have recorded five straight wins, three of them away from home, and are unbeaten in 11 as they prepare to face the managerless
STAFF working for crisis-hit holiday company MyTravel today appealed for assurances over their future following last week's disastrous profits warning and share price collapse. The GMB Union represents a large proportion of call-centre staff which work
CHILDREN teamed-up with civic leaders and planted a rose to celebrate Local Democracy Week. Hazel Harding, leader of Lancashire County Council, and Rossendale Mayor Coun Jimmy Eaton, visited pupils at Crawshawbooth Primary School to plant a red rose of
WORK has begun on the £1million refurbishment of Blackburn's Central Library. The first phase, started last week, involves the children's library being moved temporarily from the first floor to the ground floor while a new creche is created. Once that
SCHOOL pupils have been banned from drinking pop as part of a project to improve their health. Queen's Park Technology, in Shadsworth Road, Blackburn, will lack a bit of fizz at break times after concerns over harmful flavourings and additives prompted
A GRANDFATHER who lost the only record of his granddaughter's fight for life has made an appeal for help in recovering the treasured memento. Kenneth Whittaker, of Kinross Close, Blackburn, lost the video tape of premature baby Heather Pope when he misplaced
ROVERS' game at Parkhead is our biggest game in years, but tickets were snapped up in a matter of hours. Supporters were queuing at Ewood from 8pm the previous night. We have received a measly 3,000 tickets but once again we have handed a team a golden
CLITHEROE meet one of the most formidable sides in non-League football in the next round of the FA Vase. Bedlington Terriers have been Northern League champions for the last five seasons and reached the FA Vase final in 1999. The two teams meet at Shawbridge
AS the spectators who had provided the largest attendance to date this season left Gigg Lane on Saturday they were of one mind -- that the 3-1 defeat by Swansea Town was vitally linked with the injuries to Imlach and Gleadall. To this extent they were
A DEVASTATING fire which destroyed part of Blackpool's Golden Mile may have been started deliberately, fire officers said. Grab City amusement arcade, Central Promenade, was completely destroyed by the fire which started at about 12.30am and raged for
