HARD-to-let council houses in Burnley could be sold or even demolished as rent lost on empty properties heads for a record £600,000 this year. Councillors will also consider transferring problem houses en-bloc to housing groups. A new report reveals that
RESIDENTS in East Lancashire worried about salmonella poisoning can now contact a helpline number for information. People with general concerns about the infection can telephone 0800 665544 between 9am and 9pm. Healthwise issued the number after a further
THE files of more than 100 people allocated council houses in Burnley have been reviewed in a sweeping investigation by the town's chief executive Roger Ellis The probe into possible queue jumping on the council's official housing waiting list, has already
Coca-Cola Cup 1st round 1st leg: Lincoln City 1 Burnley 1 - Tony Dewhurst's big match verdict BIG Lee Howey hit Lincoln with a mighty right hook and declared: "It's great to hit the net again." Turf Moor's new £200,000 signing netted the Clarets a priceless
THE River Irwell in Bacup could become a haven for wildlife thanks to an ambitious plan to clean up a disused mine. Last year, the Environment Agency produced a priority list of mining sites which were polluting water courses, including Old Meadows, above
HOLIDAYMAKERS from across the world are lapping up the delights of the Ribble Valley. And jubilant staff at the tourist information centre in Clitheroe are celebrating after glorious weather left their telephones red hot. They smashed their records on
NINE-year-old schoolboy John Adams passed his maths A-level, and won a place in history. John, who gained a grade C, was the youngest person ever to pass an A level examination. The youngster from Ashfordby, Leicestershire, set a record in 1986 when he
THANK you for the article by Christine Rutter (LET, April 15) regarding the glasses now available for dyslexia sufferers. I sent it to my daughter in Chester who has a dyslexic son. She came to Bacup to obtain a pair and her son thinks they are wonderful
IN THE fight against high-level crime, the police have now been armed with the right to break into premises and bug suspects, but with an important proviso. For when the previous Home Secretary, Michael Howard, revealed his "bugging" Bill, it would have
TOMORROW, as the A-level results are announced, thousands of students will be celebrating the rewards of their hard work - more than ever before, in fact, as yet another record pass-rate is expected. This is sure to fuel the annual controversy over whether
HENNING Berg revealed today that Blackburn Rovers had made him a major new contract offer in summer to try to persuade him to stay at Ewood Park. And the Norwegian ace admitted he might have had second thoughts about his £5 million move to Manchester
RESIDENTS raised a stink when a dog loo overflowed. A horrendous smell filled the air at Henthorn Park, Clitheroe, and swarms of flies came buzzing round. Ribble Valley Coun John McGowan pulled the plug on the poochy problem when residents rang him to
THE new general manager at Burnley's Comfort Friendly Inn intends to put it back on the map. Steve Burnett, 27, said: "At one time this hotel was the best in Lancashire and I'm going to do my upmost to bring back the glory days. "I want to increase usage
YOUNGSTERS in East Lancashire worry more about their careers than sex, according to a survey. Three in every five 15 to 18-year-olds are more concerned about getting good grades than hopping into bed with a partner. The survey, carried out by educational
A LICENSEE today revealed how she endured threats of violence to flush drug pushers from her pub. The Swan Hotel in Astley Gate, Blackburn, had become known as a haunt for dealers and their customers. But in just eight months new landlady Michaela Harrington
Nature Watch, with Ron Freethy AS I sat down to plan this article the sun was beating down from a clear blue sky and I decided to explore some of the reservoirs which were built to collect water from the Pennine hills and those around Pendle and Longridge
THE Editor does not usually print anonymous letters but he has made the decision to publish this one received from a former Blackburn man who once had a respectable job in a bank and a family which he lost through drugs. He wrote the letter in response
DISABLED people will enjoy better access to leisure facilities following improvement work at Hyndburn Sports Centre. The council has carried out an audit on the building to find out how it could be made more accessible for people with physical, sensory
