STAR ratings are everywhere these days purporting to show standards of service to us, the public. They are held up as measures of the quality of hotels, staff in fast food restaurants, garages and even public loos. But star ratings only work if the system
EWOOD exile Ciccio Grabbi could be heading back to Italy in a cut-price deal. I can reveal that Rovers are currently in talks with a Serie A club about a possible deal for the 28-year-old misfit. Grabbi, a £6.75 million signing from Ternana two and a
PLANS to regenerate Padiham have been given a cash boost by Burnley Council. The council's executive committee agreed a contribution of £16,685 towards Padiham Life's bid to the North West Development Agency. The NWDA invited the group, formed to oversee
A MAN accused of raping a woman after posing as a taxi driver insisted the victim consented to sex and was in control of what took place, a court heard yesterday. Preston Crown Court heard that Asif Ali, 24, of Lee Street, Burnley, denies a charge of
LANCASTER could have its very own record breaker - in Nizzie the dog. The 'well-loved' terrier has reached the ripe old age of 26. And his owner Ricky Johnson believes that could make him the oldest dog in Britain. Ricky, of Sycamore Grove, Lancaster,
RADICAL plans to tackle the problem of empty homes in Burnley are being drawn up by council bosses. Under the proposed scheme, a housing association would buy empty properties and refurbish them, and the council would give the exteriors a face-lift. The
BIN bags are to get the elbow - as wheelie bins come to Lancaster in February. The city council's cabinet decreed yesterday (Wednesday) that 12,181 households in Lancaster, parts of Heysham and Morecambe, Middleton, Overton, Halton, Priest Hutton and
STAFF at a Lancaster visitor attraction were flushed with pride this week after scooping a top toilet award. The team behind the day-to-day running of the Maritime Museum, whose tasks include keeping the WCs in tip-top condition, have won the 'loo attendants
EXTRA government cash to help reduce next year's council tax rise has been declared inadequate by councillors. Pendle Council chiefs are writing to government ministers in a bid to gain extra revenue support grants to contribute towards the council tax
A HEADLINE from the Northern Daily Telegraph (the forerunner of the Lancashire Evening Telegraph) in 1891 hardly described the terror a young lady was forced to experience. "The Romantic Abduction From Clitheroe" caused quite a stir at the time. Edmund
A COLNE teenager accused of murdering another young man has today denied the charge and been remanded to await trial. Hasan Mumtaz, aged 18, of North Street, Colne, pleaded not guilty to murdering 17-year-old Sean Whyte, also of North Street, on September
DAVID Waddington, a 49-year-old barrister and former MP, was almost certain to be the next choice of Clitheroe Conservatives to fight the seat left vacant by the death of Mr David Walder. And Blackburn 'super barmaid' Mary Bond was celebrating her 70th
THE newest recruits to John Dugdale and Sons six mills took their parents to their Christmas party in Cherry Tree Mill, Blackburn. Young workers under 18 had supper and danced as each of the mothers who came were given a present from under the Christmas
A COLLEGE worker claimed more than £6,000 in child benefits although she had more than £16,000 in the bank, a court has heard. Nicola Hodgson, a quality assurance co-ordinator at Accrington and Rossendale College, admitted four charges of giving false
TENANTS have been reassured that Hyndburn will not suffer a repeat of a multi-million pound asbestos claim against a neighbouring council. The move came after yesterday's revelation that Twin Valley Homes is asking Blackburn with Darwen Council to repay
A JOB centre worker responsible for issuing crisis cheques falsely claimed almost £6,000 in benefits. Single mother Linda Davies admitted four charges of falsely filling in application forms for working family tax credits, issued by the Inland Revenue
I URGE everyone to buy only bottles of wine with cork stoppers this Christmas. Cork is natural and bio-degradable, produced from a sustainable agricultural system based on native vegetation that supports a diversity of wildlife. A fall in demand for cork
THE recent admission by drug giant GlaxoSmithKline's vice president of genetics that 90 per cent of their drugs only work in half of people is a tragic consequence of the continued use of animal tests for assessing the safety and effectiveness of drugs
MANY thanks to Cllr Jonathan Sears of the Green Party for answering my queries regarding the unnecessary felling of four trees on Willow Lane (Letters, last week). He, along with most of your readers may be interested to know that the reason given for
MORECAMBE captain Stuart Drummond is set to return to help the Shrimps' promotion push. A knee injury, which required six weeks in plaster, has kept the influential midfielder out of action since early October. But Drummond is making a good recovery -
STRIKER Michael Yates has moved on from the Giant Axe - to sign for Witton Albion. Yates has been at the centre of a great debate among City fans all season - should he play or should he go has been the question at the heart of many arguments. But manager
HEYSHAM Atoms made the worst possible start on their trip to Leigh at the weekend - falling four points behind to a first minute try before a single Atoms player had touched the ball. Things looked ominous for the locals on a heavy pitch, appropriately
BLACKBURN midfielder Barry Ferguson believes he's starting to adapt to life in The Premiership following his big money move from Rangers. The tigerish midfielder made a sticky start to his Ewood career after signing from Rangers in a £6 million deal.
