Archive

  • East Lanmcs events on Saturday, June 3

    Waste paper skip, Belthorn Road, Belthorn. Accrington and Blackburn CHA Club: Settle circular. Meet Bulls Head car park, Wilpshire 1pm. Die Fledermaus, Charter Theatre, Preston, 2.30pm and 7.30pm. Charity concert with the Newrad Singers, New Methodist

  • Politicians know power of the people

    THE prolongation of the extraordinary row started more than a week ago by Chancellor Gordon Brown over the "absolute scandal" of Oxford University's rejection of outstanding state-school student Laura Spence may be due to Parliament's recess preventing

  • Steven sails to success

    A STUDENT at Blackpool and the Fylde College is on the crest of a wave after winning a top award for his course work. Steven Masters, who is studying to become an officer in the merchant navy, won a top cadet award from the Marine Society. The award is

  • A tower of strength

    Drive and stroll with Ron Freethy TURTON is one of those interesting places within easy reach of East Lancashire. Take the A666 from Blackburn through Darwen to Egerton, turn off for Bromley Cross and head up Chapeltown Road. At the Tower there is plenty

  • TT PAIR BLOW HOT AND COLD

    TT hopefuls Allan Schofield and Ian Simons thought they had blown their chances before they even got out on the track. For the sidecar pair blew both their engines up as they attempted to qualify in their Honda outfit for the two, three-lap sidecar races

  • Thanks for special day

    MAY I thank teachers and staff of Roe Lee Park County Primary School for making May 24 so special. They took 100 children to the millennium Dome in London. I found it a very long day and so did everyone else, but I will never forget this trip for as long

  • Clear drunks from centre

    REGARDING your article on litter wardens being employed by Hyndburn Council (LET, May 15), as a Hyndburn resident it sticks in my throat a bit that the council will spend money on something like this, but will not clean up the back streets of the filth

  • Pensioners worse off

    I READ with interest about the new campaign to urge pensioners to claim the housing benefits and income support that 500,000 aren't claiming -- and, quite right, they should. But I wish they would also tell the pensioners that when they do get their income

  • Disabled selfish

    I AM writing to let everyone know what the relevant car park symbol, and the words "Parents with small children" mean. I shop at Sainsbury's in Darwen and Asda in Blackburn most Saturdays and have a small child of two-and-a-half. Like most people with

  • I won't let cancer change my life

    By Jennifer Bradbury BARRY Hitchen is known as the Inspiration Man. Three years ago at the age of 30, the father-of-two was given the devastating news that he had bowel cancer. Since then he has most of his large intestine removed, had a colostomy and

  • People power opens 'secret' cabinet

    BLACKBURN with Darwen Council today revealed it has bowed to public pressure on plans to have eight super-councillors shaping the future of the borough in private. The change in policy follows criticism by the public and a campaign for more openness by

  • It's Kwik thinking to save retail scheme

    FEARS of losing a race against time have made Bury Council bosses change tack over an ambitious plan to redevelop the heart of Radcliffe. They have decided against issuing a compulsory purchase order on the Kwik Save store and instead are hoping to continue

  • Postmaster hurt in second attack

    A RADCLIFFE post office has been hit by armed raiders for the second time within a week. And in the latest robbery, the 54-year-old postmaster was treated in hospital for a face wound. But the three masked men who targeted the Outwood post office in Ringley

  • MP wants fanfare for key player

    BRITAIN'S longest serving church organist should be rewarded at the highest level for his 65 years of service to the community. So says Bury MP David Chaytor, who has cited the achievements of Mr Arthur Smith in Parliament. Mr Smith, as reported in the

  • Carnival organisers hope for big support

    RED Bank Playing Fields is the place to be on Saturday (June 3) for Radcliffe's 35th Carnival. Whatever the weather, it should be a fun packed day and a rare opportunity for the town's community to proudly come together and celebrate. Things kick off

  • U-21 dream over

    ENGLAND'S dreams of making the European Under 21 Championship final ended in heartache last night. Howard Wilkinson's men lost 2-0 to host nation Slovakia, which meant they even missed out on the third place play-off. Rovers midfielder David Dunn made

  • I want to play for England: Curtis

    NEW signing John Curtis believes his move to Blackburn could help him to fulfil his international ambitions. The 21-year-old right-back, who joined Rovers in a £1.5m move from Manchester United yesterday, was once tipped as a future England international

  • May the farce be with you

    WHAT are our councillors trying to do to the city they are supposed to support? The shops around the lower end of the town must be finding it very hard to make a living now. Why, oh why, can't there be bus stops put on Chapel Street? I know that none

  • Community stadium

    I WOULD like to applaud Saints RLFC, St Helens Town, Liverpool St Helens, the boxing club and any other party on the formation of the sporting club St Helens. I would also like to applaud Saints on their plans for the new community based stadium to be

  • Weighing up the cost of bypass

    CONTRARY to what Geraldine Smith seems to suggest, it is not undemocratic to express opposition to the Western Bypass. Rather, it is undemocratic to seek to stifle the views of those with whom you disagree. And, in the case of the bypass, those alternative

  • Instant crime beater

    POLAROID photographs can now be taken at the scene of domestic violence and used as evidence of victims' injuries. The Polaroid Project, a pilot scheme launched in Central and Eastern Police Divisions today (Thursday), will involve 16 camera kits being

  • Bank raid hero in line for salute

    A FATHER-of-two who stopped an armed robber in his tracks has been nominated for the UK Bravery Awards which will be presented at the Savoy Hotel in London on Thursday, June 15 and shown on televsion the following day. When Stuart Tootill from Rainford

  • Bad behaviour is a real nuisance

    A HOUSE to house police survey on Burnley's Brunshaw estate has identified juvenile nuisance as residents' main concern. Sergeant Mark Maxlow said: "The perceived problems arising from the youngsters' behaviour are drink, noise, shouting and swearing.

  • Chips turn pooches into hot dogs

    CHIPS have been on the menu for Lancaster and Morecambe dog owners this week, as the National Canine Defence League launched a new campaign. Dog micro-chipping provides a permanent way of identifying pooches and returning them to their owners. The service

  • Policewoman kicked in shin

    A POLICEWOMAN suffered a painful and bruised shin after a man kicked out at her during an early hours arrest. Burnley magistrates heard how jobless Jason Black, 29, was out walking his dog when he was told he was going to be locked up. Black, previously

  • High drama after abseil accident

    AN ABSEILER was stranded for two hours on a narrow ledge with a broken leg after a freak accident. Mary Cahill, 34, of Bacup, was abseiling down a 40ft drop on the Minstrel climb at Widdop crags, Widdop Moor, when she caught her glove in the rope fastener

  • MP's ride on time

    A LETTER to the Citizen prompted local MP Hilton Dawson to get on his bike and take up the challenge of cycling around the busy city centre roads. Keen cyclist Alan Tyson wrote to the city's most lively letters page asking Dawson to join him on his daily

  • Taxi war on the horizon

    A WAR of words has broken out over how the local taxi industry should be regulated. Hackney carriage drivers were stunned this week after it was suggested at a council sub-committee that the taxi industry be deregulated. Dozens of hackney owners, who

  • We're going to the top!

    RESIDENTS angered by the urbanisation of the Lancaster to Caton footpath have taken their protest to the scheme's biggest financial backers - the Millennium Commission. Armed with a 1,200 name petition, residents claim lottery money has been wrongly used

  • Bus station plans hit tender spot

    LANCASTER council has admitted it cannot afford to rebuild the city's crumbling bus station. In a statement, issued after The Citizen's exclusive front page story last week, councillors said that cost cutting plans were being prepared after the council

  • Odsal crunch for champions

    LEAGUE leaders Saints face the ultimate test of their championship potential when they visit Bradford tomorrow, Friday (7.30pm) - their 13th game of the season! Unbeaten since the opening day, when the Bulls won 32-10 at Knowsley Road, Saints will enter

  • Can't make people vote

    THERE is a whisper that in order to boost the ever-decreasing turnout at general or local elections, a penalty of £10 could be imposed on stay-away voters. It is obvious that many voters couldn't care less which party succeed. They are disenchanted with

  • Brook's sevens triumph

    A YOUTHFUL Blackbrook side swept to victory in Monday's UGB Sevens Tournament. Player of the competition was Vine's Mark Dolloway. RESULTS Semi-finals: Vine 28 Pilkington Recs 22, Blackbrook 26 Haresfinch 12. FINAL: Vine 14 Blackbrook 24.

