Archive

Botanical Gardens 140, Cricket Club 158; Lowton 149, Rugby Club 102; St Paul's A 140, Tyldesley 142; Brunswick 162, Westleigh Village 96; St Paul's B 156, St Paul's A 130.

St Peter's 143, HG St John's 148; All Saints 149, HG Meths 138; Bedford 166, Lowton 89; St Thomas's 109, Pennington 153; St Paul's 160, St Peter's 137; HG St John's 132, Leigh 161. Table: All Saints 22, Leigh 22, Bedford 21, Pennington 19, St Paul's 19

YOU can tell it's summer because the kids are out conkering. It is nice to hear their shouts of delight when they known down a conker. We should praise the parks department for the work they put in keeping the landscape neat and tidy and congratulate

ONCE again the Duke of Edinburgh has put his foot in it by upsetting a young disabled woman and all because her wheelchair just happened to get in his way. He described her as a being 'bit of a menace' and said that the metal footrests caught people's

I THINK fining parents who take their children on holiday in term time is all wrong (LET, July 23). When I was a working midwife we had to have our holidays on a rota basis. Very rarely did mine fall during the school holidays. No doubt many other people

I WRITE with regard to your feature entitled "Fines for Holiday Parents" (July 23). Firstly, let me say that in extreme cases of absenteeism from school I agree with the council's decision in implementing this fixed penalty rule. However, I think that

THREE carjackers armed with a knife and a sawn-off shotgun broke into a Tyldesley couple's home while they were asleep in bed on Thursday. One of the gang burst in to the bedroom at 3am and threatened to kill the 38-year-old man and his wife unless they

RADNEY Bowker will not be allowed to leave Leigh on loan. There has been renewed interest from clubs in NL1 and NL2 because of Bowker's recent absence from the side. "He's had a foot injury and has been struggling to train let alone play," says Abram.

LEIGH Centurions must be on their guard against a Bobbie dazzler this weekend. Bobbie Goulding, who played in Leigh's losing Grand Final side of 2002, returns to Hilton Park as player/coach of second bottom Rochdale keen to put a banana skin under the

Stockport County 0 Blackburn Rovers 2. . . GRAEME Souness's turbulent relationship with Dwight Yorke took another unexpected twist in the humble surroundings of Stockport's Edgeley Park last night. Blackburn fans must have thought they had seen the last

RECYCLING depot workers who posed for a controversial naked calendar last year have stripped off again for a 2005 calendar comeback. The cheeky chappies from Sita, along with the two women behind both calendars, Jenny Purcell and Dianne Hodkinson, are

COUNCIL bosses have pledged to help the owners of demolition-threatened premises find new sites after they were told they would be bulldozed as part of Burnley's £55million Oval Project. The move comes after Kay Donohoe, owner of a pet shop in Curzon

A POIGNANT reminder of Burnley's sacrifice during the First World War goes on display at Towneley Hall next week. The venue's 90 Stories exhibition will commemorate the 90th anniversary of the start of the war. Starting next Wednesday, August 4, the display

HEALTH and safety bosses have told East Lancashire industries to prevent accidents in the workplace after they prosecuted a firm following an explosion. The warning, from the Health and Safety Executive, comes after it successfully prosecuted Nelson-based

Bygone Burnley, with BILL ASHWORTH. . . EARLIER this year I went to the view day of articles for sale at Walton and Walton Auction House in Burnley which was featured on TV several months ago. I was intrigued to find amid the various items of furniture

A NURSE is on the run in South America after fleeing the country following accusations of misconduct at an East Lancashire nursing home. Sheila Grove, 48, formerly of Burnley, should have turned up yesterday at a professional disciplinary hearing in London

A GENERATION after they left Fred Longworth High School's class of 79 and teachers are reuniting tonight at 8pm at TK's night spot in Lime Street, Tyldesley. Admission is free with a 70s and 80s disco and late bar.

