Archive

  • Canaries for a quid

    Burnley's forthcoming Championship clash against Norwich City at Turf Moor has been designated as a special 'Kids For A Quid' fixture. The match takes place on Friday March 24 and all supporters under 16 will be able to buy a ticket for just £1 in all

  • Youngsters called up

    Two of Burnley younger players have received international call-ups for their country. Northern Ireland striker Kyle Lafferty, who was recalled from a loan spell at Darlington earlier this week, has been called into the U21 squad for their 'International

  • Hyde sets himself a Clarets goal

    MICAH Hyde is desperate to end the worst goalscoring drought of his career at Coventry this weekend. The stand-in skipper last scored for the Clarets with a stunning volley away to Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup last March. And as the anniversary of

  • This is Gunner be best

    PAUL Dickov reckons leading Blackburn Rovers back into Europe would rank as one of the greatest feats of his professional career. The veteran striker, who is hoping to make a shock return to action against Arsenal at the weekend, has already tasted European

  • Paint flue go-ahead

    A NELSON company has been granted planning permission for a flue to remove paint spraying fumes despite residents' concerns it was spewing out noxious substances. However, North Valley Metal Company, based at the Barnfield Business Centre, Brunswick

  • Hundred cannabis bags ‘were for his own use’

    A BURNLEY man with an "appalling" criminal record was found in possession of more than a hundred bags of cannabis in a car. But Martin Rickwood who has 33 previous convictions - avoided jail after convincing a court the drugs were for his own use.

  • Civic hall saved

    RAMSBOTTOM Civic Hall has been saved. At a full council meeting last night, Coun Mike Connolly, deputy leader of Bury Metropolitan Council, announced the hall would not be closed as part of controversial cost-cutting plans. But, as the council set a

  • Chat service fined £25,000

    A ONE-TO-ONE chat service based in Rawtenstall has been fined £25,000 by the industry regulator. Watchdog ICSTIS launched an investigation into operations by 2Ergo Ltd, based at St Mary's Chambers, Haslingden Road, after receiving a complaint about the

  • Man, 29 cleared of street attack

    A MAN accused of attacking two people outside a Nelson home has been cleared by a jury. Keith Delaney, 29, had told Preston Crown Court he had merely stepped in to halt a fight. The jury acquitted him of two accusations of actual bodily harm assault,

  • Help shape £20m new future for Whitefield

    THESE images show how a historic part of Nelson could be transformed as part of a £20million flagship project to breathe new life into the town. Top architects have unveiled their plans for the regeneration of Whitefield, as part of a prestigious design

  • ‘Dragons’ Den’ needs hot ideas

    The BBC has asked a business group to help with its Dragons' Den' TV show. Pendle Enterprise Trust has been approached to help find local entrepreneurs for the third series. The BBC2 show gives small firms, or businessmen, the chance to pitch ideas

  • Adhesives company makes sale stick

    A NELSON firm has been sold to a competitor in a deal worth £360,000. Portland Adhesive Products Ltd, based at Lomeshaye Bridge Mill, St Mary's Street, has been bought by a Manchester-based company. Today the new bosses said the move will now mean a

  • Average council tax bill to top £1,000

    THE average council tax bill for Burnley next year will be just over £1,000 after councillors agreed one of the lowest rate rises on record. Councillors agreed an increase in the property charge of 2.5 per cent, which will rise to 4.5 per cent because

  • Claret and ‘I do’ at match of day

    AFTER 35 years together Burnley couple Jenny and Norman White have finally decided to tie the knot and make history in the process. For the couple who have supported Burnley Football Club for the past 13 years will be the first to get married at Turf

  • Pervert had child porn in cargo crate

    A PERVERT from Pendle brought more than 7,000 pornographic images and films including ones featuring children into the country, a court heard. Andrew Wallis, of Norfolk Street, Nelson, has admitted importing obscene images when he sent his possessions

  • Kinky sex man admits assault

    A KINKY sex lover has admitted injuring his ex-girlfriend in a bondage session. Edward Toolan, 40, pleaded guilty to one charge of assault causing actual bodily harm on former partner Stephanie Monks at an address in Burnley last year. The assault happened

  • Tragic Levi's grandad dies aged 45

    THE FAMILY of tragic tot Levi Bleasdale have been hit by fresh tragedy after the toddler's grandfather collapsed and died. Alan Bleasdale, 45, died suddenly of a heart attack on Friday the same day the driver of the car which killed Levi, Mohammed Hussain

  • Rise in police precept ‘sensible’

    A POLICE boss today claimed raising council tax by 4.99 per cent was a "sensible decision". Coun Malcolm Doherty, chairman of the Lancashire Police Authority, said research had shown that residents in the county were happy to pay up to 15 per cent more

  • A truce in noise row

    A SCHOOL accused of keeping residents awake with Spice Girls songs and other performances has been told to keep the noise down. St Wilfrid's CE High School and Technology College came under fire from 25 neighbours in Shakespeare Way, Blackburn, who urged

