A CARETAKER was attacked when he tried to stop a burglar stealing computer equipment at a Blackburn primary school. The caretaker,34, was attacked after he went to investigate a disturbance at St Silas CE School, Clematis Street, around 9.40 last night
MOTHER-of-four Linda Barton took a job cleaning to help make ends meet. But Blackburn magistrates heard that the £24 a week she was paid should have been declared when she claimed benefit. Barton, 31, of Ermine Close, Higher Croft, Blackburn, pleaded
BOYS who started secondary school in East Lancashire this year are among the brightest lads in a decade in the area. Results from exams taken in May by 11-year-olds in the county show a dramatic narrowing of the gap between boys and girls from 1998 to
ASIAN businessmen and women in Lancashire are being urged to forge closer links with the police, and a series of top name guests from the world of show business and commerce have been lined up to launch the latest initiative. Former Coronation Street
SHEFF WED RES 0 FOUR cracking goals - two apiece for Matt Jansen and James Thomas - were the highlights of a victory romp by Blackburn Rovers in last night's FA Premier Reserve League (North) clash at Ewood. Rovers began with a bang, going 2-0 ahead in
PAUL Cook expects to see more new faces arrive at Turf Moor as manager Stan Ternent continues his Clarets rebuilding. Cook has proved one of Ternent's most influential recruits since arriving from Stockport County, initially on loan and then as a free
THE Government took overall control of Burnley's trouble-torn construction and works department after two years of heavy losses. Burnley Council had been ordered to ask for specific approval from the Department of the Environment before awarding any contracts
DOZENS of rush-hour motorists who "blatantly" ignored a one-way sign ran right into the arms of the law. The drivers were taking a short cut from Whalley New Road via Bank Hey Lane North and St Gabriel's Avenue, Blackburn, which had been made into a one-way
BLACKBURN Northern Hockey Club Ladies had a disappointing opening to their North League season when they lost narrowly to Sheffield at Witton Park. Blackburn got off to a slow start and looked sluggish for the first quarter of an hour. Sheffield capitalised
BAD weather was the winner in the Memorial Sunday Football League this week, with all Division One matches postponed and only four games played - all at Memorial Park. One match was played midweek and the Miners Arms in Division Three gained their first
REGARDING your report "Gay parents 'blessing'" (LET, September 21) of homosexual couples adopting children. I think the idea is disgusting. To put it bluntly, nobody else wants these children, so we will allow the gays and the lesbians to have them. If
I READ (LET, September 24) that Higher Croft in Blackburn has now become a "no-go" area for buses due to the behaviour of a bunch of kids. In the same edition, I read of a police superintendent having some magical powers for solving crime. Well, perhaps
WILPSHIRE Wanderers claimed their first points of the season in the Under-10s Red Section with a 3-2 victory over Huncoat United. Only four games survived the weather, but AC Blackburn maintained their unbeaten start with a 5-0 victory over North Valley
BROCKHALL, who recently were forced to drop their second team due to shortage of players, now find themselves leading the pack following their fine win over newly-promoted St Philip's in the first division. The home side put up a fighting battle throughout
I WOULD like to thank the many considerate dog owners who exercise their pets around the streets of the Lammack area of Blackburn. They are obviously aware of the anti-social aspects and health risks arising from dogs fouling footpaths and are very careful
EVEN in this day and age, mental health is still one of the great taboos. Despite the fact that nearly a third of the population will experience depression and one in seven of us will have some kind of mental health problem in our lifetime, it is still
PRIOR to the May elections, the Labour group on Hyndburn Council began readjusting its committees - in line with government proposals for local government. They disbanded one committee and reduced one other. This was not done to placate Tory group leader
BURNLEY Council could be facing thousands of pounds worth of costs after a planning decision on a car park was overturned by a government inspector. Marks and Spencer Printworks in Eastern Avenue, Burnley, which publishes the High Street giant's catalogues
A MAN needed stitches after being attacked with a broken bottle by a gang of youths after a night out in the town centre. The 50-year-old victim was walking home along Charter Street, Accrington, when the incident happened between 2.30am and 2.45am last
