Archive

  • Fresh look at killer road

    NEW transport boss Kevin Lasbury has pledged to find out more about noroious Grane Road, where 83 people have been killed or injured in two years. Mr Lasbury, who took over as head of the North West's Highways Agency this week, has asked Lancashire County

  • Arrested: Man who thumped knife pest

    IAN Gareth Leek called the police after he and his sister were attacked by a man armed with a knife. But it was Leek who was arrested after police had to restrain him from lunging at his alleged attacker, Blackburn magistrates heard. Leek, 24, of Mill

  • Curtain up for 'Oscars' night

    NOMINATIONS for the local 'Oscars' have been announced and a Bacup society looks set to sweep the board for the second year running when the prestigious prizes are awarded in September. Bacup AODS' acclaimed production of 'The King and I' has won seven

  • Rumpus over cheap train ticket adverts

    A RAIL operator today announced it is to review the wording of an advert offering cut-price nights out in Manchester after it was revealed that East Lancashire revellers would have to return home before last orders. First North Western made the announcement

  • Last dance likely for run-down Astoria

    MUSIC lovers across East Lancashire could soon be mourning the end of an era after councillors announced they could close Rawtenstall's Astoria Ballroom. Rossendale Council is considering closing the venue for good instead of forking out £40,000 for a

  • Stores' joint venture will create 150 jobs

    A NEW joint venture by two of Pendle's biggest employers will create up to 150 new jobs if it gets the go ahead. Boundary Mill Stores and Asda have applied to extend their stores in Colne and create a 336 space car park to ease traffic congestion. A previous

  • Pete Oliver's analysis: Man City v Burnley

    MANCHESTER City have no negative thoughts as they prepare to face Burnley on the back of a home defeat to Wolves on the opening day of the season. City were beaten 1-0 on their return to Division One in front of the Sky cameras on Sunday. But skipper

  • Race group founder quits

    A BLACKBURN race watchdog was today rocked by the resignation of an officer who helped form the organisation 35 years ago and has been a member ever since. Roy Martin left the Blackburn with Darwen Racial Equality Council less than a month after its chairman

  • By PETER WHITE

    Sir Alex rewrites history of that relegation clash SIR Alex Ferguson - then still plain Alex - stunned the watching football nation at Ewood last May when he claimed he did not know that Manchester United's 0-0 draw had just condemned Blackburn Rovers

  • Smith is the Maine man again

    PAUL Smith will know for certain that he's back on the big stage when he lines up at Manchester City in the Worthington Cup tonight. Smith started his first senior game in over ninth months when he helped the Clarets launch their season with a 1-1 draw

  • Don't panic plea after death at dentist's

    PARENTS were today urged not to panic about having children's teeth extracted under general anaesthetic, despite the death of a little girl. A leading dentist spoke after five-year-old Karla Selley died having a tooth out under a general anaesthetic at

  • Fergie: I was left lonely and vulnerable

    By PETER WHITE SIR Alex Ferguson blames the media for highlighting certain controversial aspects of his new book, such as the stinging criticism of Blackburn Rovers boss Brian Kidd, who served him faithfully for so long as his assistant at Old Trafford

  • WHAT'S ON IN EAST LANCS ON THURSDAY

    "Ready Teddy Go" - games and craft session for five year-olds upwards, Livesey Library, Blackburn, 2pm-3pm. Archery - long bows for beginners, Samlesbury Hall, 10am-2pm. All welcome. Good As New Sale, Central Methodist Church, Great Harwood, 11am-2pm.

  • Taxi rank move to combat rowdies

    A NEW weekend taxi rank has been created in the Clitheroe to combat late night rowdies in the town centre. Lancashire County Council has created the rank in Market Place after pressure from Ribble Valley Council and town centre residents. The new rank

  • Sheep farmers to roll out the carpet

    SHEEP farmers caught in a recession could receive a boost from the production of a new 'Bowland' carpet. Farmers in some areas of the country have been burning Swaledale fleeces because it is cheaper than taking them to market. The wool is proving difficult

  • Unlucky break for dance ace Samantha

    A PROMISING young ballerina faces a race against time to repair her promising career after breaking a leg. Samantha Johns, 13, of Corporation Street, Clitheroe, is battling back to fitness in time to compete in a major scholarship early next year. Samantha

  • Livestock on farm dead and dying

    A FARMER has been banned from keeping livestock for five years and fined £2,100 after inspectors and vets found dead and dying cattle and sheep when they visited his farm. Live animals were found shoulder deep in slurry and a pile of cow's skulls and

  • BURY 1 NOTTS COUNTY 0

    BURY fans had smiles on their faces as Neil Warnocks' new-look side completely outplayed Notts County in an impressive display of attacking football. They dominated proceedings from the start and the final scoreline flattered County to an embarrassing

  • FIVE YEARS AGO: Libraries 'terrorised'

    GANGS of thugs were terrorising libraries in Hyndburn, it was revealed. Staff and members of the public were subjected to verbal abuse and sexual harassment. Most problems were caused by juveniles but older youths were also involved. And many people were

