MY name is Kevin and I am a writer. There, I've said it. Publicly! Admission is the first step to recovery -- rule number one in the Alcoholics Anonymous group we host at Christ Church. All we need now are Writers Anonymous meetings! Writing is such a
I AM 86 and have recently come across a few forgotten letters and photographs which have made me curious to fill in some gaps in my family history. My mother, Nellie Marshall, was born in Blackburn in 1890. Her father, John Marshall, a widower from Scotland
IT is outrageous that Jack Straw should be expecting France, Germany and Russia not to 'sideline' any resolutions of the United Nations in respect of provision for Iraq in the post-war period. Why should nations be expected to support damage limitation
A SCHOOLBOY was taken to hospital and a school kitchen had to be closed after a squirrel went on the rampage! The tiny rodent brought chaos to the primary school -- special arrangements were made for youngsters to get into the building and meals had to
POLICE are investigating a petrol bomb attack on an Asian takeaway in Burnley early today. The incident happened at the Tara Takeaway, Rosegrove Lane, at 2.48am. Offenders used a Newcastle Brown bottle to make the petrol bomb and hurled it at the window
RESIDENTS in the Brunshaw area of Burnley will be able to top up their computer skills after the local action group received a donation of £8,000. The Nationwide Foundation, which makes donations to charitable and non-profit organisations from funds from
THE Bishop of Burnley, the Rt Rev John Goddard, says he is "deeply disappointed" that the BNP had managed to gain a massive foothold in the town. He was speaking after the far right party gained six new seats in Thursday's elections, taking its tally
THE leader of the British National Party today said the party was aiming to take control of Burnley Council in 2004. Speaking after his party became the official opposition in Burnley, Nick Griffin said the BNP was committed to becoming the main party
MOVE over teeny pop stars -- it's time for Pendle's older generation to step forward and take part in a talent contest. The YOURS Silver Stars Talent Contest is back in town for over 60s and will be searching for Pendle's top performing pensioner at the
A MAN jailed for two months after being convicted of unlawful sexual intercourse will not be banned from working with children. Simon Smith made a second appearance at Burnley Crown Court on the day he was released from prison. Judge Raymond Bennett had
ORGANISERS of two It's a Knockout events are looking for 140 gung-ho volunteers to help raise thousands of pounds for charity. The events, to take place on July 12 and August 23, will involve teams of 10 battling with giant inflatables and each other
A MOTHER-OF-TWO will take part in the Race For Life in two months, despite a recent life-threatening cancer scare. Running a marathon was one of Gayle Knight's milestones to reach before the age of 40. But now the 38-year-old Oswaldtwistle mother will
TWO men have appeared before Blackburn Magistrates charged with robbery and possession of firearms after a raid at a Clitheroe sorting office on April 24. Michael Corcoran, 27, of Kingsbridge Road, Harpurhey, Manchester, and Bobby Vernon, 18, of Rydal
IF Neil Shipperley's record for the season is anything to go by, he will be bidding to launch a raid of terror on the Burnley defence tomorrow. For the 28-year-old has grabbed 24 goals in all competitions - his best tally for one season in his entire
EMMERDALE actress Emma Atkins, alias Charity Tate, will be offering advice on how to reach the top when she launches a media festival at Accrington and Rossendale College. Fans of all things media related will be in for a treat when the event is officially
POLICE have appealed for witnesses to help find three "bungling criminals" who botched a Blackburn supermarket robbery in front of scores of shoppers. DC Mark Lee said three men fled empty-handed after trying to rob a security guard who was taking money
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. SUNDAY "The Year in Question" Exhibition, Towneley Hall, Burnley. Until May 20. Queen Street Textile Museum, Harle Syke, Burnley. Open until October 28. Free and Easy
Twenty nine years ago, the former chief executive of Preston North End was preparing to cut his teeth as a junior reporter on the now defunct Blackburn Times. These days, however, he's a best-selling author in his own right after ghost-writing 'Tom Finney
PRESENTATION to be held at Radcliffe Civic Hall on Friday, May 9, 7.30pm to 1am. Anyone still requiring tickets please contact Kath Montgomery on 0161 724 8718. Premier Division: Winner Hamers Arms; Runner up Staff of Life A; Third Summerseat A; Sports
I AM so pleased that one of the old rail station clocks is to stay in Blackburn (LET, April 21). I wrote to Railtrack at the start of the rebuilding of the station and I was assured that one of the clocks would be at Blackburn station and the other one
KIERON Murphy (Letters, April 22) suggests there is no evidence of an intelligent, designer God. Yet Mr. Murphy's ability to write and reason would be my first of many pieces of evidence. His intelligence is more massive than anything we've ever been
THERE has been a lot of correspondence recently about the rights of anglers and cyclists to use the towpaths of the Leeds and Liverpool canal. Older readers will remember when these towpaths were no-go areas. Fortunately, about 25 years ago a campaign
REGARDING your story headlined 'I eat tripe, not talk it!' (LET, April 30), I think Blackburn with Darwen Lib-Dem leader Councillor Paul Browne (right) did the right thing to put executive member for regeneration Coun Andy Kay in his place. Do I know
