HUGE strides have been made in bringing communties together in Burnley since the 2001 riots, a House of Commons select committee has been told. But only a reversal of Burnley's economic fortunes - a new wave of prosperity after years of decline - will
TEENAGERS in East Lancashire are being targeted in a hard-hitting education project aimed at tackling young driver deaths and injuries. John Bennett, personal injury solicitor for Forbes Solicitors in Accrington, is teaming up with national road safety
RIBBLE Valley residents will continue to pay the lowest council tax rate in East Lancashire after councillors voted through a rise of just 3.6 per cent. This means a Band D homeowner will pay an annual total bill of just £1,406.51 - £112 less than in
HUNDREDS of East Lancashire parents did not get their first choice of secondary school for their child, following a change to the admissions system. Figures released today show that although more than 85 per cent of parents in the region did get their
A TEENAGER who threatened to shoot police after his drug addict mother claimed he put a gun to her head has walked free from court. Damien Kershaw, 19, shouted to an inspector he had a loaded magnum in his hand and told officers the first one that went
A BLACKBURN man has been arrested at Manchester United's ground tonight after a police investigation into ticket touting and money laundering at top Premier League clubs. The 32-year-old man was arrested at Old Trafford during United's Champions League
A MAN who was forced to leave home following a row with his wife suffered severe frostbite after moving into a shed at his allotment. Keith Trail, 52, shivered through temperatures as low as -9C after being told not to return to Ermine Close, Blackburn
TWO dealers who made more than £80,000 out of peddling hard drugs from a house in Burnley have been ordered to hand back cash. Masood Akbar, 27 and Asim Rauf, 26, masterminded a commercial distribution operation from a residential street, the town's
SHOPPING centre bosses say a new lease of life is in prospect for Pendle Rise in Nelson - after councillors expressed concerns about the number of empty units there. Property agents have lined up deals for a number of retailers to take up places within
FOUR players were sent off in a chaotic second-half as Burnley crashed to defeat at the KC Stadium tonight. The Clarets were two goals down to Hull at half-time. They went behind in the 15th minute when Fraizer Campbell's shot squirmed underneath
AN OVER-the-limit teenager who stole and crashed his stepfather's car left a £23,000 trail of damage in the early hours escapade, a court heard. Burnley Magistrates were told how uninsured and unlicenced Benjamin Joseph Procter, 18, wrote off a £18,000
ROSSENDALE moved a step closer to securing a place in the end-of-season promotion play-offs but it was a less than impressive victory. The Marl Pits side may have crossed for four tries but it did not stop the coaching staff berating a below par performance
There will be an Irish Ceilidh with entertainment by The Valley Band at nearby St Mary's Chambers, Haslingden Road on Friday, 14th March at 8.00pm. Tickets are £10.00 and this includes a pie & peas supper. Tickets are available from Rossendale Hospice
Walkers and visitors to Calf Hey Reservoir off Grane Road are angry that United Utilities propose to introduce car parking charges at the popular nature spot. United Utilities conducted a very small scale survey (less than forty people) and say that the
THE line-up for the grand final of the St Wilfrid's Panel Darts competition is now complete following the latest round of qualifying matches. After eight tough qualifying rounds, the top 16 players have emerged to go for glory at the Longridge club later
A MAN who committed sexual offences against four girls told police officers to take him off the streets 'to protect other youngsters'. Duncan Twisse, 54, of Otterburn Road, Blackburn, had been committed for sentence at Preston Crown Court after he
BLACKBURN stretched their remarkable unbeaten league record to 16 games which proved to be the perfect parting gift for Ferdie Naude. The popular South African forward is returning to his homeland having played an integral part in what will certainly