  • CRICKET: Peter Benson Youth League

    RIBBLESDALE Wanderers won the Peter Benson Ribblesdale Youth League Under 18s Championship and should their Under 15s Eleven beat Immanuel this week, they will share the Under 15 Championship with Great Harwood. Oswaldtwistle Immanuel have clinched the

  • Griffin's final Attock

    CRICKET: The final of the Hyndburn Mayoral Challenge Six-A-Side Preliminary competition will be between the Griffin's Head and Accrington and District League leaders Attock on Friday at Accrington CC. Griffin, an unknown quantity before the competition

  • CRICKET: League lose finalthriller

    THE Jennings Ribblesdale League suffered a power failure in their middle-order batting to go down by eight runs in their M.E.N. inter-league final against the Vimto Bolton Association at Edenfield, writes PETER WHITE. Chasing a revised target of 155 for

  • CRICKET: Russell hits quick-fire ton

    OSWALDTWISTLE Immanuel are hoping to have Russell Whalley back as their professional next season - along with the fireworks he produced when blasting the Settle attack to all parts on Saturday, writes PETE OLIVER. Whalley hammered a 42-ball ton to speed

  • Cool it under the cold tap

    DURING very hot weather, we are all looking for ways to cool down. I was once given this tip: run your cold tap until the water is really cool, then hold the insides of both wrists under the tap and you actually feel your body cooling down. Maybe other

  • No place for private fief in the REC

    THE resignation of Roy Martin from the Blackburn with Darwen Racial Equality Council after 35 years' service to the cause of racial justice and harmony is not only sad, it is also disturbingly revealing. For, when an officer of Mr Martin's stature and

  • Give the people a say

    I ADMIT to being politically naive, but why does one killing by IRA thugs constitute a breakdown of their ceasefire, but the numerous killings by the Unionists thugs don't? I think it is about time that the people of Ulster were given a once-and-for-all

  • CRICKET: Craig's a star on a lively track

    THE rainfall on Friday evening after the unusually long dry spell meant that there were some lively wickets for the weekend fixtures in the Accrington and District League. Attock remain in pole position at the top of the A Division after beating Haslingden

  • Saddle up for Mencap

    HOW would you like to cycle along one of the wonders of the world - experiencing China and the Great Wall on a nine-day bike ride of a lifetime. I'd like to invite you to saddle up in support of Mencap by taking part in this fascinating challenge. Mencap

  • Health fears confirmed

    THE meeting of the board of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale NHS Trust on July 28 confirmed the worst fears of those interested in health care. The board is mainly concerned about the financial results - a likely 'loss' in trading terms, for the first time

  • Much ado about play in the park

    SHAKESPEARE'S "Much Ado About Nothing" came to Burnley like a breath of fresh air as actors presented outdoor performances of the play at Towneley this week. The Midsommer Actors, one of the country's finest and most popular touring companies is making

  • Sporty invite to help Nepal Challenge

    TWO popular sports will be combined in a fund-raiser aimed at helping raise money for eight Burnley people to go on an expedition to the Himalayas. The Offtrax MTB Challenge is a two day event which will combine mountain biking with orienteering and will

  • Holy man's call

    THE Islamic holy man said to have masterminded an anti-British bomb plot has travelled to Burnley to try and recruit volunteers for a Holy war. But a local community leader has insisted that London preacher Imam Abu Hamza failed to move people who packed

  • Helping hand offer from ex-Euro MP

    FORMER Euro MP Michael Hindley has a new job - helping those who have problems with theirs! He has set up an employment rights advice service to offer workers help on matters including the minimum wage, hours of work, redundancy, disrimination and holiday

  • Town plans a Yule lights spectacular

    BRIGHT lights will illuminate Christmas in Accrington town centre, thanks to a decision by Hyndburn Partnership bosses to spend £25,000 on decorations. Shoppers and visitors to the town during the festive season will enjoy a warmer glow following the

  • Pub chain toasts its rapid growth

    A PUB chain is toasting a doubling in size less than a year after being launched. Valley Inns was set up by Fred and Jean Birt as a chain of country inns across Lancashire, Yorkshire and Derbyshire. It began with four pubs and has recently acquired and

  • The digital switch off

    ALL the uproar about a "poll tax on watching TV" following a government advisory panel's recommendation that viewers of digital programmes should pay an annual extra licence fee of £24 on top of the normal £101 colour licence is, of course, not really

  • Jolly holidays

    THE comparisons between the Blair family's freebie holiday in Italy and that in the Mediterranean of the Prince of Wales, his "friend" Camilla Parker Bowles, his sons and his 20 other guests, who, like him, are in turn all guests on the yacht of some

  • High time

    ROSSENDALE Council is to organise a commemorative walk on September 19 to the Top of Leach - the highest point in the borough - to commemorate 25 years of local government. Members of the public will be able to join the walk at: 12.30pm, Haslingden Library

  • Anger as gun thugs shoot horse

    A SCHOOLBOY today blasted gun-toting thugs after his family's horse was shot in the neck. The horse, called William, who belongs to the Farran family, of Haslingden Old Road, Blackburn, was shot with a pellet gun while it grazed in a field at Whitebirk