  • Chemists on duty

    THE following duty chemists will be available for dispensing services on Sunday, June 4, between noon and 1pm (unless stated otherwise): Moss Chemists, The Health Centre, Old Colliery Road, Whiston; Taylor's Chemist, 191 West End Road, Haydock (10am to

  • Making a mark in history

    IN planning a special flashback feature, a Haydock church is on the trail of old photos featuring significant events and people who helped to shape the parish's yesteryear. The planned feature, entitled 'St Mark's through the Decades' is earmarked for

  • Stan digs out a yedscratter

    STAN Bates didn't exactly strike gold when his metal detector buzzed him towards a 'find' -- but he nonetheless unearthed an intriguing bit of local history. What he dug up forms something of a yedscratter. It's an old coin-shaped brass disc measuring

  • Skipping back to street-game era

    THE superb street-games contribution from Kevin Heneghan (May 18) certainly struck a chord with Ada Penketh of Dentons Green. Ada, an incredibly well-preserved 91-year-old, can reach back to times when the side-streets of St Helens were virtually traffic-free

  • New logo and a new look

    PRESTON Borough Council had undergone a mini makeover, with a new logo and a restructuring of its management team. Following the departure of three directors on early retirement and voluntery redundancy, the remaining five directors have reshuffled duties

  • Following in famous Steps

    CHART-topping boy band a1 are set to storm Preston's Guild Hall as part of their debut headline tour this autumn. It is a live show that is certain to establish the lads as one of the best pop acts in Britain following in the footsteps of other big name

  • Ten years ago: Holiday con trick

    A GANG of devious crooks could be behind a bogus telephone survey targeting people leaving East Lancashire to go on holiday, police warned. Police warned residents not to give their holiday details after several people were contacted by callers posing

  • The JOURNAL is off to a flying start

    Here at the JOURNAL we are more used to reporting the news, but on Friday we created our own piece of history. After a 13-year absence the paid-for Leigh, Tyldesley & Atherton JOURNAL returned to the streets. The paper was first published in 1854

  • Home alone' boy cheats fire trap

    A 'HOME alone' teenager had a lucky escape from a severe house fire after he was woken by a smoke alarm. Robert Burns, aged 17, opened his eyes to see thick smoke filling his detached house and he decided to make a dash for safety. The teenager's dog,

  • Police target trouble spots

    POLICE chiefs are set to clamp down on problem youths in Leigh as part of a six-month pilot project. Trouble hot-spots have already been identified in Lilford Park, Pennington Park, Leigh's Town Hall square and recreation grounds in Astley. Now bobbies

  • Mum forces probe into son's death

    THE mother of a disabled Astley man who drowned at a care home has forced legal experts to re-examine the case. Malcolm Rowley, 30, was found dead last July in a bath at a Salford Council special bungalow in Eccles. Ever since, his mother Brenda, 47,

  • Olympic village to model itself on Leigh blueprint

    A GREEK local authority has called on Wigan council for help with their preparations for the Olympics. The municipality of Maroussi will become home to many of the sites for the 2004 Games, and its mayor wants to make sure that all their services come

  • Elderly hurt in fun day terror

    CARNIVAL fun ended in terror when a riot broke out among revellers and showmen. Police officers were called in to break up a mass brawl and running fights as violent scenes brought an end to And Billy Edwards, 68, who managed the fairground rides, says

  • The hero's send-off

    LEIGH rugby stars - past and present - are set to honour a player killed in a freak accident. John Westhead, 34, died when he severed an artery in his arm after putting his hand through a pane of glass of a door at his plush detached home . The father-of-three

  • Do we want new or make-do?

    IT will take several months or even more than a year before the new Lancaster bus station is in use. It could take several years if progress is maintained at the present rate! Due to the passing of such a long period of time we will not all become used

  • Transport policy going in wrong direction

    I'M writing in response to your request as to whether Lancaster needs a bus station or not. Being a daily bus user who has been extremely inconvenienced by the present arrangements I can only imagine that Morecambe Bay Independent councillors never travel

  • For weak policies blame weak politicians

    NOTHING has proven my point more closely than the replies to my letter concerning our urgently needed new road for Lancaster, received from Emily Heath, and to a lesser extent, the more considered offering from Jon Sear. Firstly, to take Ms Heath's plainly

  • We should share ideas and cars

    SO, the council are not content with delaying the construction of a new bus station for what is it now, nearly 20 years? Thanks to the Citizen, we discover the council only received tenders for its reconstruction after they closed it, and it may cost

  • Big push to net funds

    LANCASHIRE'S wheelchair basketball team is planning an epic push to raise funds for their promotion to the national leagues. The Lancashire Bulldogs will push from Carnforth, through Lancaster, to a finishing line at Preston's Marriot Hotel. Student James

  • Please Come Home Lindsey

    A TEARFUL Heysham mother has sent a heartfelt message to her missing 14-year-old daughter "Lindsey, please come home." Citizen paper girl Lindsey Whaymen disappeared after delivering the last of her newspapers last Friday and has not been seen by her

  • New Merc driving public mad

    A WHITEFIELD motor dealership has been inundated with orders for a new car which won't reach the showrooms until August. And bosses at Mercedes dealers Whitefield Ltd say response from would-be buyers has been "absolutely outstanding". They are clamouring

  • Safety is the way forward

    BOLTON and Bury Chamber is inviting local businesses to boost their competitive edge by improving their health and safety practice. To this end, the Chamber has announced a series of 12 workshops which are being staged throughout the next few weeks. They

  • Fylde's flag-flyers march on

    FYLDE troops proved stiff competition for members of the European reserve forces at a recent military skills event. Privates Colin Nelson and Hayley Matthews, from St Annes, along with Private Jamie Darwin, from Blackpool, were runners-up in the competition

  • It's a Grand hotel!

    THE results of this year's United Utilities North West tourism awards are in -- and several institutions from the Fylde coast received recognition. The Grand Hotel in St Annes was chosen as best small hotel of the year. Judges were impressed by the blend

  • M6 closed after accident

    ALL three lanes of the M6 motorway were temporarily closed on Tuesday this week after a car and ambulance collided. The accident happened at 2.43pm at Longridge, just north of junction 31 on the northbound carriageway. PC Booth from Lancashire Constabulary's

  • Leyland 'truck stop' battle

    LEYLAND folk are hoping to put the brakes on a government move to allow 44-tonne trucks on to our roads. Backed by Liberal Democrat campaigners, Leyland residents have called for restrictions to the number of HGVs allowed to thunder down their streets

  • Lions recruit with pride

    FESTIVAL revellers heading for Worden Park, in Leyland, on Saturday, are being urged to sign up to the world's largest service organisation. Members of the Leyland and Cuerden Valley Lions Club, who will be situated on the park throughout the day, are

  • Bus services disrupted after drivers' meeting

    BUS services in Blackpool were severely affected today (Friday) when drivers and conductors, protesting about plans to recruit new part time staff, held a disruptive meeting. Human resources manager at Blackpool Transport, Annie Nancollis, said nearly

  • Police aim to reduce car crime

    A REDUCTION in car crime is the aim of a project by Blackpool police. Auto-crime Awareness Week which kicked off on Saturday (May 27) has been organised by police in partnership with private companies and other agencies. The project aims to combat car

  • Dr Feelgood issues a holiday warning

    DR FEELGOOD has the perfect remedy for building HIV awareness in Blackpool. The madcap medic with the heart of gold, aka local DJ Joe Curran, has joined with Cahoots manager Dave Daley and North West Lancashire Health Authority to inform and educate young

  • Cruel for cats???