LOW levels of breast feeding have contributed to rising infant mortality rates in Blackburn, it was revealed today. Shock figures produced by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation claimed the death rate for baby boys in Blackburn was double the national average
CHRIS Waddle has signed experienced goalkeeper Tony Parks on a month-to-month contract at Turf Moor. Parks has been on trial at Burnley for the past fortnight, but Waddle has decided to keep Parks as cover for Chris Woods and Marlon Beresford. Parks was
I HOPE people can see how the council are trying to restore the lovely parks in Blackburn, and will start using them again. Sadly, it won't work while teenagers push and kick young children, even on what is supposed to be a fun day, as happened on Sunday
IT is commendable that the Home Secretary, Jack Straw, has demanded an ethnic breakdown of his staff as a lead to other government departments to do the same. Mr Straw's promise was made soon after concern from Sir Herman Ouseley, chairman of the Commission
DID you serve in No 4 Company, 3rd Battalion Coldstream Guards between 1950-1955? We are holding our sixth reunion dinner in Birmingham on Saturday, April 25, 1998. If you are interested in joining us, please contact me. H WESTGARTH, 49 Rokeby Park, Anlaby
RESIDENTS fear they could be left out in the cold this winter because of plans to impose a weight restriction on the only road into their hamlet. Ten homes and farms in picturesque Wycoller, near Colne, including one owned by TV star Penelope Keith and
A PARISH councillor has demanded more gipsy caravan sites to help prevent travellers from settling on private land. Altham councillor Rennie Pinder has claimed Hyndburn has a major problem with travellers who camp without permission. He wants to see the
THE beefy British answer to the Chippendales were told they would not be able to take their clothes off in Oswaldtwistle. The male strippers group Obsession applied to stage their sizzling show at the town hall civic theatre. But Hyndburn's leisure committee
THE seeds of an international romance sown in Blackburn have blossomed into wedding bells. Hong Kong citizen Crystal Chan was introduced to German fiance Eric Wolzenburg by his twin sister Anke while studying at Blackburn College. Anke, from Blackburn's
THE terrified neighbours of Dillon Hull's mother and step-father breathed a sigh of relief as the couple's Jauncey Street home was painstakingly cleared yesterday. And as the removal vans moved out, local people were already planning to buy a memorial
A WOMAN was tied up when three masked men held up a sub post office today.Less than three months ago three masked and armed men escaped with about £20,000 in a morning raid on Flaxmoss Post Office in Helmshore Road, Haslingden. Detectives linked the raid
PLANS to open a doctor's surgery in a semi detached house in Huncoat have got the go-ahead from councillors. Planning officers had recommended refusing the conversion application from Doctor A Kapenda on highway safety grounds. But councillors on the
A £2 MILLION contract has been awarded to prepare for Blackburn's biggest inward investment for years. Bury-based Barnes Construction is to build new offices and a showroom for Rectella Ltd's new site in Blackburn. The home furnishing group is moving
IT was good to see (LET, August 4) that the Conservative group leader on Blackburn Council Coun Jim Hirst, felt that the latest councillors' perks should be made the target for savings, even though it was a bit hypocritical as his party voted en masse
A ROMANIAN teenager who befriended members of a Pendle-based aid group is visiting East Lancashire. Anna-Marie Moldoveanu, 14, is staying with Chris Creelman and his family in Fence, near Nelson. Chris is team leader of Pendle For Romania which regularly
A 38-YEAR-OLD scout leader has been found hanged at his home. Carl Trevor Mason's body was discovered by his family in Stanley Range, Mill Hill, Blackburn. The father-of-four and grandfather had been involved in St George's Scout group, Mill Hill, for
I AM preparing a book about the many men who died in flying accidents in Derbyshire during the Second World War. One was Aircraftsman Wilfred Cottom, of Witton, Blackburn, who was killed on July 3, 1941, aged just 19, and is buried in the churchyard at
A CRACKDOWN on aggressive patients who assault NHS staff was welcomed today by East Lancashire nurses. Health Secretary Frank Dobson wants stiffer sentences imposed on people who attack nurses, doctors and other front-line health professionals. Latest
PETROL bombs were thrown at police as mid-summer tension has built up on the Stoops and Hargher Clough estates in Burnley. And Burnley police chief, Superintendent Mike Griffin, has issued a warning to the ring-leaders of the trouble making groups of