  • Benazir Bhutto to visit Blackburn

    FORMER Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto will be in Blackburn on Saturday to join celebrations marking her country's independence day. She will be welcomed to the town by the borough's first ever Asian mayor, Coun Salas Kiani, and will spend time

  • Hanging death could have been cry for help

    A MAN found hanging on the stairs at his home may have been trying to blackmail his wife into returning to him, an inquest heard. Andrew Fallon's wife had twice returned to him after he had slashed his wrists and taken an overdose, the hearing was told

  • Young fan told to hide true colours

    BLACKBURN Rovers safety bosses who have banned visiting football fans from wearing rival football shirts in home sections of Ewood Park today warned supporters: "You will be told to take them off". But they assured families that stewards would use discretion

  • Slash victim still seeking justice

    A TEENAGER left with horrific scars by a vicious assault while he holidayed in Corfu still does not know if his alleged attacker will be brought to justice. Brennan Clemance, 18, was attacked with a broken bottle by a British man outside a nightclub in

  • Jansen suffers bruised kidney

    MATT Jansen has a bruised kidney and must be regarded as a doubtful starter for Blackburn Rovers' first away game of the new season at Huddersfield on Friday night. The former Crystal Palace striker was hurt during Saturday's opening goalless draw with

  • Royle warning of Clarets backlash

    MANCHESTER City boss Joe Royle has warned his side to beware of a Burnley backlash when the two sides clash in the Worthington Cup at Maine Road tonight, writes Pete Oliver. The Clarets were trounced 6-0 by City back in March on a black night at Turf

  • DARLINGTON 1 BOLTON 1

    PER Frandsen proved his immense worth to the Bolton cause last night and at the same time saved Wanderers' blushes. The Danish midfielder, who many expected to have moved up to the Premiership during the close season, scored a fine second half equaliser

  • 10 YEARS AGO: Eddie's double dream

    MILLIONAIRE football fan Eddie Quiligotti scored an early goal in his plan to put Accrington on the map. For the businessman with the plan to build the UK's largest leisure complex in East Lancashire had another dream - to see Accrington Stanley back

  • Crawley holds on to Lancs captaincy

    JOHN Crawley had a double reason to celebrate today. Crawley's reappointment as Lancashire captain for a second season was confirmed during yesterday's CGU National League game against Gloucestershire at Old Trafford. And he marked the news by hitting

  • BADMINTON: Blackburn Association

    THERE will be five divisions again in the new season of Blackburn and District Badminton Association. Belgrave Carpets are not entering a second team, but a new club - Roefield Leisure Centre - will start their season in the Fifth Division. The league

  • Apathy at hunting

    MR K SOWERBUTTS (Letters, July 30) is fully entitled to express his opinion on the banning of foxhunting, but there are two sides to every quarrel and equally cogent arguments are made for retaining the status quo, which I will not tediously repeat here

  • Shopping heaven

    I CANNOT keep quiet any longer. I have found the perfect shop - without the hassle of women dithering about, crashing into everyone and never having their money ready at the checkout. You know the ones - those with just two or three items in their basket

  • Warning on fluoride

    I SEE that the 'add fluoride' brigade is at it again. May I, as an ex-employee of the water industry with over 20 years' experience, warn people of such additions to our water supplies? Fluoride can and does exist in certain areas as a natural element

  • Broadway boozers scare off shoppers

    TOWN centre drinkers are deterring shoppers from Accrington centre, a council leader has said. Coun Peter Britcliffe, leader of Hyndburn Council, says he will not take his young daughter into Broadway because of people who drink in the town centre, and

  • Nature Watch: Ron Freethy's weekly column

    Reservoirs are wildlife havens EAST Lancashire is very well off for reservoirs. Although they obviously have the same physical appearance our reservoirs have been designed to serve two functions. Firstly, we have drinking water reservoirs and these are

  • £3m showroom plan unveiled

    A £3MILLION investment in a new car showroom has been announced. Sanderson Bramall is moving its Montague Street garage in Blackburn to new premises on the Whitebirk estate. The six-acre site will include a showroom, service departments and a new Rapid-Fit

  • Delight at CCTV bid

    A BID to bring closed circuit television cover to Nelson has been welcomed by Pendle's MP Gordon Prentice. He is supporting a joint bid put together by Burnley, Rossendale and Pendle councils, which includes funding 13 cameras in Nelson. Although Burnley

  • Campaign overkill

    IS THERE not mawkish and disingenous overkill in the campaign begun this week - to coincide with the start of the grouse season tomorrow - by the pro-hunting Countryside Alliance which uses a disabled clay pigeon-shooting enthusiast to defend gun sports

  • Retirement scandal

    THE disclosure this month that four in ten town hall types, 25 per cent of teachers and more than a fifth of civil servants are retiring early on health grounds, compared to just six per cent from the armed forces, will no doubt convince taxpayers, funding

  • INSIGHT: River returning from the dead

    THE River Darwen is coming back to life. After years of being a murky brown mess, devoid of any kind of wildlife, birds, bugs and fish are returning to the water and its shores. But environmentalists are warning that no-one can afford to be complacent