CLARETS striker Ian Moore has launched a passionate defence of manager Stan Ternent. Moore is the first player to publicly slam suggestions of a split in the camp following recent newspaper allegations of a training ground bust-up, which claimed players
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness could face competition for the signature of Markus Babbel if he decides to sign the defender on a permanent basis in the summer. Babbel is currently at Rovers on a season-long loan from Liverpool but the former Bayern Munich
PACKETS of Christmas cards depicting Darwen's famous landmark tower have been snapped up by residents. Around 5,000 of the cards showing the tower in the twilight were put on sale in Darwen Town Hall by Darwen Civic Society and almost all have now been
THE first journalist to interview Robert Lund after the macabre discovery of his wife's body today revealed: "I believe him". Sylvie Ferr, 40, of Castres, has worked as a journalist for more than 20 years and is a reporter for the regional daily newspaper
A NEW approach to tackling juvenile nuisance is being launched in Darwen involving police, young people and youth workers. Two officers from Lancashire Constabulary have been working closely with youths in the town to try and tackle juvenile nuisance
A YOUTH has been cleared of joining in an attack on a man he believed was having an affair with his mother. Daniel Hart, 19, of Ash Street, Bacup, was found not guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm by a Burnley Crown Court jury. He had denied
THE devastated family of a football fan who died after being found collapsed in a Rawtenstall street will say an emotional farewell at his funeral service next week. The funeral of young David James Taylor, 25, of Greendale Avenue, Newchurch, is set to
BURY Council says its status as the most improved authority in the country means it should unite with Rossendale Borough Council if residents vote for regional government. The Audit Commission named the authority the most improved in the country today
A MAN who fled abroad during his trial on a wounding charge was today given leave by Appeal Court judges to challenge his conviction. Sajis Sarwar was sentenced to four-and-a-half years by a judge at Preston Crown Court in his absence at the end of his
THE night sky around Blackburn town centre was lit up by an impressive display of fireworks last night. The massive display was set off in the Cathedral grounds prior to the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's 10th annual Christmas Carol Service. And the button
BLACKBURN with Darwen and Lancashire County have both made improvements to their services in the last year, according to the Audit Commission. Blackburn with Darwen was assessed as an "excellent top performing council" for the second year running by the
FAMILIES who claim their children died due to a social services' department's failings today reacted with shock and anger after it was given a top rating by the Government. The four families -- along with the relative of a 12-year-old prostitute who became
CARING mum Lesley McInally died after falling down stairs because of a badly-fitted carpet. The 29-year-old lay unconscious in her home in Bury Street, Radcliffe, as her seven-year-old daughter, Holly, dialled 999, an inquest was told. The youngster waited
IT has been a year in which there has been so much in the media about violent crime and gun crime. Each time there is a crime there is outrage and calls for the government to address this crime. The police have held amnesties and the media publicise how
I WOULD like to thank everyone who has contributed to our 'Christmas Challenge' campaign this year. Due entirely to the generosity of the readership and over 60 companies, disadvantaged people throughout the area will be able to enjoy a brighter and happier
IN the serious economic crisis of August 1931, gold and foreign investments flooded out of Britain and there was a growing budget deficit. A national government was formed which included Ramsay Macdonald, a former Labour leader, as Prime Minister, Stanley
.READERS may have been interested in the experiences of our son, Adam Knight, and our French "daughter" Lucile Genin (A Head Start when it comes to Languages, Monday December 1), and may wish to know more about arranging a six month exchange in France
OUR Christmas plans are on hold until after Saturday - then it's all eyes on the gaffer. As I'm sure everyone is aware, this time of year is only special for footballers in that the games come thick and fast. In the past, while you've been ripping the
TWO men have been accused of suppressing people's rights and shackling their freedom. One is Saddam Hussein - the other is Pendle Labour MP Gordon Prentice! Mr Prentice has been amazed to find himself compared to deposed and captured Iraqi dictator by
FAMILIES who claim their children died due to a social services' department's failings today reacted with shock and anger after it was given a top rating by the Government. The four families -- along with the relative of a 12-year-old prostitute who became
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness could face competition for the signature of Markus Babbel if he decides to sign the defender on a permanent basis in the summer. Babbel is currently at Rovers on a season-long loan from Liverpool but the former Bayern Munich
A TEENAGER who beat up a schoolboy kicked him repeatedly around the head and body, a court was told. Burnley Magistrates heard Andrew Lord, 18, struck after he heard rumours the victim had been claiming he had beaten him in a fight. He attacked the boy
MEMBERS of the public, led by Barbara Howarth, have protested to Padiham Council about the amount of dog fouling which takes place on Gawthorpe High School's playing fields and the play areas of Padiham county schools. The staff of both schools do ask
LIVES will be lost unless a major sponsor is found for an airborne team of rescuers. The North West Air Ambulance, which attends life-or-death incidents across the region, will begin the New Year relying solely on public donations and help from volunteers