TALENTED young sailor Jak Cornthwaite has underlined his talents after a superb performance at the Open Qualifier for World and European events. The 16-year-old from Baxenden took part in the prestigious event at Stokes Bay Sailing Club on the Solent
A COUNCIL leader has accused his political opponents of spying in his office and using information from his personal computer. Tory Coun Peter Britcliffe called on Hyndburn Council's Labour leader to resign over the allegations - which have been denied
BURNLEY maintained their promotion push thanks to a last-kick-of-the-game victory over Eccles - and stretch their winning run to 17 matches. The North Lancs One high-flyers looked like they would have to settle for a share of the spoils until Richard
A WOMAN who began videoing her walks around Darwen after being diagnosed with a degenerative condition has created a worldwide demand for her work. Barbara Smith, 58, of Avondale Road, Darwen, has filmed a walk to Darwen Tower, walks in Sunnyhurst
The Pioneer Darts Knockout competition is expanding due to popular demand. The competition was only due to run for four weeks but thanks to a big turnout at the Church club, organisers decided to run it for a further a eight weeks. However, the
Graham Willets is the latest winner in the Sharon Murraryu Grand Prix darts competition. The weekly event is being staged at the Cabin End pub in Knuzden every Thursday with money raised supporting the MacMillan Nurses. The competition has been organised
IT'S the final of the Clitheroe & District snooker league team knockout this week and next between Low Moor A and Royal British Legion. Low Moor are favourites for the title which is decided on aggregate but they certainly won't have things all their
A LEADING local sports injury lawyer has called for two-footed challenges to be outlawed due to the 'devastating consequences' it could have an amateur footballers. Rossendale-based Paul Mulderrig says the terrible injury suffered by Eduardo should be
GARRY Dixon may have crossed the line first but the real battle for honours in the Great North Western half marathon was between two Rossendale Harriers. And it was Andrew Buttery who pipped team-mate Ian Pudge for local glory in the increasingly popular
India survived a valiant fightback from Australia to win the second Commonwealth Bank final by nine runs and claim the series 2-0. Defending a target of 259 after Sachin Tendulkar's classy 91, India made a fine start as Praveen Kumar (four for 46)
An opportunity has arisen for the people of Rishton to help the Rishton PROSPECTS Panel provide seating around the district for ramblers and casual users alike, but we cannot do this alone! We would like as many people as possible to become involved.
Clitheroe Royal Grammar School's Year 10 netball team were crowned Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Netball champions in a tournament held at Norden Sports College in Rishton. They are also the Ribble Valley Schools Cup winners.
More than 100 youngsters from across Pennine Lancashire gathered for the Pioneer 79 annual Shrimps Gala. The event is for children aged seven to nine, and swimmers from Great Harwood Otters, Haslingden and Accrington swimming clubs joined Pioneer 79
TEENAGE girls have taken part in trials for the chance to become professional footballers at the North West's first major specialist football academy for women. Accrington and Rossendale College has held open trials for the academy, which will be launched
Blackburn Rovers' Under 18s beat Bolton Wanderers thanks to a late strike from Francis Zenaba. Gary Bowyer's side took the lead in the 73rd minute when Martin McCubbin scored from the penalty spot. Bolton then equalised five minutes later, but Zenaba
A YOUNG woman may be permanently disabled after she was allegedly pushed down the stairs by her boyfriend. Police say Christie Ridehalgh, 24, broke her neck after tumbling down a flight of 15 steps at the home of her boyfriend, Calum Marsden, in Garnett
Blackburn Rovers Reserves let two points slip through their grasp when they conceded a late equaliser to draw 1-1 with Manchester City. Josh O'Keefe headed Rovers in front from a well-flighted Alan Judge cross. But City, who were outplayed for long