    YOU know when you know you've got to tell someone something but you just don't know how? When you know there's no escaping it, that it has to be done, but still you can't bring yourself to say the words that are sticking so firmly in your throat? I ask

  • RMI prices rise for Conference

    By Graham Lovett FOLLOWING confirmation from the Nationwide Conference that the minimum admission charge for next season will be £7, Leigh RMI have had to make an increase in both the matchday and season ticket charges. While a rise in admission charges

  • Speedway kids win epic battle

    ASTLEY & Tyldesley Miners' Welfare and Sheffield fought out an epic Northern Junior Cycle Speedway KO Cup Final at Stockport on Sunday before the local side eventually got their hands on the silverware. The first three races were drawn before Sheffield

  • Leigh bounce back from Barrow to step up title race

    Leigh Centurions 26 Keighley Cougars 16 THE Centurions restored their credibility and brought the smiles back to Hilton Park. Friday's horror show at Barrow was quickly forgotten as Leigh showed something approaching their true form. All the wrongs from

  • Chickens perish in allotments blaze

    YOUNG firebugs are being blamed for a massive blaze which killed 25 chickens and destroyed a large allotments shed. Two fire crews battled against the blaze which broke out at the Nissen-type hunt at the allotments in Baron Street, Bury. Officers believe

  • Biker John takes the high road.

    ROARIN' to go! That's Bury biker Andrew Makin who is to tour Scotland later this year to raise vital cash for a hospital charity. The 29-year-old will clock up hundreds of miles during his sponsored journey, the proceeds which will go to the special baby

  • Shop raided twice in five days

    THE proprietor of a designer outlet is considering her future after being targeted by ram-raiders for the fifth time. In just five days, Smarty's was hit twice by smash and grab raiders who fled with £16,000 of children's designer gear. Mrs Karen Hodkiss

  • Vow to block housing plan

    RESIDENTS are celebrating after plans to develop houses on green land in Radcliffe were thrown out. And leading campaigners say they will continue to fight tooth and nail to protect the land at Brook Bottom, Radcliffe. Mrs Barbara Haslam, who lives on

  • End to a sticky problem.

    GUM lovers in Bury are being asked to chew over a new anti-litter initiative. For, while they may not realise it, discarded gum is becoming an increasing problem when it comes to the cleanliness of our streets, particularly on pavements and in pedestrianised

  • Emma set for dolphin days

    A POORLY young girl who captured the hearts of the local community is off to make a splash with dolphins in Florida. The once-in-a-lifetime journey has finally become a reality for Emma Berman, who suffers from cerebral palsy and epilepsy, after local

  • Injured man in quarry rescue drama

    A BOULDER almost certainly saved a 33-year-old man from death after he fell while out walking at a disused Birtle quarry. Mr John Boslem tumbled 15ft and was rescued by fire crews after his lucky escape. A boulder broke his fall, preventing him from plunging

  • Strikers on way to Pool?

    BLACKPOOL manager Steve McMahon's search for a striker has the Bloomfield Road rumour-mill working on overload. The latest name to be linked to the Seasiders is that of Darlington's top scorer last season Marco Gabbiadini, recently named Division Three

  • Lowest wage rises by 6.7 pc

    THOUSANDS of young workers in East Lancashire will today be receiving a pay rise. The 20p an hour pay rise is thanks to an increase in the national minimum wage. The youth rate, paid to workers aged between 18 and 21, will go up from £3 an hour to £3.20

  • Survey reveals stress at top

    WORKPLACE stress is damaging the health of local bosses, according to a survey. Almost three quarters of executives questioned in the North West said stress affected their health, happiness and home life. But less than a third of managers said they thought

  • Kemo's home swede home

    RELEASED Shakers striker Kemajl Avdiu has signed for Swedish Second Division club Vasalunds IF. The Kosovan-born naturalised Swede is the first of the five players surplus to requirement at the end of the season to get fixed up with a new club. Avdiu,

  • Mum praises daughter's schoolchums

    THE mother of a teenage girl whose life was made a misery by school bullies, has paid tribute to the friends who helped her through the trauma. In a letter to the Star, the woman, who does not wish to be named, told how her 13-year-old daughter had been

  • Alan bids to save a life

    MECHANIC Alan Simm may have saved someone he's never met -- 20 years after throwing out the lifeline. For the 48-year-old from Rainhill donated a pint of precious bone marrow to try and save the life of a leukaemia patient. Alan, who works for Ellisons

  • Victor keeps flame of Dunkirk burning

    A PROUD second world war 'old sweat' is set to fall in again -- at the age of 80! For 2041671 ex-Sapper Victor Pennington, Royal Engineers, will make his fourth and final pilgrimage to the beaches of Dunkirk from June 2 to 8. He will be parading alongside

  • Best player barred because she's a girl

    A 10-YEAR-OLD football star is being forced to leave her Darwen club -- because she's a girl. Kaye Widdicombe, of Brantwood Street, Darwen, loves football and has notched up several trophies during the one season she has played for Oggy Hotspurs. But

  • Widow upset by ban on memorial

    A GRIEVING widow has accused church authorities of an "unchristian" attitude after being refused permission to place the headstone of her choice on her husband's grave. When Fred Ullathorne died in April, his wife Jean had his ashes placed alongside those

  • Bus crash helpline opened

    ROSSENDALE-based tour operator Airtours today confirmed that two people from Lancashire were among those injured in a coach crash on Minorca. The company said 24 passengers, including five staff and the Spanish driver were on board the vehicle travelling

  • Youth 'attacked with bottle'

    A YOUTH ended up cut and scarred and had to have 18 stitches after he was allegedly attacked with a bottle following a night on the town. Burnley Crown Court heard that Paul McKenna fell to the ground after the early hours attack, said to be at the hands

  • Bin whingers should stop

    WHO are these whingers complaining about no refuse collections on Bank Holidays? Have they forgotten that bin capacity was doubled with the introduction of wheelie bins. There are also far more recycling facilities than there used to be and therefore

  • Heart charity's steam success

    ON behalf of the British Heart Foundation (BHF), I would like to thank Tefal for donating more than £13,000 in the first three months of a year-long partnership, to help fight the UK's biggest killer, heart and circulatory disease. Money is being raised

  • Thanks for helping my chosen career

    I'D like to thank all the staff at the Preston Citizen for the help and publicity they have given me over the past few years, especially the past month. The article and photograph the Citizen ran about my acceptance into the Drama Studios in London was

  • Cheese is feline much better now!