GLAZEBURY Cricket Club's annual fun-draising extravaganza will be a load of bull. A farmyard beast has been roped in to help raise the £2,000 target needed to keep the club running for another year. Already many of the 400 squares marked out to represent

THE thought of going for a two-and-a-half mile swim, a 112 mile bike ride and running a 26 mile marathon is enough to make anyone exhausted. But one former Accrington schoolboy has proved his super strength by completing them all in one day. Robert Wilkinson

AN ATHERTON student has won a top award after designing a bus poster which urges young people to practice safe sex. Hesketh Fletcher pupil Michael Brown is celebrating winning first prize in a council run competition to get the safe sex message across

A HUGE project to create a 'green' business park with its own power and heating supply could create new jobs for Hyndburn. Now the environmental scheme -- one of only three of its kind -- has won backing from campaign group Friends of the Earth, and been

LIFELONG loves Fred and Margaret Littler are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary. The couple married on July 26, 1944 at Astley St Stephen's Church just a week before Fred was sent away for wartime service in Burma. It was over two years before

A CLAYTON-le-Moors landlord has been granted an entertainment licence despite strong opposition from nearby residents who complained their sleep would be disturbed. But Raymond Duberry, of the Lamb Inn, Whalley Road, appealed to residents during a meeting

LEIGH residents are being given the opportunity to put across their views on local public transport services to the people responsible for providing them by attending their Local Transport Group. The borough's next Local Transport Group is to be held

A SCHOOL governor who helped make life better for pupils has retired -- at the age of 81. Mrs Olive Stockton has relinquished her position at Boothstown's Highlea Secondary School after 15 years because of her age and because she felt it was time for

FOR years it lay hidden by a grassy mound on a quiet country lane close to a sleepy East Lancashire village. But now one of the county's best kept secrets has been revealed to the public - a nuclear bunker. And it's up for sale! For a wallet-denting £250,000

COUNCIL chiefs in the Ribble Valley are demanding the Government reviews its decision not to let them use private cash to build 200 new affordable homes. Ribble Valley Council announced its stance after the Government pulled the plug on plans for a regional

IAN Moore today handed Burnley a massive injury boost by returning to full time training. The Clarets striker has so far managed just one hour of football this pre-season - at Accrington Stanley - after spraining an ankle early in the Turf Moor friendly

From DARREN BENTLEY, in Austria. . . MENTION the name Hans Krankl to anyone in Austria and you feel nostalgia fill the air. For allied with the fact that Krankl is arguably the greatest footballing icon the country has ever produced, comes the realisation

AN exhibition produced by adults with learning difficulties is to open in Atherton. The Self-Expression exhibition will showcase the work of the talented artists at the Hag Fold Community Centre, Dorset Road on August 31. The exhibition is free and will

TODDLERS in Atherton took part in a graduation leavers party to mark the closure of an Atherton nursery. ABC Nursery closed its doors for the final time after being in business for 17 years. The closure of the nursery based at the Independent Methodist

OVER 50 children from 15 Leigh Excellence Cluster schools took part in "Let the Children Speak" organised and sponsored by the Rotary Club of Leigh and held at Leigh Masonic Hall. An enthusiastic and appreciative audience enjoyed a variety of subjects

THE history of Christ Church, Pennington has finally been written in recognition of 150 memorable years of ongoing service to the community. In an A4 sized booklet local history librarian Tony Ashcroft presents a detailed and honorable account entitled

BEN Scott and Ashley Siddle both went out of the English Amateur Championship at the second round stage. Scott, form Burnley, made his exit on Tuesday, falling to a one-hole defeat against David Smith of Sandridge Park. Rossendale golfer Siddle came unstuck

CANOEING along canals is being offered to 11-21 year-olds as part of a Positive Futures Outdoor Education team programme. Trained staff will teaching canoeing and kayak safely and will highlight how canals are used by industry and about their importance