  • MP backs ‘Sex Tax’ petition

    ROMAN Catholic MP Greg Pope has welcomed moves to cut the VAT on condoms in a bid to reduce sexually transmitted diseases and high pregnancy rates. The Hyndburn Labour back bencher is one of three East Lancashire MPs supporting a campaign asking Chancellor

  • Hopes to keep jobs for police

    LANCASHIRE'S police chief has said a tight budget should not mean fewer officers. A meeting of the county's police authority, the body which controls the police force's funding, debated the amount of money which would go to the police from council tax

  • ‘Use it or lose it’ rail message

    RAIL passengers are being urged to make better use of bus services stopping at stations in the Ribble Valley after a route was axed. Lancashire County Council has pulled its funding for the 210 service from Clitheroe to Chatburn after deciding that not

  • Merger ‘dangerous’

    A GROUP of Conservative MPs have branded the proposed merger of Lancashire and Cumbria police as "very dangerous". And the 25-strong group of MPs, who are considered to the right of the party, are urging Tory leader David Cameron to step up his opposition

  • Scouts’ star trek

    A GROUP of scouts have completed a challenge which will make other packs green with envy by starring in a television advert. The troop from Immanuel Church, Feniscowles, Blackburn, were filmed walking in Witton Park for one of the 15-second trailers

  • Cat killing horror ‘a threat’ to owners

    A COUPLE have told of their horror after their cat was found strangled. Catherine Buck and John Sempers, of Norris Street, Darwen, discovered four-year-old tortoise shell Harley dead in their back garden with a plastic garden cord tied tightly around

  • A safer street in memory of Amy

    THE family of a schoolgirl who died after being hit by a banned driver have welcomed traffic-calming measures on the street where she was hit. Workmen have finished a multi-thousand pound scheme which they hope will ensure that the death of tragic 12

  • ‘New law on killer drivers can’t come soon enough’

    THE FAMILY of toddler Levi Bleasdale today said a new law which could have seen the driver whose car killed the youngster jailed for up to five years could not come soon enough. Levi's relatives have slammed the 12-week jail sentence handed to hit and

  • Cancer victim’s inspiring message

    A TERMINALLY-ILL mother is inspiring others with a message of hope after becoming the face of East Lancashire Hospice's new website. Mother-of-four Marion Motupalli's fight for life has been dubbed "bravery beyond comprehension" after she shocked doctors

  • Hall or nothing in national final

    The National Sportshall Athletics Final at Birmingham awaits the Lancashire Under 15 Girls Team after they won the North West Regional Final at Wigan. Jubilant coach Paul Brooke described the match as "one of the toughest inter-counties regional rounds

  • Blair should put us Brits first

    WE now have the 100th British soldier killed in Iraq since Blair and his Foreign Secretary Jack Straw started our involvement in this ridiculous war. Just how much longer is Straw going to continue backing this war monger? Particularly when it must be

  • Home oxygen: Why change a good system?

    I READ with interest the article on home oxygen supplies (LET February 11), being an oxygen user myself. My first thought on this new idea when I heard it just before Christmas was why? If it isn't broken don't fix it. I have been on home oxygen for 15

  • Martin taking a turn for the verse

    You may think that writing nonsense was not the way to get a book published. But for one Chorley author it provided the route to literary success. Martin Colclough, 43, of Firtree Avenue, Chorley, has recently published a book, The Poetry of Cadenz Rime

  • Pupils write plea to school vandals

    Pupils at a vandal plagued Chorley primary school have written to The Citizen to plea with yobs who are threatening a new play area. Vandals have struck at Gillibrand County Primary, Grosvenor Road, Chorley, several times recently smashing windows and

  • Teen terrors

    Bosses of a popular teen event have vowed to step up security after a man was beaten by a gang of youths. The Heventeen under-18s Valentine's event was being held at the Park Nightclub at Park Hall, Charnock Richard, when the man was attacked outside

  • Thwaites drayman shot

    A DRAYMAN today re-lived the moment he was shot after being caught up in a drive-by shooting spree while delivering to a Welsh village pub. Ex-soldier and TA volunteer, Andy Fortuna, dodged live bullets during service in Iraq, Bosnia and Northern Ireland

  • Tragic Levi's grandad dies aged 45

    THE FAMILY of tragic tot Levi Bleasdale have been hit by fresh tragedy after the toddler's grandfather collapsed and died. Alan Bleasdale, 45, died suddenly of a heart attack on Friday the same day the driver of the car which killed Levi, Mohammed Hussain

  • This is Gunner be best

    PAUL Dickov reckons leading Blackburn Rovers back into Europe would rank as one of the greatest feats of his professional career. The veteran striker, who is hoping to make a shock return to action against Arsenal at the weekend, has already tasted European

  • No sign of bird flu after swans tested

    Tests on two dead swans from Preston for bird flu have proved negative, the Department for Rural Affairs (Defra) has confirmed. A spokesman for Defra said it was part of routine testing that the department had been carrying out for a number of months.