    THE People's Dispensary for Sick Animals has helped avoid a CATastrophe for a Blackpool pet lover after his beloved puss swallowed a glass bead. Owner Gerry Duffy said two-year-old Cheese underwent surgery at Blackpool's PDSA Veterinary Centre after swallowing

  • Butcher 'meats' US bosses

    A SUPERMARKET worker from Blackburn will fly to America this week to meet colleagues from the retail giant which bought out Asda. Jeremy Colan, a butcher at Asda's store at Grimshaw Retail Park, Blackburn, will travel to the head office of Wal-Mart in

  • Friendly donation

    PARENTS visiting the children's medical ward at Blackburn's Queen's Park Hospital will be able to stay over thanks to the donation of two chair beds. The hospital's fund-raising committee, the League of Friends, has donated the two chair beds to the ward

  • 'Secret' cabinet meets open to all

    BLACKBURN with Darwen Council today revealed it has bowed to public pressure on plans to have eight super-councillors shaping the future of the borough in private. The change in policy follows criticism by the public and a campaign for more openness by

  • Drugs swoop on students' coach

    COLLEGE students on a half-term trip to Alton Towers had their coach raided by police who seized drugs and made four arrests. The group was on a day trip organised by the Students' Union at Blackburn College, and their coach had travelled less than a

  • Extra staff plea from patients and nurses

    MORE staff are needed to cut waiting lists and improve care for patients, according to staff at an East Lancashire hospital. Staff, patients and visitors at hospitals and health centres were asked for their ideas for the future of the NHS as part of a

  • Local cricket: Rehman 'gave match fix cash to poor'

    UNDER-FIRE Blackburn Northern professional Ata-ur-Rehman claims to have given the £1,400 received for fixing a match to the poor of Pakistan. Ata has been advised by solicitors not to comment on a recent Pakistani report into match fixing which recommended

  • Local cricket: Chorley skip stands down

    NIGEL Heaton has taken the shock decision to resign as captain of Chorley Cricket Club. Former skipper Roland Horridge has accepted an offer from club chairman Norman Poole to resume the captaincy and he will take charge of the team for the two weekend

  • County cricket: Martin out for eightweeks

    LANCASHIRE suffered a massive injury blow today as Peter Martin was ruled out for six to eight weeks with a fractured dislocation of his right thumb. Martin was struck on the glove by Derbyshire skipper Dominic Cork and forced to retire hurt to bring

  • Vikings beat the weather

    BAD weather severely disrupted the St Helens Rounders League schedule. But Pilkington Vikings managed to play two games - with contrasting fortunes.They were beaten 8-6 by a fine fine performance by arch-rivals Sutton Cricket Club. But they recovered

  • People ignore parking laws

    THE furore over Blackpool Council's decision to change parking in the streets continues. Had the council gone ahead with an efficient park and ride system many years ago it would have greatly eased this ongoing situation. People are generally selfish

  • Hygiene of the highest standard

    REGARDING your front page article about Meals on Wheels (May 18), Social Services stated that the change would bring "new levels of hygiene and food safety". May I point out to our customers in Wyre and Fylde (and former recipients in Blackpool) who receive

  • Rainhill on song

    RAINHILL stormed to a seven-wicket victory over Widnes outfit Moorfield. Semi-professional Paul Robinson started the ball rolling with figures of 3-48 off 11 overs. They tried their best to get out of trouble, but succumbed to Rainhill's pace attack.

  • Meals on wheels mean much more

    I WOULD like to comment on your front page article in The Citizen (May 18). Firstly, your second paragraph may have misled readers -- the meals are not free. The recipients pay £1.70 for each meal. Incidentally, in St Annes the charge is £1.40. As a volunteer

  • Battling Recs dig in

    A GREAT last-wicket stand guided St Helens Recs to a battling draw against a strong Worsley side at Ruskin Drive on Monday. Losing the toss, Recs' makeshift side waas put in to bat on a damp seaming wicket. The Worsley bowlers took full advantage and

  • Gregan, Macken and Alexander in team of season

    THREE Preston North End players have been voted into the top ten of Division Two last season in a national poll. The FourFourTwo magazine awards saw Sean Gregan and Jon Macken, pictured, in second and third place and Graham Alexander at number nine. Gregan

  • June's the month for entertainment

    JUNE is bursting out with tip-top entertainment, so make sure that you don't miss out! THERE is a treat for youngsters at the Theatre Royal, Corporation Street on Friday, June 2 when BBC television's 'Bodger and Badger' appear there starting at 1.30pm

  • Wheel support you ever more!

    DISABLED Preston North End supporters can now attend away matches, thanks to a new club for wheelchair-bound fans. Until the independent PNE Disabled Supporters' Association was established, the newly-promoted club was unable to provide transport for

  • Builders are not likely to respond

    IT came as no surprise that Mr David J. Kemp (May 26) responded to my letter about the state of Lower Gigg. After all it was he who, instead of taking it up beforehand with his Redvales councillors or council officer, wrote directly to the leader of the

  • Money didn't save Chester

    I COME down strongly in favour of those presently running Bury FC. Of course we could do with a wealthy benefactor but even then there would be a need for someone experienced to run the club on a day-to-day basis, as was the case when Mr Eaves was backing

  • Pensioners are a force for change

    IT is obvious that we are approaching the time for a General Election with the main political parties vying with each other to win the 11 million votes that we pensioners hold. Tory leader William Hague has insulted us with his recent statement on pensions

  • Goshen closure threatens hockey

    IT was excellent to see read (Bury Times , May 26) about the growth of hockey in Bury and the development of Bury Jaguars. My two children were on the photograph and my wife is involved in the coaching and running of the club. However, it is ironic that

  • School places: LEA has misled and betrayed us

    DESPITE the fact that her brother already attends Woodhey High School our appeal for a place for our daughter at the same school has recently been turned down. We now write to warn other parents of a system for allocating high school places which is unfair

  • Suing for damages getting ludicrous

    THIS suing, and running away with ludicrous damages lark, is getting very silly. Would you believe a music teacher is aiming to take Dame Edna Everage for £16,000 after being hit in the eye by a flying gladioli? The whinger claims he has suffered impaired

  • Hats off to Leigh's posties

    TAKE my hat off to our postmen. I never really understood what torture they go through until this week. I had a taste of their work while delivering hundreds of jumble bags for a charity - and not in an easy terraced area. There were homes with double

  • DAF take honours in derby

    Leyland ... 107-8 Leyland Daf ... 195-8 LEYLAND DAF took the honours with a winning draw in the local derby at Fox Lane. But Leyland went into the match as favourites with two wins in two days having beaten Blackpool on Saturday in the league and Fleetwood

  • Mum says thanks

    A MUM whose four-year-old son was attacked by a dog has contacted the Star to thank family, friends and well-wishers for their support. Little Liam Mercer was featured on last week's front page following the attack by an Alsatian dog which left him needing

  • How green is their valley

    MORE than 80 volunteers united to do their bit for the environment, when they carried out a "spring clean" of Sankey Valley in St Helens. The 'Parr Churches Together' clean-up campaign was organised with the help of the St Helens-based Sankey NOW River

  • Safety work on East Lancs

    NEWS that the Highways Agency is to carry out safety improvement works at the junction of Carr Mill Road and the East Lancashire Road (A580) has been welcomed by Moss Bank Liberal Democrat councillor Carole Kavanagh. Councillor Kavanagh, said: "I am absolutely

  • Grille raid driver seeks similar victims...

    A WOMAN who had the front grille of her Suzuki car stolen is appealing for other motorists who have suffered similar crimes to contact her. The theft occurred some time between 8pm on Saturday, May 27 and 12.30am on Sunday, May 28 on the car park of a

  • Come watch them play

    FOLLOWING the success of Goldilocks and The Three Bears, the acclaimed Premier Productions are on target to wow audiences with their latest show, The Story of the Three Little Pigs. Crowds are invited to Preston's Charter Theatre, this Sunday (June 4)

  • Apology accepted, councillors.

    NO matter that its contrition is convoluted, the decision of Blackburn with Darwen ruling Labour group to hold future meetings of the Executive Board -- the cabinet of eight "super councillors" set to run the Council in secret -- in public is right and

  • Dramatic link-up

    A POWERFUL performance of The Crucible at Bispham High School, last week, was enjoyed by visitors from Wales as well as pupils. The production of Arthur Miller's classic play by Bispham Youth Theatre was watched by members of Penygraig Drama Workshop

  • MAC KNOWS ALL THE ANGLES

    SLICK Steve McDonald chalked up another victory on Anglesey on Bank Holiday Monday. He triumphed in a one-day event staged by the Wirral 100 club. It was a first for Steve on his debut on the track, but he upset the regulars, who complained that road-based

  • LOUGHLIN COMES IN TO BAT

    PAUL LOUGHLIN gets the chance to resurrect what has been a disappointing season personally at Batley on Sunday. The Swinton Lions centre or half back has failed to live up to his potential since joining from the Super League before the start of the season

  • JEK THIS OUT!