LEIGH & District Youth Soccer League is on the lookout for more teams for the forthcoming season. The league started in 1996 and all games are played on Saturday mornings. There are vacancies at U12s, U16s and U18s age groups. Any new or established

ALL the results July 19: Butts Park B 157, Rugby Union B 180; Botanical Gardens 173, Leigh CC 134; Lilford 148, Leigh Miners 156; Atherton Park B 151, Morgans 157; St Paul's 171, Atherton Park A 133; Leigh Bowling 164, Brunswick 118; A&T 169, Butts

ASTLEY & Tyldesley Road Runners sent their stongest possible team to Lancaster to compete in the Wagon and Horses 10 Mile. Following the club's recent success in local races, the team once again performed well with Shaun Moran winning the Veteran

ATHERTON CC failed to make any impression on Elton's lead at the top of the Bolton Association despite a 20-point victory at Little Hulton. Karl Brown (85), Philip West (68) and Neil Bannister (56 no) all scored heavily as Atherton posted a daunting total

ON another weekend badly affected by the weather, Leigh CC made up for the disappointment of having their match at Lytham abandoned by triumphing over the elements to win at South West Manchester and book a place in the semi-finals of the Thwaites Lancashire

ENGLISH football's wayward genius Paul Gascoigne jetted into the country to help race cash for Radcliffe Boro in a friendly match which drew a record crowd of 1,703 to Stainton Park. Peter Collins talked to him about his life . . . ALCOHOLISM blights

IAN Moore today handed Burnley a massive injury boost by returning to full time training. The Clarets striker has so far managed just one hour of football this pre-season - at Accrington Stanley - after spraining an ankle early in the Turf Moor friendly

A SUPPORT group which helps people deal with bereavement has launched a desperate appeal for volunteers. Signet is looking for volunteers to offer a friendly, listening ear to people who are struggling to cope with the loss of a loved one. Anyone who

AN exhibition produced by adults with learning difficulties is to open in Atherton. The Self-Expression exhibition will showcase the work of the talented artists at the Hag Fold Community Centre, Dorset Road on August 31. The exhibition is free and will

PLANS to build 90 new houses in Bacup look set to be backed by Rossendale Borough Council. The proposals for brick-built detached, semi-detached and terrace houses on land off Rockliffe Road will go before the council's development control committee tonight

A SHOP intruder was caught out after leaving his finger prints. Burnley magistrates heard drug addict Andrew Woodrup, 23, claimed he had got into the One Stop Shop on King Street, Bacup, by an open fire exit - but the prosecution say he climbed in through

GLAZEBURY Cricket Club's annual fun-draising extravaganza will be a load of bull. A farmyard beast has been roped in to help raise the £2,000 target needed to keep the club running for another year. Already many of the 400 squares marked out to represent

LEIGH Euro MP Terry Wynn is urging holidaymakers to check on the amount of duty free cigarettes they can take out of a country before returning home. He says his office is already dealing with a number of cases in which people have had goods confiscated

A SENIOR clergymen from Rossendale died from a killer illness he may have contracted from handling asbestos as a child, an inquest heard yesterday. The Rev John Slater, 59, the Rector of Mayfair, London, died from a cancer possibly caused by exposure

REPAIR services to 25,000 council tenants are being revolutionised from Monday. Tenants needing day to day repairs to their homes will have a greater choice of appointment slots, a wider range of tradesmen carrying out the work, and different contractors

COUNCIL engineers agreed to remove a 'road closed' sign following protests from businesses. Traders claimed the sign near Bethel community centre at Hindley Green, was cutting off access unnecessarily. Car dealer Steve James, whose garage has been affected

THE first school cycling path in tthe Leigh area has been a great success in easing rush hour congestion. Pupils at Lowton St Luke's CE Primary put the new route to good use when it was officially opened just before the end of term. Two years ago the

TODDLERS in Atherton took part in a graduation leavers party to mark the closure of an Atherton nursery. ABC Nursery closed its doors for the final time after being in business for 17 years. The closure of the nursery based at the Independent Methodist