  • Cracking Baftas Nick

    World renowned animator Nick Park from Preston, proved his popular duo Wallace and Gromit were here to stay as two of Britain's most entertaining characters after picking up a top award at the Baftas. The creator's latest success, Wallace and Gromit:

  • 'Mrs Preston' steps down after ten years

    Julia Horn, general manager of Preston and District Chamber of Trade, will retire at the end of March after more than ten years serving the city. Mrs Horn has been hailed for playing a pivotal role in the Preston's development from a town to a city. John

  • Ban on smoking extends to cabs

    Smoking in taxis has been banned by Preston City Council, although if you're caught breaking the rule you won't be fined. The ban will come into force on Wednesday, March 1, and is designed to protect the city's 700 Hackney Carriage and private hire car

  • Kinky sex man admits assault

    A KINKY sex lover has admitted injuring his ex-girlfriend in a bondage session. Edward Toolan, 40, pleaded guilty to one charge of assault causing actual bodily harm on former partner Stephanie Monks at an address in Burnley last year. The assault happened

  • Hundred cannabis bags 'were for his own use'

    A BURNLEY man with an "appalling" criminal record was found in possession of more than a hundred bags of cannabis in a car. But Martin Rickwood who has 33 previous convictions - avoided jail after convincing a court the drugs were for his own use. Police

  • Claret and 'I do' at match of day

    AFTER 35 years together Burnley couple Jenny and Norman White have finally decided to tie the knot and make history in the process. For the couple who have supported Burnley Football Club for the past 13 years will be the first to get married at Turf

  • Tragic Levi's grandad dies aged 45

    THE FAMILY of tragic tot Levi Bleasdale have been hit by fresh tragedy after the toddler's grandfather collapsed and died. Alan Bleasdale, 45, died suddenly of a heart attack on Friday the same day the driver of the car which killed Levi, Mohammed Hussain

  • Man, 29 cleared of street attack

    A MAN accused of attacking two people outside a Nelson home has been cleared by a jury. Keith Delaney, 29, had told Preston Crown Court he had merely stepped in to halt a fight. The jury acquitted him of two accusations of actual bodily harm assault,

  • Help shape £20m new future for Whitefield

    A historic part of Nelson could be transformed as part of a £20million flagship project to breathe new life into the town. Top architects have unveiled their plans for the regeneration of Whitefield, as part of a prestigious design competition. The area

  • MP backs 'Sex Tax' petition

    ROMAN Catholic MP Greg Pope has welcomed moves to cut the VAT on condoms in a bid to reduce sexually transmitted diseases and high pregnancy rates. The Hyndburn Labour back bencher is one of three East Lancashire MPs supporting a campaign asking Chancellor

  • Duo's experience

    Two Blackpool youngsters have been given a taste of first team football with 'work experience' loans to Conference North clubs. Lewis Edge featured in Worksop Town's 4-1 defeat at the hands of Nuneaton Borough on Saturday while central defender, Kevin

  • Win is vital to avoid dogfight

    Blackpool face a relegation six-pointer after ending their recent dismal run with a share of the points at Bournemouth on Saturday. Saturday's clash with Yeovil will see the Seasiders leapfrog the Somerset outfit and get clear of the relegation zone with

  • Match report: Bournemouth 1 Blackpool 1

    It took just four minutes for the Cherries, who haven't been able to buy a win in recent weeks, to grab the lead when striker Brett Pitman headed past Lee Jones. It was a particular blow for Grayson, who gave on-loan Blackburn left back Andy Taylor a

  • Youngsters called up

    Two of Burnley younger players have received international call-ups for their country. Northern Ireland striker Kyle Lafferty, who was recalled from a loan spell at Darlington earlier this week, has been called into the U21 squad for their 'International

  • Ex soldiers jailed for abducting girls

    Two ex-Territorial Army soldiers were jailed last week after pleading guilty to the abduction and sexual assault of two young Blackpool schoolgirls. Lee Dickson, 26, and Andrew North, 24, both of Boundary Court, off Garstang Road West in the resort, were

  • 'Dragons' Den' needs hot ideas

    The BBC has asked a business group to help with its Dragons' Den' TV show. Pendle Enterprise Trust has been approached to help find local entrepreneurs for the third series. The BBC2 show gives small firms, or businessmen, the chance to pitch ideas to

  • Awards for IT launched

    A SET of awards have been launched to search for excellence in Lancashire firms using IT and digital technology. The Big Chip Awards 2006 will have five regional categories, covering the North West, including one for Lancashire. Now in its eighth year

  • Chat service fined £25,000

    A ONE-TO-ONE chat service based in Rawtenstall has been fined £25,000 by the industry regulator. Watchdog ICSTIS launched an investigation into operations by 2Ergo Ltd, based at St Mary's Chambers, Haslingden Road, after receiving a complaint about the