    ROCHDALE HORNETS 21 SWINTON LIONS 32: By MIKE CAINE SWINTON's Jekyll and Hyde season showed both its good and bad sides at Spotland on Monday afternoon. In the first half they were awful, in the second simply sensational. A mundane opening, with both

  • Today's the day

    1943: "Gone With The Wind" actor Leslie Howard was killed when German planes attacked a civilian transport plane en route from Lisbon to London. Mysteriously, the bodies and wreckage were never found. Howard once wrote that in Hollywood "an intellectual

  • This week in 1975 25 years ago

    VANDALS: It didn't take the wreckers long to spoil Bury's new £234,000 Pyramid Park. While only weeks away from being completed, vandals ripped down saplings, daubed slogans on the bridge, and, no different than today, hurled bricks, tyres and oil drums

  • Praise for tree loppers

    IT is not often you can give credit to the Town Hall, but, thanks to them, it is now a pleasure to walk up Penny Street, Blackburn, towards Larkhill, without being lashed with hanging branches poking your eyes out. It has taken them long enough to do

  • Festival fantastic

    OVER the bank holiday weekend, I attended several events at the Darwen Music Life festival -- and what fantastic events these were. The venues were packed, the music great and there was a fabulous atmosphere. I would like to congratulate all those connected

  • Tories in cuckoo land

    SINCE the May local elections, Blackburn Tories have demonstrated their pathetic lack of political weight -- firstly by remarks on the pound (Letters, May 22), which most certainly will not help Blackburn's exporters, and secondly by their appeal for

  • Why shun the locals?

    REGARDING Councillor John Williams' appeal (LET, May 23) for a big celebrity to stand in Blackburn as Conservative Party candidate against the Home Secretary in the next parliamentary election, I look forward with interest to ascertain who may be forthcoming

  • Trust aims to protect others

    IN connection with the recent news that my daughter's case is being re-investigated, a number of media outlets have talked inaccurately both about why The Suzy Lamplugh Trust was set up and the work it does. Suzy disappeared whilst meeting an unknown

  • Hamad finds he's in fashion

    THE catwalk called for budding designer Hamad Parvez, who showcased his talent on Wednesday (May 31). The 22-year-old, of Alfred Street, Bury, saw his handiwork unveiled at a fashion show in the Lowry Centre. The buildings of Hong Kong were the inspiration

  • Others to be put through the mill

    A TEXTILE mill dating back to the 19th century is to be demolished to make way for 78 houses. The luxury housing development will be built on the site which, until recently, was occupied by Morada International. Bosses at the Hope Street Mill put in the

  • Drugs swoop on students' coach

    COLLEGE students on a half-term trip to Alton Towers had their coach raided by police who seized drugs and made four arrests. The group was on a day trip organised by the Students' Union at Blackburn College, and their coach had travelled less than a

  • Six arrested in war against drugs

    DETECTIVES have arrested a half-dozen people and seized a quantity of heroin following a series of raids at local households. And Bury South MP Ivan Lewis has welcomed the operation to rid Radcliffe of what he labels "the evil drug pushers". Three men

  • Travelling back in time.

    HUNDREDS took a nostalgic trip down memory lane when the East Lancashire Railway staged a wartime weekend to commemorate World War Two. Battles were fought and won and hearts were broken over the three day event, held between May 27-29. But it wasn't

  • Closure forces hockey players to move on

    HOCKEY players will have to "up sticks" with the closure of the popular all-weather pitch at Bury's Goshen Sports Centre. Council bosses say the decision, which also affects the many footballers who hire the pitch, has been taken for safety reasons. They

  • Centurians are on the march!

    AS many as 1000 Centurions' fans are likely to head for Boundary Park on Sunday hoping to roar For their last Sunday away game - at Swinton - Leigh's army of travelling fans filled 700 Gigg Lane seats. That figure is likely to reach four figures given

  • Thomas keeps on trucking

    MOST people's spare time is spent down the local sports field, or watching T.V. But Bury man Thomas Keenan has a rather different hobby that involves working in his garage and creating a monster. No need for panic though, as the 43-year-old, of Renshaw

  • Grayson wants to fight for place.

    DEFENDER Simon Grayson today admitted he fears the worst over his Ewood future following the arrival of John Curtis. The 30-year-old defender, who joined Rovers from Aston Villa last summer, has been the subject of intense speculation ever since the season

  • Too good to miss

    I SPENT a very enjoyable evening with friends at the Theatre Royal show, 'Four Societies in Concert.' The presentation was very good. I was particularly impressed by St Helens Amateur Operatic Society singing excerpts from 'Les Miserables.' The songs

  • Hunt promises!

    WHEN asked about hunting on television in July last year the Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "It will be banned." In November, 1999 the Home Secretary Jack Straw said that the Government would provide time for a bill to ban hunting following the conclusion

  • It's not right!

    IN February, this newspaper kindly published my letter about the new campaign over miners' pension fund surpluses. I explained how, under a deal made by the previous Conservative government the Treasury is currently scheduled to take £4 billion as its

  • Removing barriers

    DISABLED pupils in Lancashire will benefit from more than £630,000 to help improve access in schools. Sixty Lancashire nursery, primary, secondary and voluntary-aided schools will benefit from the building improvements and extra equipment -- including

  • Junior soccer stars

    A SATURDAY morning soccer course for service family children at Fulwood Barracks is attracting top young talent from around the neighbourhood. Many of the youngsters play for the top youth teams in the area and six from the senior age group have had trials

  • Police join Kosovo body hunt

    TWO Preston Police support staff are to help identify bodies in Kosovo, as part of an international forensic operation. Senior scene of crime officer Dave Atkinson and Chris Hough from the imaging unit at Hutton will spend five weeks in the war-torn country

  • Victim escapes attacker

    PRESTON police are searching for a man who tried to rape an 18-year-old woman in a town centre alleyway in the early hours of Tuesday. Lowthian Street -- the scene of the brutal attack -- was cordoned off on Tuesday (pictured) while police and support

  • Girls' Brigade captain charged

    A GIRLS' Brigade captain from Burnley has been charged with two offences of indecent assault. Elizabeth Bolton, 44, of Palace Gardens, Burnley, was due to appear in court today to face allegations of indecent assault on the same girl. One charge relates

  • Grant brings breath of fresh air

    A CLEAN-UP the environment initiative has brought a breath of fresh air to employees at Horners of Burnley. With help from a grant from the local Business Environment Association, extraction equipment has been installed in the Rover and Fiat dealership

  • Kids have their say at fun day

    CHILDREN were given the chance to have a say in how their area develops at a fun day in the Griffin area of Burnley. Sharron Swindells, a community development worker, organised a fun event with stalls, roll a penny, badge making and face painting on

  • Lisa poaches top prize

    A LANCASTER college student has won a prestigious £5,000 prize in a national competition. Lisa Allen, 19, of Hest Bank, is in her third year of a Chef Diploma at Lancaster and Morecambe College, and her work experience and commitment impressed the Hotel

  • Age of new semantics

    THE language used by the Labour Government is full of 'not only but also' policy, a Lancaster University professor told a public meeting this week. But city MP Hilton Dawson put up a spirited defence of his leaders as Professor Norman Fairclough launched

  • Wave of protest over benefit bungle

    HUNDREDS of Burnley residents swamped housing offices with angry protests after receiving council tax demands for cash they do not owe -- as the town's benefits payments headache reached new heights. Town hall bosses this week sent out 2,000 demands for

  • Station upgrade embraces northern spirit

    RAILTRACK has completed a £1.7 million project to refurbish four stations on the Carnforth branch line between Lancaster and Leeds. The improvements at Wennington, Clapham, Giggleswick and Hellifield are part of a multi-million pound investment programme

  • 'Video nasty' doesn't stop cafe plans

    PLANS for yet another new bar in Lancaster have been given the go-ahead, despite a police 'video nasty' compilation of town centre violence. Officers were so concerned about the proposed Chicago Rock Cafe, on the corner of Church Street and New Street