THE cost of the unplanned shutdown at Heysham One power station is spiralling. British Energy had warned the closure at Heysham could cost up to £30 million when it was forced to close after a seawater-cooling pipe broke in October. But the energy giant
OWNERS of a family dog are over the moon after they were reunited with him in time for Christmas. Gwen Wood and her fianc Jez Fitzsimmons offered a cash reward after faithful black and white sheepdog Kane went missing last week. But the two-year-old collie
THE early bird catches a cracking good photograph - as a Lancaster photographer can prove. Ron's Atkinson's 'Day Break Over the Lake District' exhibition, being shown now at the Lancaster Maritime Museum includes work which pierces the dawn mist over
HOPES of a skate park, community gardens and heritage centre being created in a corner of Morecambe have been dashed this week. Poulton Neighbourhood Management (PNM) has spent months talking to residents about what they would like to see done with the
MILLIONS of pounds are being soaked up every year by people behaving badly in Lancaster and Morecambe. There are some 217 incidents of anti-social behaviour every day in the area, costing the taxpayer £10,250,000 in a year. The figures have been revealed
A CLOSURE-threatened community building has been thrown a temporary lifeline after Sure Start announced it wants to use it in the New Year. Pendle Council wanted to merge Nelson Civic Theatre and the Silverman Hall, also in Nelson town centre, into a
TWO men have been accused of suppressing people's rights and shackling their freedom. One is Saddam Hussein - the other is Pendle Labour MP Gordon Prentice! Mr Prentice has been amazed to find himself compared to deposed and captured Iraqi dictator by
A TERRIFIED night spot owner had been forced to close her club after threats of violence. Jane Taylor said she shut her doors of popular Manhattan Heights in Blackburn after receiving "serious" death threats. Tot Nicholas Stephenson got stuck in the cat
I DISAGREE with Cllr Grattan about boundary changes Letters, last week). Ever since we lost the Rural District Councils 30 years ago, villages in the Lancaster district have been virtually ignored by County Hall in Preston. This applies to school buildings
MORE THAN 21,000 elderly people in the UK died from hypothermia last year, according to official statistics released last month Yet nowhere in the recent Queen's Speech was there a mention of facilities being developed by the Government to meet the growing
I WENT to Brussels last Thursday in the hope that the EU would be able to reach agreement on the draft constitution, preferably in a way which ensured that all the United Kingdom's "red lines" were satisfactorily dealt with. In the event, the negotiations
LANCASTER City are declaring war on apathy - by firing the opening shots in a battle to get more fans through the gates at the Giant Axe. They are offering a cut-price deal to spectators who want to take in a trio of home matches within eight days at
CLARETS striker Ian Moore has launched a passionate defence of manager Stan Ternent. Moore is the first player to publicly slam suggestions of a split in the camp following recent newspaper allegations of a training ground bust-up, which claimed players
The Lancashire Evening Telegraph East Lancashire Business Awards - run in association with the Learning and Skills Council Lancashire - will reward the best of industry and commerce in the region. A glittering awards ceremony at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel
VILLAGERS in Tockholes will be keeping their fingers crossed for an early Christmas present when their first bonus ball-style lottery draw is made this month. The village hall committee has organised a Cash Cow draw which all villagers have been invited
DARWEN Football Club has been threatened with being put out of business after a brewery claimed it was owed thousands of pounds. Carlsberg Tetley Brewing Ltd has submitted a winding-up petition to the High Court which could force the 115-year-old club
A TEENAGE mum attacked police after "blacking out" at the end of a night serving in a Chinese restaurant, a court heard. And after admitting police assault and a breach of the peace, Leanne Grogan told of her fear that she had sipped a drink laced with
ROBERT Lund has had to rely on the support of a few close friends after being shunned by much of the community - and they are convinced he is innocent. Claude Quarin has been in the building business for 25 years in Albi. He advertised for a labourer
RALMONT, a small village nestled next to rolling green fields of southern France, has been shaken by the mystery of Evelyn Lund. French life as we know it - long lunch breaks, early morning wine tasting and the smell of croissants drifting from the local
EAST LANCASHIRE GPs are being urged to help identify carers who are missing out on vital support. According to the 2001census, the area has more than 55,000 carers but experts say there could be thousands more. A carer is someone who, without payment,
LANCASHIRE County Council has been judged as a "good" authority for the second year running in a national audit. The council was again given a thumbs up rating, which it was previously awarded in 2002. A county spokesman said: "We're good and we're getting
BRIGHT YOUNG STAR: Stanley midfielder Andy Procter is one youngsters who has proved himself with the Reds this season Stanley stars set themselves higher standards We are growing up says Coleman ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman is gratified that his
MICHAEL Green has kept his Olympic dream alive by winning the Huntsville Times Rocket City Marathon in Alabama on Saturday. The 27-year-old Blackburn Harrier from Great Harwood hit the edge of the bulls-eye for his target time of 2:20 with 2:20:25 and
CLAYTON Harriers were double winners at the Calderdale Way Relay. In the women's race the first three teams were covered by less than a minute after a 50-mile circuit which was divided into six stages. Clayton's winning margin was a mere 16 seconds over