  • Civic hall saved

    RAMSBOTTOM Civic Hall has been saved. At a full council meeting last night, Coun Mike Connolly, deputy leader of Bury Metropolitan Council, announced the hall would not be closed as part of controversial cost-cutting plans. But, as the council set a council

  • On the waterfront

    Wyre's faded seaside facilities could soon be a thing of the past as the borough welcomes its new "Seafront Supremo". Former council Leisure Development Manager, Grant Sellers, is now responsible for managing the regeneration of the currently "rundown

  • Stub out fine

    Blackpool smokers ostracised from the resort's pubs could also find themselves on the receiving end of fines when they are on the streets. Discarded smoking material has been identified as the number one litter problem on the town's streets - ahead of

  • Farewell to Labour veteran Alf

    A stalwart of the Labour movement on the Fylde Coast has died at the age of 89. Former councillor and author, Alf Goldberg, passed away last week after a stroke. Born in Chelsea, Mr Goldberg left school at the age of 14 to become an apprentice mechanic

  • Star Trek thief 'no enterprise'

    A 27-year-old shoplifter's attempt to steal a boxed set of Star Trek DVDs was described as an unsophisticated Enterprise'. And Basharat Ditta, defending, told Blackburn magistrates that looking back his client might have used some superior Vulcan intelligence

  • Hanging victim 'obsessive'

    A 26-YEAR-OLD man hanged himself in a friend's caravan after getting depressed over the breakdown of a relationship, a court was told. An inquest heard that Simon Christopher Holmes had a history of depression, and had become "obsessive" about his failed

  • 'I'll clean up eyesore' vow

    A DERELICT house that has attracted vandals for more than a decade has been bought by a property developer who has promised to clean it up. Blackburn businessman Shabir Patel bought number 41 Whalley Road, Langho, for £224,000 yesterday at an auction

  • Woman passenger stabbed cabbie

    A taxi driver sent to collect a fare ended up knifed by a woman passenger, a court heard. Akhtar Hussain was horrified to see Michelle McGuinness pull out a 12-inch long knife. She made a stabbing motion towards his neck and his hand was cut as he tried

  • Scouts' star trek

    A GROUP of scouts have completed a challenge which will make other packs green with envy by starring in a television advert. The troop from Immanuel Church, Feniscowles, Blackburn, were filmed walking in Witton Park for one of the 15-second trailers for

  • A safer street in memory of Amy

    THE family of a schoolgirl who died after being hit by a banned driver have welcomed traffic-calming measures on the street where she was hit. Workmen have finished a multi-thousand pound scheme which they hope will ensure that the death of tragic 12-

  • Thwaites drayman shot

    A DRAYMAN today re-lived the moment he was shot after being caught up in a drive-by shooting spree while delivering to a Welsh village pub. Ex-soldier and TA volunteer, Andy Fortuna, dodged live bullets during service in Iraq, Bosnia and Northern Ireland

  • Cancer victim's inspiring message

    A TERMINALLY-ILL mother is inspiring others with a message of hope after becoming the face of East Lancashire Hospice's new website. Mother-of-four Marion Motupalli's fight for life has been dubbed "bravery beyond comprehension" after she shocked doctors

  • Fylde need to bounce back

    Fylde make their first ever trip to Leicester Lions' Westleigh Park ground on Saturday (kick off 14.30) for a game between the eighth and ninth clubs in National Three (North). There are few games of little consequence in N3N and both clubs will be anxious

  • Becky wins European adventure

    Rebecca White has won a week's warm weather training for two in Europe for being named Athlete of the Series following the UK Athletics Indoor City Challenge Final. White, from Haslingden, is a teacher in Wiltshire and was representing the City of Bristol

  • Amy's legacy will save lives

    IT is hard to imagine anything worse for than to lose a child. And when death comes as the result of a road accident parents and relatives are likely to be tormented by thoughts of what might have been done to stop it happening. The family of Amy Houston

  • It's not all the binmen's fault

    I AGREE with some points of M Wicks (LET, Feb 11) about residents being prosecuted over bin bags. But on the other hand, it is not entirely the council's fault Blackburn is a dirty town. The problem is caused by some people who live here, the ones who

  • Bridging the generation gap

    ONE Saturday night my husband and I decided to listen to some music. We are both in our early 40s, we grew up listening to Bowie, T-Rex and later punk rock. We enjoy music that is a little bit different. On that note I bought a CD by Babyshambles with

  • Woman to sue council over fall

    A WOMAN who blames devastating knee injuries on a "raised flagstone" in her back garden has won the right to claim compensation from Chorley Council. Neina Graham, 35, of Church Street, Whittle-le-Woods, twisted her knee in the accident in August 1999

  • MP's bus passes plea for elderly

    LINDSAY Hoyle is calling for action to ensure East Lancashire pensioners get to travel free on buses. The Chorley MP wants all 12 district councils in Lancashire to unite over pensioner bus travel. From April this year all pensioners will be able to travel