  • Train price hike goes to regulator

    VIRGIN'S astronomical 287 per cent price hike in its early morning train fares from Lancaster to London has been referred to the Rail Regulator by local MP Hilton Dawson. Two weeks ago the Citizen exposed the massive price increase which has angered local

  • Playgroup pleased Ofsted

    I WOULD like to say how pleased I was to read Ramsbottom Playgroup's very positive first Ofsted report and was disappointed that the Bury Times has not published it. Surely good news is worth hearing about! The four "Aunties", Kath, Chris, Olive and Lesley

  • National accolade for Philip

    SIMPLY the best! That's Blackbrook Royals' scrum-half Philip Anderton. He's been named the Barla National Yopung League's under 16s player of the year. It caps a great season for the Haydock High School pupil, who has signed for Saints and has helped

  • Mick in Brook hot seat

    BLACKBROOK have appointed former Saints player Mick Glover as head coach for the next National Conference League campaign. Mick who spent six seasons at Saints also played professionally at Cardiff, Fulham and Runcorn. He also boasts a wealth of coaching

  • Junior ARL round-up

    Haydock under nines 12 Portico 36 Haydock skipper was D.L. Construction top tackler and try scorer Joshua Glover, with the J.T. Clarke & sons man of the match award going to Ryan Livesley who scored the other two tries for Haydock. Dean Dale was most

  • Six of the best

    AMATEUR Rugby League at local level has received a massive boost with the naming of the North West Counties under-16 squad to tour the Southern Hemisphere in 2001. For six rising stars of the Millennium have been included in the 40-strong party, which

  • Saints take hard route to the top

    Saints 27 Hull FC 14 SAINTS sit proudly on top of Super League following this11th successive win, but only after Hull had provided the stiffest of challenges. For the highly-organised Humbersiders led at half-time and remained in contention throughout

  • Saints put the bite on Sharks

    Saints 27 Hull FC 14 SAINTS sat proudly on top of Super League following this11th successive win, but only after Hull had provided the stiffest challenge of the season. For the highly-organised Humbersiders led at half-time and remained in contention

  • Handbag swingers of the 70s

    BIG handbags were obviously very much in vogue when this happy gang of lasses, pictured right, set off on a day trip to Blackpool in the early 1970s. Like many things these days, most handbags have since become somewhat miniaturised, but the ones displayed

  • Pointing way back to town's origins

    WE'VE been pointed towards the origins of the strangely-named Fingerpost area of Parr. Reader Roy J. Hull of Parr Mount Court had asked, via this cobwebby column (May 18) for enlightenment and for any additional details. Response was prompt, from old-timer

  • Back down the air-raid shelter

    DUCK down into the old air-raid shelter, because the bombs are still raining down on St Helens. Denis Brown is the latest customer of this column to don the trusty old tin hat in recounting his own boyhood experiences during the second world war. And

  • Duty Rota

    CHEMISTS on duty on Sunday, June 4, are: Moss Side Pharmacy, Dunkirk Lane, Leyland, 10am-2pm; Boots, Fishergate, Preston, 10.30am-4.30pm; Moss Chemists, Asda, Fulwood, 10.30am-4.30pm; Moss Chemists, Sainsburys, Deepdale, 10.30am-4.30pm; Scholes Chemist

  • M6 closed after accident

    ALL three lanes of the M6 motorway were temporarily closed on Tuesday this week after a car and ambulance collided. The accident happened at 2.43pm at Longridge, just north of junction 31 on the northbound carriageway. PC Booth from Lancashire Constabulary's

  • Messing about on the river

    WATER way to raise money for charity! Bank Holiday Monday encouraged hundreds of boating hopefuls to the River Ribble for a gruelling seven-mile raft race. There is nothing quite like 'messing about on the river' and in the case of this bunch of madcap

  • Meeting means business

    BUSINESS minds from the creative industries will come together at Preston's Guild Hall nextweek. The "Meet the Buyer" event, to be held on Wednesday and Thursday (June 7 and 8) will feature more than fifty exhibitions. It is the first event of its kind

  • Five years ago: Claret commotion

    BURNLEY fans were aghast when Blackburn Rovers' title-winning captain Tim Sherwood was invited to open a weekend gala in a staunch Clarets area. Organisers of Colne Gala hoped Premiership winner Sherwood would pull in crowds from across the country. But

  • Young fire raisers risk lives

    CHILDREN who are being blamed for setting fire to an empty mill are risking their lives, firefighters today warned. Crews from Accrington fire station were called out to two fires at a derelict factory in Richmond Hill Street, Accrington, last night.

  • Beds are a whole new ball game

    FOOTBALL fans who dream about soccer are now able to do so in the perfect surroundings -- with a bed that's got their club's name written all over it. Two football-mad entrepreneurs from Accrington have designed the novel bed and are already attracting

  • Grieving father's thanks

    A FATHER left homeless by a fire which caused the deaths of his wife and four-year-old son today said a big thank you to his local community. Brian Stoddard said he had been forced to rely on the generosity of neighbours and friends because he had no

  • 'Foul play' over sports plans

    ANGRY bosses at a famous East Lancashire football club today blasted plans to build a sports complex at a nearby high school after councillors put the kybosh on the club's scheme. John De Maine, commercial director of UniBond First Division champions

  • Mum braves smoke to rescue son, 5

    By David Crookes A FIVE-year-old boy was rescued from a burning house by his mum after candles set a bedroom on fire. Karen Jones raced through thick smoke coming from an adjoining room to rescue her son, Lee, who was asleep and unaware of the fire. A

  • Teenager, 17, died in chip pan blaze

    s A TEENAGER died of carbon monoxide poisoning after inhaling smoke from a fire which had smouldered for almost 40 hours. An inquest was told that Benjamin Ryder, aged 17, fell asleep just minutes after placing a chip pan of fat on the cooker. And coroner

  • Tribute to one of Leigh's famous sons

    A PLAQUE in memory of Hollywood screenwriter James Hilton was due to to be unveiled in his home town of Leigh today. The ceremony marks 100 years since the birth of Hilton, one of Leigh's most famous sons. And it follows a surge of Leythian interest in

  • The NHS could be better

    THE Government launched its NHS census on Wednesday (May 31) in which the Health Minister Alan Milburn is asking everyone in the country what top three changes they think would make the service better. Mr Milburn wrote to the Editor of the Citizen --

  • Timely reminder for the Green party

    I READ with some interest Emily Heath's letter in the Citizen, May 25. She says she lived in the city in the 90s. Well I can tell her that before the Lancaster bypass was made in 1959, the A6 was the main road north to south and can you imagine the volume

  • Have I missed something?

    THANK you for asking the general public about our views on the new bus station. The first consideration should be about all the inconvenience the closure of it is causing everyone. Why has it been closed before concrete arrangements were clarified and

  • Station approach

    WITH reference to last week's editorial about the 'new' bus station at Lancaster. Thank goodness someone has at last spotted what the city council are up to. Rumours have been rife around the town about the real reason that no work has begun on the bus

  • From the horse's mouth

    AS a wife of a long serving bus driver I can speak from the horse's mouth, so to speak, as anyone can see Lancaster bus station has been an eyesore for many years and badly needs revamping. The situation is ridiculous as buses have to pull out in the

  • Great lengths for charity

    THREE members of the Clitheroe Dolphins swimming club have raised more than £100 for charity. Victoria Marshall, 12, who attends St Wilfrid's High School, Blackburn, Catherine Dudbridge, 12, a pupil at St Augustine's High, Billington, and Louise Highton

  • We bail them out every year

    YET again we seem to be throwing money into developments that haven't been properly investigated by the council. The new bus terminal is to cost £2 million, but like Salt Ayre the cost will spiral because of the lack of proper administration by the council

  • Charity cyclists' civic treat

    NEIGHBOURS Brian Davies and Mike Boult met up with friends and supporters in Clitheroe as they stopped off on their fund-raising cycle ride from Land's End to John O'Groats. Brian and Mike, of Shay's Drive, Clitheroe, were given a reception at Clitheroe

  • Do not adjust your mind-set

    "DO you want a bus station?" As a matter of fact, I did wonder why there was no question that another bus station must be provided. Is it really necessary, or is this simply a mind-set? It doesn't matter to me where I board the bus, as long as it's near

  • Pool's derby day disaster

    IT was a run feast at Stanley Park on Monday (May 29) as the Bay 96.9 Northern Premier League game between Blackpool and Fleetwood produced 437 runs. Blackpool, 218-6, were on the losing end as Fleetwood replied with 219-3 to win a most entertaining game

  • It's derby day disappointment for Morecambe

    MORECAMBE face a tough match against league leaders Netherfield as they bid to bounce back from derby day disappointment against Lancaster. The Cumbrians dismissed local rivals Kendal for a paltry 30 last Monday and posses some fine attacking batsmen

  • Bury firms awaiting awards decisions.