OVER 50 children from 15 Leigh Excellence Cluster schools took part in "Let the Children Speak" organised and sponsored by the Rotary Club of Leigh and held at Leigh Masonic Hall. An enthusiastic and appreciative audience enjoyed a variety of subjects

LABOUR has appointed a "people's peer" to chair an inquiry into the resignations of six of its Blackburn councillors. Regional party bosses said Lord Victor Adebowale was approached on a personal basis by Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Racial Equality

CHARLIE Dimmock had better watch out! Council gardeners from East Lancashire are being toasted after scooping a top honour at the flower show dubbed the 'Chelsea of the North'. And what makes Blackburn with Darwen Council's success more surprising is

A 24-YEAR-OLD Blackburn man was caught in possession of a blow pipe and five metal tipped darts. Blackburn magistrates heard that police also recovered a bow and 22 arrows from Imran Patel's car. But the court was told the weapons were no more than holiday

ACCRINGTON Stanley chairman Eric Whalley has urged players to clean up their act after branding last season's disciplinary record as "totally unacceptable". Whalley and Reds manager John Coleman put forward a case for their defence at an Football Association

THE three season-long time trial leagues based on midweek events promoted in the East Lancs area make interesting viewing at this time of the year with only a few weeks remaining before the darker evenings bring to a close the activities for another year

IS Corrie turning into EastEnders? If the Cockney storyline continues they'll be getting rid of Betty's hotpots and serving up jellied eels in the Rovers.

LITTER louts never cease to amaze me. I walked along Bradshawgate this week to see people resting on the benches provided surrounded by a sea of discarded fag ends and food wrappings -- with a litter bin just an arm's length away. I cannot compehend such

THE final page is closing on another classy Leigh business, one which has served the town's bookworms well for decades. Chamley's in Union Street is locking up for the last time next week leaving the town without a specialist book and art shop. The owner

MY recent comments about the shortness of schoolgirls' uniform skirts prompted a response from a Leigh mum. She tells me that from September the girls of St. Mary's High will be allowed to wear trousers for the first time -- but they can only be bought

BRITISH summertime. Bah humbug. I pity the hardworking people whose toil to organise fetes and entertainment has come to nothing, ruined by the atrocious July weather. While we should all be basking in the sunshine we're huddled up in winter fleeces sheltering

Leigh Centurions 36 Oldham 12 by Mike Hulme: DARREN Abram had every right to be in good humour after seeing his side consolidate their position at the head of the table with an eighth straight win. Only at full time was it revealed the misfortune Abram

Leigh RMI 1 Wigan Athletic 1 by Martyn Hindley IT took just three and a half minutes for the post-McNiven misery to subside. Leigh fans wary that the Queen of the South bound striker had scored a healthy percentage of RMI's goals last season were assured

Cole is the king over distance BRIAN Cole has gone from success to success since discovering ultra-distance running little more than 12 months ago. The Royal Marine from Darwen is already a Great Britain Team regular and in May helped the National squad

ONE of the greatest evils of the current age is the seemingly endless number of sex attacks in our towns and villages. Just this week we've learned of the terrifying exploits of Kevin Turner who honed his internet skills in prison, only to unleash his

Our Lady 149, Pennington 143; St Richard's 157, St Joseph's 151; SH Leigh 118, Leigh Caths 163; SHHG 'B' 114, SHHG 'A' 174. Westleigh Caths - bye. Table: SH Leigh 26, SHHG A 25, Leigh Caths 23, St Richard's 21, Our Lady 20, St Joseph's 20, Westleigh Caths

WITH reference to your story (LET, July 23) headlined "Fines for Holiday parents." The difference between booking a holiday the week before or the week after a major school break can be as much as half, and in many cases it may well be the only chance