  • Boxing hero returns to school

    A new £950,000 outdoor sports facility for Holy Cross High School was given a star-studded launch. Chorley boxing sensation and former pupil Michael Jennings cut the ribbon to open the floodlit all-weather surface playing area at the Burgh Lane school

  • Escaped patient back on security ward

    A PSYCHIATRIC patient has been moved to a high security ward after he sparked a seven-hour search when he "ran away". James Carter made it past members of staff at Burnley General Hospital and ran as fast as he could, losing staff chasing him. Hospital

  • Mums to race in memory of their brave daughters

    Two mums who lost their teenage daughters to the same rare form of bone cancer will keep the memory of their children alive by taking part in the Citizen-backed Race For Life in aid of Cancer Research UK. Lynda Heyworth and Cath Owen, both from Chorley

  • Rafa gives Rovers a real lift

    Blackburn Rovers Reserves 1 Manchester City Reserves 2: Rafaelle De Vita's first goal for Rovers reserves wasn't enough to prevent City coming away with a victory from Morecambe last night. De Vita put Blackburn ahead in the 14th minute when he latched

  • Party over as Feel fades out

    A Preston club night that attracted some of the world's greatest DJs and put the city's dance scene on the map has closed its doors after more than a decade. Feel, which kicked off at the University of Central Lancashire's Student Union building 13 years

  • 'New law on killer drivers can't come soon enough'

    THE FAMILY of toddler Levi Bleasdale today said a new law which could have seen the driver whose car killed the youngster jailed for up to five years could not come soon enough. Levi's relatives have slammed the 12-week jail sentence handed to hit and

  • Escaped patient back on security ward

    A PSYCHIATRIC patient has been moved to a high security ward after he sparked a seven-hour search when he "ran away". James Carter made it past members of staff at Burnley General Hospital and ran as fast as he could, losing staff chasing him. Hospital

  • Paint flue go-ahead

    A NELSON company has been granted planning permission for a flue to remove paint spraying fumes despite residents' concerns it was spewing out noxious substances. However, North Valley Metal Company, based at the Barnfield Business Centre, Brunswick Street

  • Adhesives company makes sale stick

    A NELSON firm has been sold to a competitor in a deal worth £360,000. Portland Adhesive Products Ltd, based at Lomeshaye Bridge Mill, St Mary's Street, has been bought by a Manchester-based company. Today the new bosses said the move will now mean a £35,000

  • Recipe to make lots of dough!

    STUDENTS at an East Lancashire school were given food for thought by a local entrepreneur. Helen Colley, managing director of Clitheroe-based Farmhouse Fare, visited Rhyddings Business and Enterprise school, Oswaldtwistle, to give tips on getting started

  • Youths film car vandalism

    YOUNG criminals are using mobile phones to film themselves vandalising cars in a "worrying" new trend. Sergeant Ian Corbett, of Great Harwood police, said the problem was so bad that officers were getting reports of up to 10 vehicles being attacked every

  • Ex-home sold for double

    A FORMER care home closed down by Lancashire County Council has been sold at auction for almost twice its advertised price. Acorn Lodge, in Nuttall Street, Accrington, was sold to an anonymous phone bidder for £645,000. The former council-run home, which

  • Disabled sports day facing axe

    AN annual disabled sports day is under threat after the organisers said dwindling numbers could see this year's event cancelled. The competition is organised and financed each year by the Accrington Rotary Club and last year a team selected to represent

  • 'Use it or lose it' rail message

    RAIL passengers are being urged to make better use of bus services stopping at stations in the Ribble Valley after a route was axed. Lancashire County Council has pulled its funding for the 210 service from Clitheroe to Chatburn after deciding that not

  • Ex-soccer chief in bank probe

    A FORMER vice-chairman arrested following alleged fraud and deception at Clitheroe FC is also being investigated over thefts from Barclays Bank. Mark Gidlow was arrested last week after a complaint was made by committee members at Clitheroe Football Club

  • Gym aid for Shelly

    A Blackpool gym is backing a Blackpool athlete in her bid for Commonwealth Games glory. Bannatynes Health Club of Rigby Road has given wheelchair racer, Shelly Woods, a complimentary membership ahead of her 2006 season of track and road races, which begins

  • Jack Straw column: Changing the pace of world diplomacy

    I HAVE a high regard for my predecessors as Foreign Secretary from both sides of the House of Commons. Each of them worked very hard at the job. Geoffrey Howe, who served Margaret Thatcher loyally, first as her Chancellor and then (from 1983 to 1989)

  • Canaries for a quid

    Burnley's forthcoming Championship clash against Norwich City at Turf Moor has been designated as a special 'Kids For A Quid' fixture. The match takes place on Friday March 24 and all supporters under 16 will be able to buy a ticket for just £1 in all