A CHARITY event to remember a woman who died of cervical cancer raised more than £3,000 at the Stirk House Hotel in Gisburn. The cash was donated to the Round Table Children's Wish fund in the memory of Angie Walmsley, of Clitheroe, who died five years
WHEN you are a child you think the world will always be the same, that your mum will always be there. But it's not so. There is constant change, and movement is everywhere. As a child though, the week's routine stayed the same. On Sunday it was best
A MAN whose young son was killed by an IRA bomb visited Stonyhurst College to speak to students about becoming ambassadors for peace. Colin Parry OBE, who set up the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace Centre in Warrington in 2000, spoke
I AM delighted to see the Health Secretary Alan Johnson is writing to every GP in England to ask them to back a deal on longer surgery opening hours. Question is, will this undermine traditional general practice? I don't think so. Ministers want to
FURTHER to the article "9 Drink-drive convictions in 10 years" (LT, February 28) I was puzzled to note that defendant Amir Saeed had not been sent to prison. In my day as a magistrate, in the 1950s and 1960s, this would have resulted in the magistrates
WHY were contracts not signed to make sure the firm demolishing Blackburn town centre would rebuild it? Before demolition work began? Or has Blackburn with Darwen council once again not got it right? And if so, goodness knows what the finished project
THE Management Committee of Blackburn with Darwen Older People's Forum wishes to indicate publicly its concern about the way in which Blackburn with Darwen Council has implemented the job evaluation exercise for its staff and the detrimental effect on
THE parent company of the former East Lancashire Coachbuilders has started trading on the London Stock Exchange. Darwen Holdings plc has been admitted on to the Alternative Investment Market of the LSE and has issued 49,293,145 shares which were trading
SEATS are being fitted in bus shelters in Darwen town centre. The council began fitting seats in two shelters in Darwen Market Square yesterday. The process is expected to take a week and the shelters will be closed as work is carried out. The improvements
The Town Council's Development Committee agreed to pay the annual subscription for the Open Space Society (£30) and the Campaign to Project Rural England (£28).
Darwen Local History Society invite you to an evening of crime? Jackie Davitt Author & Historian, will be talking about her book Murder & Crime in Pendle & the Ribble Valley'. 7:15pm-March 17th -2008. Bridge Street Sport & Social Club (Former
Planning permission has been granted for a new women's gym in Ramsbottom. Approval for the Curves fitness and weightloss franchise on the first floor of 8A and 10A Bolton Street was previously refused because councillors were concerned about potential
Burnley fans heading to Hull tonight are advised that the westbound A63 will be closed from 10pm. This will affect all supporters heading back to the M62. Work is being done on an overhead bridge close to Melton, west of the Humber Bridge
On March 6th it is World Book Day and to celebrate this Foulridge St Michael & All Angels C of E Primary School is hosting a week of activites centered around books and literacy. On Tuesday afternoon parents have been asked to go in and read a story
A WIDOWER was left "disgusted" after the Inland Revenue sent a letter to his wife who died six months ago. And when Brian Barnes called up to complain, he said he was told to "call back in a few weeks because we're really busy". HM Revenue and Customs
TWO clubs have raised hundreds of pounds for a brewery's charity appeal. Bosses at the Brookes Club in Accrington handed over £225 to the British Heart Foundation and the Oswaldtwistle and Church Social Club handed over £500. The cash was raised as
ROSSENDALE manager Derek Egan has ordered his player to "put things right" at home to Lancaster City tonight. His side crash to bottom-of-the-table Radcliffe on Saturday.
