BLACKBURN MP Jack Straw spent a nervous New Year's Eve at the Millennium Dome as the minister in charge of the emergency services' busiest night ever. Mr Straw was responsible for months of planning to make sure the 999 services could cope with the night
EAST Lancashire's first millennium baby arrived just 23 minutes into the New Year. Nancy Eleanor Pinner was born at Fairfield Hospital, Bury to Rawtenstall couple Gill McKee and Jon Pinner. "She came a couple of days early but we are absolutely delighted
A TEENAGER from Blackburn was today under arrest in hospital after a 25-mile motorway chase ended with a crash which injured two policemen. A youth who suffered serious injuries in the crash was arrested in Cheshire after a chase which began in Blackburn
TWENTY-ONE breeders from all over the country exhibited 101 birds at the Holcombe Old English Gamecock traditional New Year's Day show. Hundreds of visitors flocked to Ramsbottom to enjoy the 157th show at the Old Dun Horse Hotel, Ramsbottom. Trophy for
KIDNAP victim Paul Wells might still be alive if the Indian government's controversial decision to release a Muslim activist had been taken when the Blackburn student was first taken hostage, his father claimed today. Bob Wells condemned the Indian authorities
MOTHER-OF-THREE Katy Hickling told everybody there was no chance her fourth child was going to be a new millennium baby. But at 3.46am on January 1 the 34-year-old from Clitheroe made her own little piece of history when she gave birth to baby boy Charlie
HER wide-eyed innocence and beaming smile are symbols of hope for millions of families at the dawn of the new millennium. But five-month-old Kosovar baby Elisa Ademi is no ordinary child. There is no future for her in her devastated homeland from where
JOHN Filan today pledged to stay at Ewood and fight for the number one jersey. The Aussie stopper has been frozen out of the first team picture since Tony Parkes axed him in favour of Alan Kelly 12 games ago. But with the Republic of Ireland now set to
PLAYER-MANAGER John Coleman has been ruled out of Accrington Stanley's clash with Congleton tonight. Coleman aggravated a hamstring during Stanley's Bank Holiday defeat against Radcliffe Borough and will play no part as the Reds look to get back in the
AS East Lancashire marks the last day of the long Christmas and New Year holiday, the region's pub and club proprietors were today moaning that for them the Millennium was a financial flop - because most people preferred to party at home instead of on
LANCASHIRE Under-19s hope to keep their Northern Counties semi-final hopes alive when they take on Cheshire at Clitheroe Royal Grammar School on Saturday (kick-off 10.30am). The county's senior schoolboy side have already beaten Merseyside 2-1 but they
THIRTY-two swimmers aged from 10 to 40 braved the chilly waters at the annual New Year's dip in Lee Dam, Lumbutts, Todmorden. The plucky plungers, many in fancy dress and cheered on by a massive crowd of about 300 well-wishers, ran into the ice-cold waters
THE STORY of how East Lancashire people befriended German prisoners of war is to be screened on BBC television this week. A book written by Pamela Howe Taylor, who spent several years in East Lancashire as a girl, will be featured in a documentary about
CAKE-MAKER Inter Link and conservatory roofing firm Ultraframe stole the show as East Lancashire's firms saw their stock market fortunes soar during a bumper 1999. Blackburn-based Inter Link, which owns Crossfield bakery in the town, saw its shares rocket
THE last baptism of the old millennium in Britain took place in East Lancashire. Four-month-old Rebecca Holly Pratt was christened in an outdoor service St James Church in Lower Darwen as the seconds ticked towards the year 2000. And, to make the occasion
A YOUNG woman who spent the millennium celebrations resting at home after a flying bottle fractured her skull said today: "I'm just glad it wasn't worse." Caroline Parker, 22, of Harwood Street, Darwen, needed emergency surgery and had a metal plate inserted
ARMY Nurse Grahame Ratcliffe has seen in the new millennium in snowy Bosnia. Staff Sergeant Ratcliffe, 45, from Blackburn, was one of 4,600 British troops serving in Bosnia over Christmas and New Year. He is working at the multi national hospital facility
KEEN climber Steve Buckley doesn't really need his mountaineering boots and ropes to catch a bus. Blackburn Transport has taken delivery of its ten new low floor buses, and employee Steve - a keen climber - was happy to get out his climbing gear in a