A COUPLE say they were lucky to escape serious injury after their tour coach crashed in Spain. Brian and Mary Matthews were returning to Malaga Airport to fly back to Manchester after a holiday when the accident happened. The couple, both 59, had spent
THE mother of a cerebral palsy sufferer claims threats from gangs of teenagers on an Accrington estate are making her family's life a misery. Angela Burton says she and her two daughters have had 11 months of verbal abuse since moving into a council house
A WORLD famous business guru is heading for East Lancashire. Professor Mortimer Feinberg, a consultant to the US Government and some of the biggest firms in the world, will be speaking to local businessmen next week. Professor Feinberg has been a regular
IT is fashionable to criticise the National Health Service. Whichever political party is in office they provide a ready scapegoat. We tend to forget that prior to 1948 those who were ill either had to pay for treatment or rely on some kind benefactor
VANDALS damaged 18 cars and caused more than £2,000 worth of damage in a wrecking spree last night. Officers are viewing CCTV security footage and have appealed for the public's help in catching the gang who went on the rampage in Brierfield last night
ICE HOCKEY: Blackburn ice hockey fans could see at least one new recruit this weekend as Bobby Haig's Hawks revolution continues. Player-boss Haig, a scorer in Sunday's 3-3 thriller against Nottingham, today revealed that he is locked in negotiations
THREE police heroes were today praised after saving the life of a man who had taken a heroin overdose. Acting Sergeant Carl Doherty, Constable David Wilkinson and Constable Michelle Hubbard discovered a 25-year-old man Alex Quinn lying on a sofa in a
A PLASTIC bag manufacturer has been fined £20,000 for continuing to use a machine health and safety bosses had banned. Koverplast Ltd of Brookhouse Lane, Blackburn, used the extruder machine, which had an unguarded drive belt, after a health and safety
A YOUNG cyclist was today fighting for his life after being thrown from his bike when it was involved in a collision with a car. Phillip Haworth, 12, was cycling along the unlit Ribchester Road towards Longridge at about 7pm last night when the accident
A PLUCKY student is planning to reach for the skies by doing a parachute jump to raise money for the homeless. Sean Faloon, 20, came over to study at Blackburn College from Newry in Northern Ireland, and was amazed when he met Father Jim McCartney of
TWO young sailors are looking forward to bright careers with the Royal Navy. Eighteen-year-old Ashley Firth, of Barnoldswick, is ejnoying a well earned break, following his return from a unique NATO mission. Ashley is serving on the HMS Minehunter Sandown
BURNLEY YOUTH 1 A GOAL 10 minutes from time from Paul Barrett earned Burnley a Turf Moor replay in the first round of the FA Youth Cup. The Clarets were below par before the break and it took a goalline clearance from Dave Savage to keep the Stags at
A COMMUNITY care worker who was worried about his sick mother died from a heart attack, aged 33, just a day before she lost her battle against cancer. Ian Dunston, known as Matty, was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary with chest pains on Friday and medics
JASON McAteer bounced back at Ewood last night to give himself and Blackburn Rovers boss Brian Kidd a much-needed lift. Out of action for almost six months, McAteer completed 90 impressive minutes with Rovers Reserves to dispel any lingering doubts that
Blackburn Artists' Society meet St Gabriel's Church Hall, Brownhill Drive, Blackburn, 7pm. Painting glass bottles. Illustrated lecture by David Joy "Exploring the Yorkshire Dales," Blackburn Central Library, 7.30pm. Cloverhill Residents Action Group meet
A VICAR has called on Christians to be more "touchy-feely" in a bid to improve their health. The Rev Rodney Nicholson, of St Paul's Church, Low Moor, Clitheroe, said studies had shown that touch and affection were important for human health. He cited
CRAIG Sargeson scored four times as Rossendale stunned the North Western Trains League First Division leaders with their best win of the season. Micky Graham's men turned it on after the break as they wiped out a one-goal deficit to hit the target five
The former Australian Test leg spinner, who joined the county as second team captain and coach six years ago after all his success in the leagues, asked to be released this week. And Chairman Jack Simmons granted his wish. Sleep was known to be unhappy
A HALF-time verbal broadside by manager Ken Wright did the trick for Chorley - but only just - with the Magpies equaliser arriving with seconds to spare. But for Wright's former managerial colleague Bryan Griffiths it was an all-too familiar story. So