CLITHEROE chairman Carl Garner is under no illusion about the task facing the Blues as they approach the business end of the season balanced precariously close to the drop zone. Top of the league Skelmersdale are the visitors to Shawbridge tonight
CHORLEY will aim to reach the final of the Lancashire FA United Co-operative Challenge Trophy for the first time in 15 years when they face Burscough tonight in an intriguing semi-final clash at Victory Park. The Magpies have a proud history in the competition
AMBITIOUS Burnley manager Owen Coyle has urged his players not to let their promotion opportunity slip through their fingers. The Clarets go into tonight's game at Hull City just one point off the top six and eager to put some daylight between themselves
Andrew Flintoff has been named in Lancashire's 17-man squad to compete in the inaugural Pro ARCH Series this month in the United Arab Emirates. The Pro ARCH Series has been organised by Sport Arabia Ltd and will feature the UAE national team plus five
BENNI McCarthy has indicated he is ready to spend the rest of his career at Blackburn Rovers. The former Porto star, who is Rovers' second top scorer this season with 11 goals in all competitions, has hinted he is willing to sign a new contract with
A RESCUE operation for a community centre has come up trumps in Burnley Wood. People using the Dall Street Community Centre, between Dall Street and Glebe Road, feared it would be closed under Elevate regeneration works locally. But with the help of
A MOTHER got a bigger surprise than she bargained for when her Mother's Day bouquet was delivered - and a frog hopped out. Maureen Walkden, 63, from Wilpshire, near Blackburn, was unwrapping the bunch of exotic orange flowers and lilies sent by her daughter
Super mum Joan Robinson, 70, of Burnley, met Prime Minister Gordon Brown's wife Sarah at a reception at 10 Downing Street. Mrs Robinson, a mother 10, five of them adopted, won the Lifetime Achievement Award in the Tesco Magazine's mums of the year
ROSSENDALE DJ Andy Kershaw is back behind bars just days after being released from prison. Kershaw was arrested near his home in Peel on the Isle of Man for again allegedly harassing his former partner Juliette Banner. Kershaw, 48, was released
I WAS having my Sunday tea and, not being a fan of Songs of Praise, started channel-hopping round Freeview. What I found was a half hour programme on the Parliament Channel celebrating the 20th anniversary of the merger of the Liberal Party with the
BURNLEY-born Shameless star Jody Latham has won a major role in a prime time television drama. And unlike his alter-ego Philip 'Lip' Gallagher, in the Channel 4 comedy drama, Jody's latest role is on the right side of the law. Jody, 25, who lives in
A POPULAR community centre is set to get a £33,500 facelift after funding was announced by the local council. Improvement works will take place at Hippings Vale Community Centre, Oswaldtwistle, to repair rotten doors and windows. Hyndburn Council has
Burnley boss Owen Coyle has reiterated that reports claiming defender Jon Harley has turned down a new deal are wide of the mark. "It's an absolute non-story with Jon," Coyle said. "We've not sat down yet, so you can't turn down something that's
OH Gail, Gail, Gail, have you really so little grey matter nestling under all that big feathery barnet? Why would you think offering to help Tina get an abortion behind David's back is a good idea? Everyone knows that David (aka spawn of Satan) isn't
OWEN Coyle is used to getting one-up on Hull City counterpart Phil Brown. The pair were team-mates at Bolton Wanderers back in the mid-1990s, and although captain Brown encouraged a strong team bond, there was still a healthy sense of individual rivalry
A THIRD Burnley super school has come under fire from Ofsted inspectors - and has been placed in special measures. Shuttleworth Community College, Kiddrow Lane, has been found to be failing after an inspection last week. The move prompted Burnley Council
BLACKBURN Rovers chairman John Williams believes the club are offering fans the best value for money entertainment in the Premier League. Rovers have agreed to freeze the price of season tickets for Early Birds' after fans responded positively to this
The United Nations' Security Council approved a third round of sanctions against Iran over its refu-sal to suspend its uranium enrichment programme with almost unanimous support yesterday. All but one of the members voted for the introduction of additional
Three Bolton Wanderers supporters have appeared in court after being arrested at the Ewood Park match against Blackburn Rovers on February 24. Mark Jolly, 28, of Sharook Drive, Bolton, pleaded guilty to going onto the area adjacent to the pitch. He
THE immediate impact Owen Coyle has had at Burnley has come as no surprise to Hull City boss Phil Brown. "Where Coylie is concerned, he exudes confidence and that spills into other people's lives and into his changing room," said Brown, who was Coyle's
Sophie Brooke, a member of Blackburn Cathedral choir, talks about the pressure to fit in. Many people today are influenced by the images they see in the media and on television and by their desire to be like those they see on the screen and in magazines