    SEVERAL Bury companies are in the running to receive a business "Oscar" tonight (Fri June 2). They will be nervously awaiting the results of the judges during the glittering Bolton and Bury Business Awards dinner being staged at the Reebok Stadium. The

  • Raj pounds home sterling message

    A BUSINESSMAN with a factory in Radcliffe has joined the regional council of Business for Sterling, the campaign group against Britain joining the Euro. Mr Raj Ruia is a director of the North West textiles group Ruia Holdings, which employs more than

  • Safety first and foremost

    IN safe hands! That's two local companies who have scooped major awards. Counting instruments manufacturers Trumeter of Radcliffe and textile firm Voith Fabrics Stubbins Ltd have won safety "Oscars" at a premier event in London. Representatives from both

  • Peter's a much travelled man

    SEASONED business traveller Peter Emslie is harnessing burgeoning e-commerce to "surf" his way to Hong Kong and China and other Far East destinations. At the tender age of just 25, the Bury man has become a high-flyer in more ways than one. And the world

  • His Worship the wheeler

    A SPONSORED bike ride has been organised by the Mayor of Fylde to raise money for the debilitating illness which nearly killed him. The 40-mile ride is the first of a number of events in which Mayor Paul Hayhurst aims to raise money for the Guillan-Barre

  • Little close to new deal

    GLEN Little is ready to commit himself to Burnley as he nears agreement on a new deal at Turf Moor. The inspirational winger has only 12 months to run on his current contract but has been offered fresh terms by manager Stan Ternent in a move to keep him

  • Air your views

    RESIDENTS in Leyland and Penwortham are being invited to attend the next meetings of South Ribble Borough area committees. The Higher Penwortham Area Committee meets on Monday (June 5) at 7.30pm in St Mary's Church Hall, Cop Lane, and items on the agenda

  • Record signing sets sights on league

    MORECAMBE FC's new record signing says he is aiming for promotion to the football league. Steve Walters, one of non-league football's biggest stars, joined the Shrimps this week for a club record £25,000. The England semi-professional star, who started

  • His Worship the wheeler

    A SPONSORED bike ride has been organised by the Mayor of Fylde to raise money for the debilitating illness which nearly killed him. The 40-mile ride is the first of a number of events in which Mayor Paul Hayhurst aims to raise money for the Guillan-Barre

  • Tomorrow ... the world!

    MORECAMBE man Daniel Glover is Britain's young decorator of the year. Daniel, 20, won the £1,000 award at the final at Birmingham's NEC. He now faces the world's best at the Youth Skills Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, next July. "I'm thrilled to win

  • Police advice for TT bikers

    TRAFFIC police are out in force in Heysham this week, as thousands of bikers travel to the Isle of Man TT races. Lancashire police's Bikesafe 2000 motorcycle safety exhibition and video trailer will be at the port until Saturday, as 600 riders a day from

  • Council surgeries

    FRIDAY, June 2: Leigh Town Hall, 7-7.30pm, P Smith; Tyldesley Town Hall, 6.30-8, S Hellier; Higher Fold Labour Club, 7.30-8.15, C Rigby; Golborne District Office, Library Street, 6.45-7.45, P Kirkwood. SATURDAY: Atherton Town Hall, 7-7.30, J. Clarke,

  • A&T pull off upsets to stun Association big boys

    ASTLEY and Tyldesley have been the whipping boys for longer than they care to remember. But Bolton Association top two Walshaw and Adlington will have different degrees of respect for them after last weekend. After stubbornly forcing a draw with champions

  • Heart group beats again

    THE borough's top consultants and nurses have gone some way to easing the pain of heart patients by re-establishing the Bury Heart Care Support Group. More than 50 patients with heart disease, their friends and family attended the re-launch of the group

  • Conference support for borough plea

    HEADTEACHERS have backed the borough's fight for fairer funding for schools at their annual conference in Jersey. On Tuesday (May 30), the president of the National Association of Headteachers, Mick Brookes, described the current national system of funding

  • Lucky 13 to save lodge?.

    THIRTEEN Great Crested newts could be the lucky break for residents fighting to save Barracks Lodge from developers. Town hall ecologists say they now have firm evidence that the protected species lives on the controversial site off Newington Drive, Bury

  • I want to play for England: Curtis

    NEW signing John Curtis believes his move to Blackburn could help him to fulfil his international ambitions. The 21-year-old right-back, who joined Rovers in a £1.5m move from Manchester United yesterday, was once tipped as a future England international

  • 6,000 miles to meet Britney

    POP music fans Paul Rice and John Kilduff are so devoted to teen idol, Britney Spears that they made a 6,000-mile transatlantic round trip for a glimpse of the American singer. John, from West Park, and Paul, from Haydock, both aged 20, work at the Manweb

  • It's Graham's move mate!

    CHESS ace Graham Lilley is preparing to compete in his seventh Chess Olympiad for the Visually Handicapped and he is hoping to attract sponsorship from local businesses and individuals. Graham, from Windle, is a member of the Braille Chess Association

  • Waste paper project rolls out in Newton

    NEW kerbside waste paper collections will be officially launched across Newton-le-Willows by St Helens Council as part of its latest recycling initiative. The project will be phased in from Friday, June 16. Eventually, all 9,000 properties in Newton wil

  • Special thanks to all our carers

    NATIONAL Volunteers Week starts today (Thursday, June 1) and Age Concern St Helens are marking the occasion by thanking the volunteers who have helped to contribute to the care of the people of St Helens for the past 25 years. A special luncheon this

  • New role for teen star Carley

    A TALENTED teenager who took her first steps to stardom in a St Helens Star competition has landed a role in TV soap Hollyoaks. Carley Stenson was the winner of our popular Young Stars of Tommorow contest in 1998. It proved to be a launching pad for a

  • Council weighs up homes transfer

    THE all-party Executive Committee of St Helens Council is considering transferring the borough's council houses to a newly-created local housing company following consultation with tenants. The new company would have financial powers to attract the £238

  • Mike Tyson row: 'it's no contest'

    THIS country should be a lot warmer with the amount of hot air we expel. Now I don't like boxing at all, and I'd bet I'd like Mike Tyson a lot less, but aren't we over-reacting to the issue of him being let into the UK? The guy committed one of the worst

  • Pedal past Egyptian Pyramids

    HOW would your readers like to cycle across some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world? Experience the wonders of Egypt on an eight-day, 500km bike ride of a lifetime and celebrate the new millennium by cycling through the last 3,000 years of

  • Making cream this year's fashion

    GORDON Brown's outburst against elitism raised a few eyebrows this week. It's true that the top universities ooze snobbishness, from the strange rituals to the even stranger clothing, but what are Oxbridge's ancient sleepy spires compared to Bailrigg's

  • A shell-shocker!