A SENIOR clergymen from Rossendale died from a killer illness he may have contracted from handling asbestos as a child, an inquest heard yesterday. The Rev John Slater, 59, the Rector of Mayfair, London, died from a cancer possibly caused by exposure

A NURSE is on the run in South America after fleeing the country following accusations of misconduct at an East Lancashire nursing home. Sheila Grove, 48, formerly of Burnley, should have turned up yesterday at a professional disciplinary hearing in London

BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness is ready to give Dwight Yorke a second chance after admitting he wants the striker to stay at Ewood Park. In a dramatic U-turn, Souness described Yorke as a 'class act' and said he could go on to become a role model for the

LIFELONG loves Fred and Margaret Littler are celebrating their diamond wedding anniversary. The couple married on July 26, 1944 at Astley St Stephen's Church just a week before Fred was sent away for wartime service in Burma. It was over two years before

BUSINESSES in Nelson town centre are being offered grants by Pendle Council to improve their premises. Grants of up to £3,000 are being offered to help businesses improve the external appearance of their properties, or to help pay for internal structural

ALMOST 400 homes could be demolished in the Whitefield area of Nelson as part of a regeneration project which will transform housing in Pendle. Pendle Council held a series of drop-in sessions informing residents about the proposals to rejuvenate Nelson

A WOMAN driver was injured when a brick was hurled from a footbridge on to a van. The missile hit the vehicle's bodywork and bounced through the offside open window, hitting Miss Lorraine Koehler on the shoulder. Police are now hunting the thugs who threw

10 years ago HUNDREDS of trout were killed as sewage from homes contaminated an East Lancashire river. The fish were found floating on the top of thick white foam at Whitewell Brook, between Albion Mill and Waterfoot. National River Authority officers

A FASCINATING glimpse into the past awaits visitors to Wigan's History Shop. Wigan Heritage Service's Family Album exhibition (Aug 2-25) displays some of the thousands of photographs donated by the public and collectors alike over the years. Many show

CIVIC leaders in Hyndburn are enlisting the help of the local public to help protect the borough's trees. Council chiefs want members of the public to become volunteer tree wardens, who can be trained up to become the "eyes and ears" who watch over and

THE history of Christ Church, Pennington has finally been written in recognition of 150 memorable years of ongoing service to the community. In an A4 sized booklet local history librarian Tony Ashcroft presents a detailed and honorable account entitled

POLICE investigating a possible armed robbery at an Accrington petrol station early yesterday morning believe they are close to making arrests. Detectives from Accrington CID spent yesterday reviewing CCTV footage from the Supamart petrol station, in

A DRIVER who had to be cut free from a car was airlifted to hospital after an freak accident involving a truck, two cars and a van. Firefighters had to cut the roof off a Nissan Micra car and worked with paramedics to release the man trapped for an hour

JUST weeks after 'sadist' Philip Stone received six life sentences for a shocking catalogue of domestic violence perpetrated against his former girlfriend Lisa Kilmartin, the borough's community safety agencies are mapping out future plans to tackle the

HIGHER Folds is the divorce capital of England. Figures released this week reveal that more divorced people live on the Leigh housing estate than anywhere else in the country. According to Census statistics one in six - or 16.02 per cent - of residents

RESIDENTS called for barricades when commuters hit by the latest long road closure started using their streets as a rat-run to avoid diversions. They protested to ward councillors and as a result council workmen rolled in giant boulders to block off Norbury

EVEN though businessman Paul Crook knew all about teaching diet and body sculpture he let himself go to seed. Despite helping others keep in shape the 32-years-old father-of-three was a fat schoolboy who grew into an obese 21-years-old weighing over 22

WHILE attractive women may have stolen all the attention in one marquee, animals still ruled the roost at the second day of the Royal Lancashire Show. After a day dominated by cattle in the show rings on Tuesday, it was the turn of pigs, goats and sheep

TWELVE months ago, Megan Thompson sat in her house cursing the organisers of the Royal Lancashire Show for causing miles of tailbacks which kept her blocked in for two days. Yesterday, she was the queen of the show after being crowned the first ever Miss