  • Davis off the mark

    Wrexham Reserves 0 Burnley Reserves 2: Steve Davis celebrated his first win as Burnley reserve team boss after headers from Nicky Platt and Rob Turner saw off Wrexham. Skipper Platt gave Burnley the crucial advantage before the break at the windswept

  • Hyde sets himself a Clarets goal

    MICAH Hyde is desperate to end the worst goalscoring drought of his career at Coventry this weekend. The stand-in skipper last scored for the Clarets with a stunning volley away to Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup last March. And as the anniversary of last

  • Teenage rapist jailed

    A Fylde teenager has been jailed for three years after being convicted of the "calculated grooming" of a 12-year-old schoolgirl for sex. Civil servant Stephen Jackson, 19, from Wren Close, Thornton, will serve three years in prison after being found guilty

  • Hyde sets himself a Clarets goal

    MICAH Hyde is desperate to end the worst goalscoring drought of his career at Coventry this weekend. The stand-in skipper last scored for the Clarets with a stunning volley away to Blackburn Rovers in the FA Cup last March. And as the anniversary of last

  • This is Gunner be best

    PAUL Dickov reckons leading Blackburn Rovers back into Europe would rank as one of the greatest feats of his professional career. The veteran striker, who is hoping to make a shock return to action against Arsenal at the weekend, has already tasted European

  • Chat service fined £25,000

    A ONE-TO-ONE chat service based in Rawtenstall has been fined £25,000 by the industry regulator. Watchdog ICSTIS launched an investigation into operations by 2Ergo Ltd, based at St Mary's Chambers, Haslingden Road, after receiving a complaint about the

  • Listen to new rules on noise

    EAST Lancashire firms are being asked "How Prepared is Your Business" for new regulations on noise and vibration at work. The Health and Safety Executive is holding two half-day sessions, at the City of Manchester Stadium. The sessions, on Thursday, March

  • Paint flue go-ahead

    A NELSON company has been granted planning permission for a flue to remove paint spraying fumes despite residents' concerns it was spewing out noxious substances. However, North Valley Metal Company, based at the Barnfield Business Centre, Brunswick Street

  • Adhesives company makes sale stick

    A NELSON firm has been sold to a competitor in a deal worth £360,000. Portland Adhesive Products Ltd, based at Lomeshaye Bridge Mill, St Mary's Street, has been bought by a Manchester-based company. Today the new bosses said the move will now mean a £35,000

  • Scooter death crash: No action taken

    NO further action will be taken in the police investigation into the death of a 21-year-old Darwen man who was killed in a road accident. Anthony Wastell, 21, of Allerton Close, Darwen, died when his Piaggio Vespa scooter collided with a milk van on January

  • Cat killing horror 'a threat' to owners

    A COUPLE have told of their horror after their cat was found strangled. Catherine Buck and John Sempers, of Norris Street, Darwen, discovered four-year-old tortoise shell Harley dead in their back garden with a plastic garden cord tied tightly around

  • Generating cash to play on

    A BOWLING club has been given the power to play into the evenings thanks to a grant. The Grant Arms bowling club in Market Place appealed to Ramsbottom Area Board board for help towards the purchase of a generator to supply power. The whole project cost

  • Thieves in 'cat' con rob woman aged 93

    A 93-year-old woman was tricked by sneak thieves claiming to have lost a cat, police warned today. Detectives are hunting two men who targeted Katie Lyons at her home in Haslingden. She opened her door to one trickster who claimed to be searching for

  • Janet's parking perm

    AN MP has joined the calls to extend free parking in Rossendale so she can get her hair done without getting a parking ticket. Local MP Janet Anderson said keeping at least four hours free parking in towns is essential for future prosperity. But Rossendale

  • Sea 'walker' rescue operation

    A man was recovering in hospital yesterday after sparking a major air and sea rescue operation in Lytham. The unnamed male - thought to be in his 40s - was taken to Blackpool Victoria Hospital suffering from hypothermia following the daring rescue by

  • Cup draw!

    A young Blackpool football fan's artistic skills have seen him score a chance to meet his footballing heroes. Stephen Pyper, 13, will help top England stars kick off their preparations for June's World Cup in Germany when he is a special guest at the

  • Help to sniff out dog stars

    New opera stars could be under the spotlight at Blackpool's Grand Theatre later this year - but they'll have to be barking to get involved! Four-legged thespians are wanted for two separate productions scheduled for the Grand in the coming months, and

  • Robbery alert for women

    Women are being urged to be vigilant in Blackpool after a spate of attacks on lone females in the resort last week. Police have issued the warning after three separate incidents - involving two women in their early 20s and an 11-year-old schoolgirl -

  • Museum U-turn

    'The axe may not have fallen, but the execution is still scheduled.' This is the warning from Britain's top maritime historian - Stephen Riley - after Lancashire County Council (LCC) members voted to do a U-turn on plans to shut down Fleetwood's beleaguered

  • Challenge for new trust boss

    Blackpool's hospitals could have a bright future as part of a new NHS 'Foundation Trust' - but must first deal with immediate financial woes. That's the message from the new man in charge of the Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre Hospitals NHS Trust, chief executive