    POKEMON'S pocket monsters have to be the biggest Japanese thing to hit these shores in years. But Blackpool now has some new "monsters" on the sea front -- and these aren't the type you'd want to put in your pocket. The SeaLife Centre, Central Promenade

  • 'I'm Free' for a summer show

    GET ready to have your funny bone well and truly tickled as Comedy Bonanza blasts back onto the stage at Blackpool Grand Theatre this July. Faces may have changed from last year but the winning formula of family entertainment at the right price is still

  • Loyalty card just the ticket

    THE Macmillan Windmill Appeal is on the cards to receive a boost with the launch of a new scheme to reward Blackpool leisure seekers. Blackpool's Best Loyalty Card, launched this week by Leisure Parcs, offers discounts on all the top shows and attractions

  • Army music and thrills

    A THRILLING spectacle of traditional military music is set to blast through the streets of Preston this month as soldiers from Fulwood Barracks prepare for the annual Beating Retreat event. The lively gala weekend, backed by The Citizen, kicks off on

  • Super troupe

    MAJORETTES (pictured) marched to the top of two competitions. Girls from the Lancashire Red Rose Majorettes, who practise at Roman Road Community Centre, Blackburn, scooped top awards in championships at Prestatyn and Leeds. Sarah Eccles (front left)

  • Students sweep board

    DRAMA students celebrated winning a cabinet-full of silverware at the Blackburn Festival of Drama. Four pupils from the Speakability School in Lawley Road, Blackburn, swept the board winning nine trophies between them. Rebecca Jackson, 11, won the Tony

  • Rescue dogs to go on the beat!

    RESCUED dogs TJ and Zak could soon be helping to fight crime on the streets they used to live on. The German shepherd dogs rescued by the National Canine Defence League have now been taken on trial by Lancashire Constbulary to see if they will make the

  • Cash but no apology for race abuse soldier

    A FORMER soldier from East Lancashire who aimed to make legal history by claiming racial discrimination against the Army has settled for a five-figure cash payout -- but he will not get an apology. Nasar Khan, 35, of Whalley New Road, Little Harwood,

  • Local soccer: Taylor's tribute

    BACUP Borough have presented Nicky Taylor with a special award to mark his achievement in being named the FNWTL Second Division player of the year for the second successive season. The talented teenager was awarded the Jason Ross Memorial Trophy -- presented

  • Local cricket: Sleep gives no rest

    READ dished out an emphatic warning that they could be ready to mount a challenge for the Jennings Ribblesdale League title by handing champions Padiham their first defeat of the season last weekend. It's 21 years since the Whalley Road club won the championship

  • Shock defeat for Eccleston

    ECCLESTON suffered an unlikely defeat at Goodlass on Saturday. It came after they had established a commanding position. The Bobbies Lasne side lost the toss and were asked to bat on a slow, damp pitch. And the batsmen had to work for every run. Opener

  • Stroll for Sutton

    RUBEROID Sutton Cricket Club made light work of winning at close rivals Aigburth. Sutton skipper Ian Greener won the toss and asked Aigburth to bat. From the start Sutton bowled superbly and Ray Foster with figures of 3-20 from 20 overs, Ian Greener (

  • Can you write science fiction?

    I AM looking for potential science fiction or fantasy writers who may live in the local area. We are running a contest called "L. Ron Hubbard's Writers of The Future Contest" to give new SF writers the chance to make it into the big time as writers. The

  • Tough time for St Helens . . .

    CALDY made short work of beating St Helens - with 20 overs to spare. Lacking five of the regular top six batsmen St Helens had Adam Frier (30) opening the innings with two heavy showers making batting difficult. The early loss of Tyms and Lowe followed

  • Secret votes undemocratic

    SO Blackpool Council's boss Ivan Taylor is thinking about forcing through a single party cabinet. This will decide in secret most key issues. Why such an idea? Did ALL the people of Blackpool rush to vote Labour on May 4th? No. In the safe Labour wards

  • West Park make club history

    Manchester 23 West Park 33 WEST Park completed the best season in their history when they won the John Burgess Lancashire Cup on Sunday. It surpassed even the campaign in the 1950s when they went unbeaten throughout the season. But that was before the

  • Ticket frenzy

    PRESTON North End fans queued through the night to be among the first to buy their season tickets at 9am on Thursday. With North End set to play in the First Division for the first time in almost 20 years, football fever has swept the town. Ticket office

  • They listen at the Boro

    AFTER reading numerous letters from disgruntled Bury FC supporters can I make a suggestion. There is no need for a ballot of fans, just vote with your feet and go and support Radcliffe Borough FC. It is only down the road, it is cheaper, and kids go free

  • Mr Gubay is profiteering

    ALTHOUGH I now live in Ramsbottom, I was born and brought up in Whitefield and still hold it in some affection. I was therefore shocked to see the plans for the proposed Elms precinct (May 26). I fail to see how the provision of 556 car parking spaces

  • Trains make Dome day too expensive

    MY wife and I recently spent a wonderful six hours at the Millennium Dome and are full of praise for the splendid attractions which are both entertaining and educational. Everyone in the country ought to go and see it. There has been much talk of the

  • Don't give him the Elmson on a plate

    AS recent events surrounding the Elms development in Whitefield are reaching a climax, I took the opportunity to view what can only be described as a vague set of plans. The only definite proposal was for a leisure and fitness centre with two retail units

  • We've said goodbye to outside privies!

    WHILST the ability to stand by one's beliefs can be an admirable trait, I feel that Mr David Herdson's view regarding Radcliffe is both inaccurate and counter-productive on at least two points. Mr Herdson would have it that Radcliffe should be considered

  • Tribute well deserved but what about others?

    LEIGH will today honour one of its most famous sons, author and Oscar winner James Hilton, on the 100th anniversary of his birth. A plaque in the Goodbye Mr Chips writer's memory is to be unveiled in Leigh Town Hall. It's amazing really that in 1900 his

  • Hat's off to Leigh's posties

    I TAKE my hat off to our postmen, I never really understood what torture they go through until this week. I had a taste of their work while delivering hundreds of jumble bags for a charity - and not in an easy terraced area. There were homes with double

  • You lucky lot

    THIS week's £2,000 jackpot winner in the Willowbrook Hospice lottery is Mrs E. Cardwell from Huyton. Other major prize winners were Mr D. Goldthorpe from Parr (£200); Mr A. Allcock, Dentons Green (£125); Mr A. Smart, Sutton Leach (£75); and Mrs N. Gallyer

  • Toddler dies

    A TODDLER died after being in collision with a reversing ice-cream van in the cul-de-sac where he lived. Two-year-old Thomas Berrigan of Wilson Road, Prescot, received fatal injuries in the accident at about 2pm on Sunday. Police have interviewed the

  • Good sports at Haydock

    HAYDOCK High School has been awarded a prestigious Sportsmark award by Sport England for the quality of their physical education and sports programme. The awards are made annually to schools throughout England which show a commitment to developing sport

  • Village marking Millennium

    RAINFORD Parish Council is organising a one-off Millennium Procession and Carnival Field Day on Saturday, July 22. The procession starts at noon from Lord's Fold and proceeds along Church Road, up Rookery Lane and across Higher Lane to Rainford High School

  • 'Play fair' plea to golfers

    ST HELENS Council is asking golfers to practice on courses or at the driving range, rather than in parks and playing fields. It follows a spate of complaints. Sport and Culture chief Linda Maloney said: "This is a borough-wide problem and we have received

  • Caring cubs' plea to PM Tony

    YOUNG members of the cubs pack based at St James Church in Eccleston Park have gone right to the top in their bid to help less-privileged youngsters. They have written to Prime Minister, Tony Blair calling on him to cancel the Third World debt, which,

  • Adventurer's pledge after near sail disaster

    MODERN day pioneer Melvin Magnall has vowed Bury will "Sail into the Millennium" His promise comes just days after the builder was forced to abandon his dream of recreating a remarkable journey first made in the 17th century. Melvin had successfully completed