Haunted by sex 'lies' ORDEAL Ex-headteacher helps others falsely accused hghghgghghgh hghghghhghg IT'S the sort of accusation every teacher dreads. But how do you cope when your accusers are believed, and you are wrongly convicted as a result? Four years

JUNIOR school pupils at Leigh St Peter's have an impressive attendance record. Over the past year 15 of the seven to 11 year-olds have had a 100 per cent attendance record at the Leigh Street school. Delighted head Mrs Pat Jolley said: "Attendances have

AN ATHERTON student has won a top award after designing a bus poster which urges young people to practice safe sex. Hesketh Fletcher pupil Michael Brown is celebrating winning first prize in a council run competition to get the safe sex message across

CLITHEROE Golf Club is still buzzing over the events of last Wednesday when the midweek medal produced a course record and TWO holes-in-one. Club champion Mark Ashworth broke the course record with a flawless 63 while both Geoff Sutcliffe and Jonathon

DEAN Pickard rounded off a remarkable week when he became Nelson's youngest club champion last night. Less than seven days after winning the ELGA Junior Championship at Rishton, the 16-year-old beat Craig Fort by two holes to secure the title. Pickard

BOOTHSTOWN is to play host to a blossoming flower show. The annual Salford and Bolton Fuschia Society's event will take place on August 7 and 8 at the Worsley Hall Garden Centre, Leigh Road, between 1pm and 5pm on Saturday and 10am and 4pm on Sunday.

LOWTON WI meet next Wednesday when Helen Coffey will speak at an over 50s forum which begins at 7.15pm in the Barwell Room at Golborne High School. Members have just enjoyed a trip to 'Calendar Girl' country and invite newcomers to their meetings held

A VILLAGE footpath is to close for fencing work. Warrington Council has issued a temporary order affecting the route in Hurst Lane, Glazebury, beginning on August 9. It is expected the work on footpaths 136 and 139 will take about three weeks. The restrictions

CULCHETH Sports Club Bowling Section is again staging the Carlsberg-Tetley Open for the Tom Helsby Trophy with a first prize of £240. Entries are limited to 64 at £7 per person. Winner £240, runner-up £120, semi-finalists £60, quarter-finalists £30, last

THE Howarth family's attack on Leigh Harriers' club records runs on. Lauren lowered her own club U15 girls' 800m best to 2min 20.04sec at Stretford, the second time in two weeks she has smashed the 20 years old record. Father John, holder of the over

A rather too familiar story is not helping our league cause whatsoever as, once again, we were victims of the weather at Lytham, returning home with just four 'abandoned' points reports Dave Dove We had played the game we wanted to after being inserted

AN all-Leigh final is still on the cards after the opening weekend of Leigh Miners Rangers' 24th Super Cup. The sunshine was conspicuous by its absence on the opening weekend, with cold wins and rain the flavour of the days, but the crowds gathered and

LEIGH Seconds entertained Wigan in a match which was very important for both sides. Both teams, precariously placed at the lower end of the league table, needed victory and maximum points. Leigh won the toss and after some consideration put Wigan in to

BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness is ready to give Dwight Yorke a second chance after admitting he wants the striker to stay at Ewood Park. In a dramatic U-turn, Souness described Yorke as a 'class act' and said he could go on to become a role model for the

THE future for toddlers Grace Mae Taylor and Lucy Kaye is looking brighter after a charity donation from a Bury carpet company. Grace Mae, from Radcliffe, suffers from a rare condition known as Tyrosinemia Type 1 -- an inherited liver disease which means

A GENERATION after they left Fred Longworth High School's class of 79 and teachers are reuniting tonight at 8pm at TK's night spot in Lime Street, Tyldesley. Admission is free with a 70s and 80s disco and late bar.