  • Film questions future of resort

    It has been seen around the world and been up for awards as far away as Miami but a short film shot entirely in Blackpool is set to make its North West debut next month. Film maker Robert Kluger's 20-minute short film, French Fries on the Golden Mile

  • End of an Era

    It was the stage that helped put Oasis and the Spice Girls on the road to international success. Now Avenham Park's historic bandstand will be bulldozed next month to make way for a new pavilion. Invitations have been sent out to the city's movers and

  • A truce in noise row

    A SCHOOL accused of keeping residents awake with Spice Girls songs and other performances has been told to keep the noise down. St Wilfrid's CE High School and Technology College came under fire from 25 neighbours in Shakespeare Way, Blackburn, who urged

  • Davies sets lesson in clinical science

    Billy Davies has urged his players to use their FA Cup defeat as the benchmark for future performances. The manager has ensured several of his players will watch videos of key moments of the Middlesbrough encounter to show them the difference between

  • Plea for advice service

    Debt-ridden families will be left with 'nowhere to turn' if funding cuts to a charity are given the go-ahead, it was claimed this week. Lytham St Annes Citizens Advice Bureau is making a last minute plea to stop a £20,000 drop in its annual council grant

  • Churchgoers on increase

    The number of people attending Church of England services in Lancashire are up for the second year in a row. Average weekly attendances were up six per cent to 37,700 in the year 2003 to 2004, a rise the Bishop of Blackburn, the Very Rev Christopher

  • We don’t want to go for a Burton

    TWO down, perhaps ...maybe... only another five to go. All the talk is that's how many more wins we'll need to secure the title. But we're not taking anything for granted. Nothing is won yet, and Hereford will do everything to have a say in what happens

  • Becky wins European adventure

    Rebecca White has won a week's warm weather training for two in Europe for being named Athlete of the Series following the UK Athletics Indoor City Challenge Final. White, from Haslingden, is a teacher in Wiltshire and was representing the City of Bristol

  • Hall or nothing in national final

    The National Sportshall Athletics Final at Birmingham awaits the Lancashire Under 15 Girls Team after they won the North West Regional Final at Wigan. Jubilant coach Paul Brooke described the match as "one of the toughest inter-counties regional rounds

  • Davis off the mark

    Wrexham Reserves 0 Burnley Reserves 2: Steve Davis celebrated his first win as Burnley reserve team boss after headers from Nicky Platt and Rob Turner saw off Wrexham. Skipper Platt gave Burnley the crucial advantage before the break at the windswept

  • Rafa gives Rovers a real lift

    Blackburn Rovers Reserves 1 Manchester City Reserves 2: Rafaelle De Vita's first goal for Rovers reserves wasn't enough to prevent City coming away with a victory from Morecambe last night. De Vita put Blackburn ahead in the 14th minute when he latched

  • There’s a fine art to tackling debts

    FROM fine art to finance, case worker Simon Bolton's career has come a long way since he started out with an art degree more than 14 years ago. Turning his attention to money advice, Simon has progressed through the ranks first as a volunteer adviser

  • Woman passenger stabbed cabbie

    A taxi driver sent to collect a fare ended up knifed by a woman passenger, a court heard. Akhtar Hussain was horrified to see Michelle McGuinness pull out a 12-inch long knife. She made a stabbing motion towards his neck and his hand was cut as he tried

  • Thieves in ‘cat’ con rob woman aged 93

    A 93-year-old woman was tricked by sneak thieves claiming to have lost a cat, police warned today. Detectives are hunting two men who targeted Katie Lyons at her home in Haslingden. She opened her door to one trickster who claimed to be searching for

  • Disabled sports day facing axe

    AN annual disabled sports day is under threat after the organisers said dwindling numbers could see this year's event cancelled. The competition is organised and financed each year by the Accrington Rotary Club and last year a team selected to represent

  • Recipe to make lots of dough!

    STUDENTS at an East Lancashire school were given food for thought by a local entrepreneur. Helen Colley, managing director of Clitheroe-based Farmhouse Fare, visited Rhyddings Business and Enterprise school, Oswaldtwistle, to give tips on getting started

  • Comic to keep ‘em on their way

    FUNNY man Peter Kay would be the choice of motorists if they could pick the voice of their satellite navigation device, but Joe Pasquale would drive them around the bend. Following the success of the new technology that allows Tom Baker's voice to deliver

  • TV review: The Apprentice, BBC2

    A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, or so they say. Well, not if the medicine is a hard-nosed appraisal of your business abilities and is accompanied by the words You're fired'. Alan Sugar, or rather, Sir Alan is good at killing people

  • ‘I’ll clean up eyesore’ vow

    A DERELICT house that has attracted vandals for more than a decade has been bought by a property developer who has promised to clean it up. Blackburn businessman Shabir Patel bought number 41 Whalley Road, Langho, for £224,000 yesterday at an auction