NEVER mind the wind, rain or hailstorm, Padiham FC's 4-1 West Lancashire Football League Division One away victory over Blackpool Rovers brought double delight. Not only was it enough to keep the Storks in top spot, it also showed why they were worthy
TWO goals from Russell Brierley helped Ramsbottom to a comfortable win over First North Western Trains League Division One strugglers Cheadle Town. Brierley was the provider for Ramsbottom's first as they took the lead after 13 minutes when Orrell turned
IT is hard to believe that families are once more grieving for loved ones lost in a major rail disaster. It is only two years since the last one - which occurred at Southall on the same stretch of track as yesterday's horrendous collision near London's
CHANGES were promised for the millennium season by league secretary Richard Brown at the presentation evening held at Accrington Cricket Club. The league executive will meet in December to formulate plans for the league's 100th season. A book on the history
I WAS amazed to read the comments of the Bishop of Blackburn slamming soap operas for failing to depict long lasting marriages (LET September 27). In a Sunday newspaper I read about the Rev Sonia Hall and the Rev Colin Rudd and their caravan antics in
AN 87-year-old Burnley widow was given three days to pay off £178 rent arrears or face eviction proceedings by the council - even though she didn't owe a penny. And today a furious councillor and the pensioner's family demanded a full explanation and
FIREBRAND councillor Harry Brooks has quit the board of Burnley's new housing company following a "jobs-for-the boys" row. Anger erupted after fellow directors selected Ian Saville, the man who currently runs council housing in the town and only candidate
PLANS to build a new supermarket in Great Harwood were due to be decided by Hyndburn councillors at a special meeting today. A Co-op store similar to the one recently built in Ramsbottom is planned for Queen Street, currently the site of Great Harwood
CAMPAIGNERS are fearing the worst over the future of part-time firefighters after a government inspector concluded that axing them would have no effect on safety. Lancashire's Combined Fire Authority is seeking permission to axe the retained crews and
A NEW firm has been formed by two old school chums. Richard Mellor and Nick Cummins have run two recruitment firms - Cooke & Mellor Recruitment and Cummins Mellor Recruitment - from Accrington for the past ten years. Now they have decided to join
SALLY Blenkinship and Simon Diggle have both qualified as chartered accountants with Haworths Sally, 39, and Simon, 25, have taken the number of chartered accountants at the Accrington firm to six. "Between us we have sat somewhere in the region of 30
DOZENS of East Lancashire supermarket workers are set for a slice of share windfalls worth £6.6 million this week following its takeover by US retail giant Wal-Mart. Around 3,000 employees on Asda's Sharesave share option scheme will receive payouts from
Nature Watch, with Ron Freethy THE alder is one of the most interesting of our native trees. No sooner have the leaves been stripped by autumn gales than next year's catkins begin to form. Next year's leaf buds also begin to swell. Despite what is said
BUSINESS failures in the region are rocketing, according to latest figures. So far this year there has been a rise of more than 19 per cent in the number of firms going to the wall. Between January and September, 1998, there were 3,057 failures but that
MORE than 150 mourners, including past and present councillors, paid their last respects to County Councillor Joe French at a funeral mass at his parish church. Coun French was found dead at his home in Carr Road, Nelson, on September 28. Tribute was
FOURTEEN-year-old Catherine Kent was prescribed the contraceptive pill to control her periods an inquest was told. Catherine was found dead in bed by her grandmother at her home in Crawford Street, Nelson, shortly after 6pm on Monday. A post mortem examination
A COST-CUTTING package of changes to the way civic halls in Pendle are run have been agreed by councillors. But they have delayed a decision on whether to cut the number of hall keepers who look after the buildings by two until after the busy Christmas
A PENDLE engineering firm is helping plans for a 6ft bronze figure in a Lancashire park get off the ground. Innovative Manufacturing Systems, of Lomeshaye Industrial Estate, Nelson, lived up to its reputation for engineering unusual shapes when it was
CARE assistant Katie Frost and mother-of-five Sandra Dawson plan to turn their hobby into a money spinner for charity when they take part in a gruelling 40-hour sponsored walk in Chile. The friends, of Hector Road, Darwen, have pledged to raise £2,200