AN ex-convict with a string of violence convictions and dubbed a dangerous man by a judge was today starting a life jail term. Alcoholic Roger Atkinson, 56, who has served time for attempted rape, had set upon his niece's estranged husband David Loughlin
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness faces a summer of wheeling and dealing in the transfer market in his quest to establish Rovers as a top eight Premiership club. With virtually every club in the land currently feeling the pinch financially, it's no surprise
THREE people are to be committed to Crown Court in connection with a vicious dog attack which left a seven-year-old boy in hospital. Mandy Cox, 28, Jacqueline Cox, 16, and John Ronald Cox, 19, all of Penistone Street, Burnley, have been reported for summons
SEVERAL Claret fans will miss Burnley's last match of the season at Wimbledon tomorrow after they appeared before magistrates. Five were accused of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour around the time of Burnley's game with Sheffield
POLICE in Burnley have launched a search for a group of mystery heroes who helped save the lives of two women bobbies. The five or six young men, aged in their late teens or early 20s, stepped in to help two female officers who came under attack whilst
A MAN charged with a string of indecency and child pornography will be sent to Crown Court. Roy Kenneth Ingham, 43, of Berkeley Street, Brierfield, is charged with 14 counts of gross indecency against children and two offences of possessing indecent photographs
AN East Lancashire MP Gordon Prentice has welcomed a new move to boost the teaching of English residents to whom it is not first language. The government has announced 12 pathfinder projects to improve the teaching of English for speakers of other languages
THE first in a series of monthly workshops are set to take place in Brierfield to help community groups claim funding. Representatives attending the first event will be able to influence how workshops are organised in the future. Groups attending the
A WOMAN solicitor who was almost twice over the limit when she was involved in a car crash was found crouched down in a nearby garden with her hands over her head. Emma Morrisey, 34, of Southview, Skipton Road, Thornton-in-Craven, pleaded guilty to driving
THE Green candidate who inadvertently helped kicked Labour out of office in Hyndburn today admitted: "I used to vote for them!" Fireman Ian Dixon, left, helped the Tories win control of the borough council after splitting the vote in the crucial Barnfield
TOURISM in the Ribble Valley received a boost during a top UK travel show highlighting outdoor holidays. Ribble Valley Council's Tourism Department was inundated with inquiries at its stand at the Outdoor Show at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham
GRAEME Souness today paid a glowing tribute to Brad Friedel by hailing the Ewood number one as his greatest ever signing as a manager. Friedel's stunning form for Rovers this season was rewarded earlier this week when the United States international was
CLARETS defender Ian Cox has admitted he expected to be cut from the club. The centre half's three-year spell at Turf Moor ended this week when he was released by manager Stan Ternent, along with 12 of his team-mates. But Cox is optimistic about his future
A DARWEN man with a drug problem lasting over a decade has been given a chance to put his past behind him. Andrew Shaw, convicted of having four and a half ounces of amphetamine paste for supply, avoided a prison sentence at Preston Crown Court. Instead
THE fate of Darwen's oldest Conservative club has taken a further blow with the cancellation of a three-month entertainment bonanza. In recent years, the Bolton Road Conservative Club has staged a weekly music night every Saturday from April to June -
FOR the first three decades of his life Peter Coughlin had no interest in ships. But for the last 35 years he has spent every spare minute building exquisite models which have won him fans across the world. Peter, 67, from Darwen, is revered in the model
A WOMAN has denied attempting to murder her husband, but admitted a lesser charge of causing grievous bodily harm. Susan Jones' pleas were accepted when she appeared before a judge at Preston Crown Court. The 44-year-old woman of King Street, Haslingden
A HILL walker has described how he stumbled across the body of witchcraft enthusiast James Bowman while walking with his young son in the hills above Todmorden Dean Crowther was taking Alex for their regular Sunday stroll in the woods when he made the
FAMILY and friends of Sarah Aspden gathered at Old Gates Nursing Home in Feniscowles to celebrate her 100th birthday. As a special treat the Mayor and Mayoress of Blackburn, Coun Tony Humphrys and his wife Jacqueline, turned up to present her with a bouquet
FIVE more statues are set to spring up around Blackburn as council bosses continue to make big developers pay for public art. But companies are to be given leaflets of what sort of art is acceptable after council officers admitted some existing schemes
A GANG which carried out vicious, late-night street robberies has been locked up for a total of 12 years. The three men followed their victims in a car and set upon them with a flurry of kicks and punches when no one else was around in the Bank Top and
A MAJOR campaign is being launched to immunise small children against a deadly bug which can cause meningitis and other serious illnesses. Health officials in East Lancashire are co-ordinating an extensive booster vaccination programme of children aged