BOLTON Intermediate side once again proved too strong for interleague rivals Bury in a fabulous display of Bolton's best 18-25 year olds.The game was won by 165-95 with Bolton having an innings to spare. Bury lost five players for no score in the first

A FORMER pub will be converted into apartments if Wigan Council gives the go-ahead. Reef Properties, Hale Barnes, Cheshire, has applied to convert the former Railway Hotel and brewery outbuilding in High Street, Golborne into 12 apartments and build an

A LEIGH man accused of a serious wounding offence has appeared at Liverpool Crown Court. George Smith-Whittle, formerly of Lilac Avenue, pleaded not guilty to wounding Michael Crabbe with intent on May 2. Smith-Whittle, aged 55, of no fixed abode, was

BOOTHSTOWN is to play host to a blossoming flower show. The annual Salford and Bolton Fuschia Society's event will take place on August 7 and 8 at the Worsley Hall Garden Centre, Leigh Road, between 1pm and 5pm on Saturday and 10am and 4pm on Sunday.

LOWTON WI meet next Wednesday when Helen Coffey will speak at an over 50s forum which begins at 7.15pm in the Barwell Room at Golborne High School. Members have just enjoyed a trip to 'Calendar Girl' country and invite newcomers to their meetings held

JUNIOR school pupils at Leigh St Peter's have an impressive attendance record. Over the past year 15 of the seven to 11 year-olds have had a 100 per cent attendance record at the Leigh Street school. Delighted head Mrs Pat Jolley said: "Attendances have

A DARWEN farmer struggling to stay financially afloat wants residents to think again about opposing his plans to create a caravan site in one of his fields. Richard Wiggans, of Brocklehead Farm, Eccleshill, wants a 30-pitch touring caravan site to help

A VILLAGE footpath is to close for fencing work. Warrington Council has issued a temporary order affecting the route in Hurst Lane, Glazebury, beginning on August 9. It is expected the work on footpaths 136 and 139 will take about three weeks. The restrictions

IF you are shameless in everything you do and with and attitude that sometimes get you in trouble, television awaits. TV production company Ricochet South, makers of Channel 4's 'Risking It All' and 'No Going Back', are looking for local contributors

YOUNGSTERS in Ramsbottom can sign up for a new pass that will allow them to access more than 150 activities, including bowling and ice skating, during the summer holiday. Anyone aged 11 to 16 can join Bury and Rochdale's Active Generation (BRAG) summer

WALKS for Health is a series of short walks ideal for those who unused to exercise or those who are returning to it. No booking is required and the walk is free, with everyone encouraged to walk at their own pace and the promise that nobody will be left

RESIDENTS in Bacup and Stacksteads are to be consulted on a master plan that will help shape the towns over the next 15 years. Rossendale Council has commissioned the detailed plan to look at future developments. A team of consultants will now be looking

A FASCINATING glimpse into the past awaits visitors to Wigan's History Shop. Wigan Heritage Service's Family Album exhibition (Aug 2-25) displays some of the thousands of photographs donated by the public and collectors alike over the years. Many show

NEWCHURCH WI paid tribute to former member Hilda Aston who died at the age of 91. The craft group finished joint second in the Cheshire Federation Myths and Legends competition at the Cheshire show missing victory by just two points, and the quiz team

FRED Longworth High School has won the New Statesman magazine's New Media Award for Best Secondary School ICT Project. Information Computer Technology is used throughout the Tyldesley school, including smartboard technology. The school uses Open Source

WIGAN Council is to consider 18 applications from the Post Office to site18 Royal Mail postal pouch boxes in Leigh and Tyldesley. The secure boxes are placed at convenient points to store mail for postmen to pick up and deliver on their rounds. A PO spokesman

MARTIAL arts ace Shaun Hodson is offering a free holiday self defence course to high school children and women to help make them feel safer on the streets. Leigh's Jaguar Thai Boxing Group chief instructor has answered a call from the two groups to organise