  • Ex-home sold for double

    A FORMER care home closed down by Lancashire County Council has been sold at auction for almost twice its advertised price. Acorn Lodge, in Nuttall Street, Accrington, was sold to an anonymous phone bidder for £645,000. The former council-run home,

  • Watchdog hits out at health chiefs

    THE chairman of a patients' watchdog set up by the Government today slammed hospital bosses for keeping its members uninformed. Mollie Manthorpe said her forum was not being kept abreast of a controversial review of hospital services. She said members

  • MP’s bus passes plea for elderly

    LINDSAY Hoyle is calling for action to ensure East Lancashire pensioners get to travel free on buses. The Chorley MP wants all 12 district councils in Lancashire to unite over pensioner bus travel. From April this year all pensioners will be able to

  • Janet’s parking perm

    AN MP has joined the calls to extend free parking in Rossendale so she can get her hair done without getting a parking ticket. Local MP Janet Anderson said keeping at least four hours free parking in towns is essential for future prosperity. But

  • Changing the pace of world diplomacy

    I HAVE a high regard for my predecessors as Foreign Secretary from both sides of the House of Commons. Each of them worked very hard at the job. Geoffrey Howe, who served Margaret Thatcher loyally, first as her Chancellor and then (from 1983 to 1989

  • Bridging the generation gap

    ONE Saturday night my husband and I decided to listen to some music. We are both in our early 40s, we grew up listening to Bowie, T-Rex and later punk rock. We enjoy music that is a little bit different. On that note I bought a CD by Babyshambles with

  • It’s not all the binmen’s fault

    I AGREE with some points of M Wicks (LET, Feb 11) about residents being prosecuted over bin bags. But on the other hand, it is not entirely the council's fault Blackburn is a dirty town. The problem is caused by some people who live here, the ones

  • Blair should put us Brits first

    WE now have the 100th British soldier killed in Iraq since Blair and his Foreign Secretary Jack Straw started our involvement in this ridiculous war. Just how much longer is Straw going to continue backing this war monger? Particularly when it must

  • Home oxygen: Why change a good system?

    I READ with interest the article on home oxygen supplies (LET February 11), being an oxygen user myself. My first thought on this new idea when I heard it just before Christmas was why? If it isn't broken don't fix it. I have been on home oxygen for

  • ‘Rough ride’ to slow speeders

    Roads leading into a town are set for safety improvements. Lancashire County Council has confirmed it plans to carry out work on Edisford Road, Pendle Road, Whalley Road, Waddington Road, and Chatburn Road, all on the approach to Clitheroe. Red lines

  • Listen to new rules on noise

    EAST Lancashire firms are being asked "How Prepared is Your Business" for new regulations on noise and vibration at work. The Health and Safety Executive is holding two half-day sessions, at the City of Manchester Stadium. The sessions, on Thursday,

  • Hanging victim ‘obsessive’

    A 26-YEAR-OLD man hanged himself in a friend's caravan after getting depressed over the breakdown of a relationship, a court was told. An inquest heard that Simon Christopher Holmes had a history of depression, and had become "obsessive" about his failed

  • Star Trek thief ‘no enterprise’

    A 27-year-old shoplifter's attempt to steal a boxed set of Star Trek DVDs was described as an unsophisticated Enterprise'. And Basharat Ditta, defending, told Blackburn magistrates that looking back his client might have used some superior Vulcan intelligence

  • Awards for IT launched

    A SET of awards have been launched to search for excellence in Lancashire firms using IT and digital technology. The Big Chip Awards 2006 will have five regional categories, covering the North West, including one for Lancashire. Now in its eighth year

  • Generating cash to play on

    A BOWLING club has been given the power to play into the evenings thanks to a grant. The Grant Arms bowling club in Market Place appealed to Ramsbottom Area Board board for help towards the purchase of a generator to supply power. The whole project

  • Scooter death crash: No action taken

    NO further action will be taken in the police investigation into the death of a 21-year-old Darwen man who was killed in a road accident. Anthony Wastell, 21, of Allerton Close, Darwen, died when his Piaggio Vespa scooter collided with a milk van on

  • Ex-soccer chief in bank probe

    A FORMER vice-chairman arrested following alleged fraud and deception at Clitheroe FC is also being investigated over thefts from Barclays Bank. Mark Gidlow was arrested last week after a complaint was made by committee members at Clitheroe Football

  • Thwaites drayman shot

    A DRAYMAN today re-lived the moment he was shot after being caught up in a drive-by shooting spree while delivering to a Welsh village pub. Ex-soldier and TA volunteer, Andy Fortuna, dodged live bullets during service in Iraq, Bosnia and Northern Ireland

  • Youths film car vandalism

    YOUNG criminals are using mobile phones to film themselves vandalising cars in a "worrying" new trend. Sergeant Ian Corbett, of Great Harwood police, said the problem was so bad that officers were getting reports of up to 10 vehicles being attacked every