PEOPLE are being encouraged to "reduce, re-use and recycle" over the festive season with a "Don't Indulge Your Dustbin" poster campaign featuring the Waste Awareness Mole. Posters in supermarkets and other public places throughout the county are urging
CHILDREN with fireworks started a major blaze which seriously damaged part of a former town centre mill. Fire crews spent two hours tackling the suspected arson attack at Bell Street Works, John Street, Haslingden, on New Year's Eve. Children had been
COVENTRY City supremo Bryan Richardson is urging the Sky Blue fans to compete with Burnley's travelling support to avoid an FA Cup shock at Highfield Road on Saturday. Richardson is aware of the impact the near 5,000 Clarets fans made in Burnley's stunning
Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Millennium round-up EAST Lancashire welcomed the new millennium with a trouble-free night of celebrations - but many pubs and clubs were left feeling flat as revellers enjoyed the party of a lifetime closer
Breast Care Support Group meet Beardwood Hospital, Preston New Road, Blackburn, 7pm-9pm. Exercise, Dance and Fitness with Megan Sharples. Cinderella On Ice, King George's Hall, Blackburn, 2pm and 7pm. Huncoat Ladies Club meet Methodist Hall, Marshall
EAST Lancashire ambulancemen were due to hold a meeting to plan the next steps in their long-running pay dispute. The mass meeting of crews from Blackburn, Burnley, Darwen, Stacksteads, Altham, Accrington, Nelson and Barnoldswick, was called after Health
SOCCER-MAD Tony Campbell felt nothing but sheer bliss as he scored the opening goal in his own special love match. Lovebird Tony didn't want his footballing idol Alan Shearer to miss out on his biggest moment - so he popped the question to sweetheart
WHAT a bitter dawning of the new millennium it must have been for the parents of "murdered" Blackburn student Paul Wells as they saw the Indian government give in to demands of the Kashmiri terrorist group they believe killed their son. And what a conflict
TWO of Lancashire's most popular competitions have received a super shot in the arm with the announcement of an extended sponsorship deal. The Lancashire Knockout and Shield competitions - which Daniel Thwaites have supported since 1997 - have now been
GOING in 2-0 up at half time Darwen, were coasting to victory. But in the second half Colne had other ideas and put Darwen under the cosh and it paid off when Daniels pulled a goal back. Darwen could not get into gear and with 20 minutes left, they lost
THE New Year can only be a better one for Bury FC for whom 1999 was a disastrous year both on and off the field. But they enter the new millennium full of hope and optimism, at least from the playing point of view, as the revolution engineered so cleverly
A MAN found dead on the railway line near Hapton yesterday was later identified as 49-year-old David Howarth. Mr Howarth, believed to be of Palmerston Street, Padiham, was seen by a train driver shortly before 10am yesterday. A British Transport Police
AT 11.55pm Catherine Eastham McCarthy was watching the New Year celebrations on television - two and a half hours later she had given birth to a 7lb 4oz boy, the first baby to be born in Burnley General Hospital in the new millennium. Baby Bradley arrived
Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Millennium round-up EAST Lancashire welcomed the new millennium with a trouble-free night of celebrations - but many pubs and clubs were left feeling flat as revellers enjoyed the party of a lifetime closer to home. Police
COVENTRY City supremo Bryan Richardson is urging the Sky Blue fans to compete with Burnley's travelling support to avoid an FA Cup shock at Highfield Road on Saturday. Richardson is aware of the impact the near 5,000 Clarets fans made in Burnley's stunning
JOHN Filan today pledged to stay at Ewood and fight for the number one jersey. The Aussie stopper has been frozen out of the first team picture since Tony Parkes axed him in favour of Alan Kelly 12 games ago. But with the Republic of Ireland now set to
Winter Walks: Today, Ron Freethy discovers Appleby EVEN the dull weather failed to dampen my spirits as I strolled along the banks of the River Eden which meanders through the streets of the old market town of Appleby. This is easily reached via the M6
BUSINESS bosses in East Lancashire have made paper fortunes worth tens of millions of pounds on the back of a booming stock market. Top of the tycoons is Duncan Sharpe, 39, son-in-law of former Rovers star David Whelan, who has seen the value of his shares