WHEN they read about a cancer group's hard fund raising work keen gardeners Rod and Marian Raines offered their help. The couple, members of the National Gardens Scheme which opens up to the public for charity days, have organised a day in aid of Christies

THE first school cycling path in Wigan borough has been a great success in easing rush hour congestion. Pupils at Lowton St Luke's CE Primary put the new route to good use when it was officially opened just before the end of term. Two years ago the school

CANOEING along canals is being offered to 11-21 year-olds as part of a Positive Futures Outdoor Education team programme. Trained staff will teaching canoeing and kayak safely and will highlight how canals are used by industry and about their importance

LEIGH has a new voice in Westminster to speak up for the town's young people. Last week Golborne's Rachael Ward took her seat on the National Youth Parliament which will help to draw up a youth manifesto to be presented to both local and national government

DOGS of all shapes and sizes took centre stage at Astley and Tyldesley Running Dog Club show on the sports fields at Gin Pit village. A wet start to the weekend didn't deter country sports fans who came from as far afield as Scotland, Wales, Devon, the

TWO rugby league favourites from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s have been inducted into the Leigh club's Hall of Fame. At last Friday's Leigh Past Players 14th annual dinner in the Mick Martyn Lounge at Hilton Park the modest duo of Brian Fallon and Alf Wilkinson

FOUR East Lancashire students have jetted off on an American adventure thanks to Blackburn brewers Daniel Thwaites. Blackburn duo David Jarmany, 18, and Rebecca Godbold, 17, who attend St Mary's College and St Wilfrids' Sixth Form respectively, along

BLACKBURN'S council-owned bus company has confirmed it is to seek damages from a rival operator. Blackburn Borough Transport Limited was told earlier this month it was entitled to compensation after the company used a similar name and "passed off" services

ORDINARY citizens are to have a say in the future of the county's most dangerous sex attackers when they are released from prison. Two 'lay adviser' positions have been created on the board which decides how to control violent or sex offenders in Lancashire

Harrogate Railway 1 Accrington Stanley 2. . . ACCRINGTON Stanley claimed their third win of the pre-season campaign with a victory over Harrogate Railway last night. Manager John Coleman started with a mixed side of first team players and trialists to

FRED Longworth High School has won the New Statesman magazine's New Media Award for Best Secondary School ICT Project. Information Computer Technology is used throughout the Tyldesley school, including smartboard technology. The school uses Open Source

THE first school cycling path in Wigan borough has been a great success in easing rush hour congestion. Pupils at Lowton St Luke's CE Primary put the new route to good use when it was officially opened just before the end of term. Two years ago the school

A SCHOOL governor who helped make life better for pupils has retired -- at the age of 81. Mrs Olive Stockton has relinquished her position at Boothstown's Highlea Secondary School after 15 years because of her age and because she felt it was time for

CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Fairfield Hospital's Special Care Baby Unit took to the streets at the weekend. The Fairfield Baby Lifeline Society set up stall outside Mothercare, in Union Street, Bury, and collected signatures in opposition to the possible

A FATHER and son from Bury have been killed in a plane crash in America which claimed four lives. Stephen Aspden, aged 45, and his 12-year-old son Jack were killed instantly when a light aircraft being flown by a family friend careered out of control

LEIGH RMI welcome back Kevin Keegan to Hilton Park on Saturday almost six years after his Fulham side won a televised FA Cup replay against RMI on the same ground. Manchester City are the visitors, in Leigh's third high-profile friendly of the summer.

PHIL Starbuck is flying in the face of the popular saying that familiarity breeds contempt. The Leigh RMI manager has already raided his former club Hucknall Town for players this summer and the trend is set to continue with Clint Marcelle being trialled

Leigh RMI 1 Everton XI 0: LEIGH RMI continued their build-up to the start of the season with an encouraging win over an Everton XI at Hilton Park. Trialist Chris Simms scored the winner 10 minutes from time. And the striker did his chances of securing