Archive

  • East Lancashire Events, Saturday, October 21

    Children's Tours, Hoghton Tower, 11.30am and 2pm. Model Railway Exhibition, King George's Hall, Blackburn, 10am-8pm. A Concert by Kaleidoscope and Guests, St James Church, Haslingden, 7.30pm. Colne Ladies Lifeboat Guild Sale of Goods, The Parish Rooms

  • Full marks to crackdown on truancy

    TRUANCY is a vast social problem in itself - when, according to Education Secretary David Blunkett, 50,000 are missing lessons every day. But tied to this ruin of so many youngsters' education are frightening levels of crime. This was shown by a two-day

  • They're on a 'high'

    ARNOLD School's rugby union team is to take part in one of the most prestigious competitions in the country. The First XV is travelling to Ipswich to take part in St Jospeh's College Festival, where entry is limited to the top 16 school teams in the country

  • Well done, Sir!

    A LYTHAM teacher who has already won a lifetime achievement award for his work in the North West could now scoop the national prize at a special award ceremony in London this month. Ronald Naylor, from King Edward VII and Queen Mary School, Lytham, is

  • Coastal jewel still shines

    Drive and Stroll, with Ron Freethy This week: Churchtown THE power of church bells has been part of our history since Norman times. William of Normandy passed a law that a certain peal on a bell or bells meant that all the fires in the parish had to be

  • Mama Mia! What a prize

    I WAS one of the lucky readers who won a pair of tickets for the Bjorn Again concert in the King George's Hall, Blackburn, on Sunday night. The concert was absolutely fabulous and the supporting group were also excellent. Thank you for a great evening

  • Referendum the right way

    IT would appear that the council's ruling Labour group does not think it would be reasonable to hold a ballot on the form of local government for Blackburn with Darwen, as I asked (Letters, September 20). However, Barnsley Council's ruling Labour group

  • Cool this hatred

    MOST people are deeply troubled about the current state of events in Israel and Palestine. It does not, however, help the situation when members of the community in Blackburn plan to march and openly protest about our own Government's policies in the

  • An insult to brave soldiers

    I WAS appalled to read (LET, October 14) that there is no room in Blackburn Town Hall this year to house the Poppy Appeal volunteers. I just can't believe that there is not some room in this very large building. Now, the volunteers will have to go in

  • Give blood

    BLOOD transfusion sessions are to be held in Radcliffe later this month. These will be staged at the town's Civic Suite on Thursday, October 26 between 1.30pm and 3.30pm and 5.30pm and 7.30pm. Local people are being urged to come along to donate blood

  • Can you help?

    AN animal charity is appealing for volunteers to lend a helping hand in its shop on The Rock. The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals provides vets for pets whose owners could not otherwise afford them and its Bury shop is reliant on voluntary help.

  • Cruel conman robs pensioner

    A MAN bluffed his way into the home of a Prestwich pensioner before stealing £100. Police say the conman posed as a computer course salesman when he called at the 73-year-old woman's house in Stanhope Court, Bury New Road. He then pushed in into the property

  • New faces in war against Bury's crime

    INSPECTOR David Shepherd and Sergeant Steve Nibloe have joined Bury's war against crime. The police officers have taken over as the heads of Bury Township.They replace Insp Steve Ellis who has moved to a new job in Rochdale and Sgt Mick Lawler who has

  • Police face £50,000 storage bill

    A BUSINESSMAN who stored a vehicle for Lancashire police for five years without payment has been awarded almost £50,000 including costs after taking the force to court. Raymond Stansfield agreed to take the stolen Mitsubishi Shogun and store it in his

  • Thieves take wheelchair

    DISABLED shoppers face yet more hardship thanks to heartless thieves. A £200 wheelchair donated to Radcliffe's Asda store by Radcliffe Rotary Club has been stolen from the foyer. It follows the theft of another wheelchair donated by local Rotarians a

  • Tenants vote to go it alone

    TENANTS on the Springs Estate have voted overwhelmingly to go it alone for another five years. They have voted by 11 to one to keep control of the day-to-day running of the estate through a tenant management co-operative. Some 239 people, 61 per cent

  • Watchdog gains top marks for old folks' care

    WATCHDOGS have scored full marks in attempting to ensure high standards at old folk's homes. Members of Bury's inspection and registration unit, run by social services, made all the inspections required by law to adult care homes last year. The 100 per

  • Naughty but nice for funds

    ST TRINIAN'S schoolgirls rampaged around Bury on Friday night (Oct 13) to raise money for a disabled boy. The naughty schoolgirls, pictured outside the New Inn, were made up of 13 women and two men who went on a pub crawl, collecting money from amused

  • Army action is target for the TA's warriors

    LOCAL Territorial Army volunteers are back home after battling their way through a two-week training camp in Devon. The rugged recruits had a break from routine civilian life with a taste of Army action which included firing mortars, machine guns and

  • It's a cover up for Andy!

    OUTRAGEOUS Andy Angel stripped nude in public and sang at the top of his voice -- to win £500 in a radio competition. Andy (28), from Sunnybank, Unsworth, earned the chance to grab the cash when he was the first to arrive at a radio station in Manchester

  • Hodgson in England frame

    FORMER Blackburn Rovers boss Roy Hodgson has been installed as the new favourite to succeed Kevin Keegan as England boss. Bookmakers William Hill have installed Hodgson as 2/1 favourite after the FA seemed to back away from appointing former favourite

  • Father died after fit

    A DELIVERY worker and father of two young children has lost his fight for life after suffering a fit at his home. Warburtons worker Stephen Dobson, 24, of Bristol Street, never regained consciousness after deteriorating following the collapse at his home

  • House raids spark public meeting

    JEWELLERY has been stolen in a spate of crimes in the Stoneyholme and Daneshouse area of Burnley, say police. The thefts have caused anxiety among the people in the Asian-dominated district about their property and whether they will be next to suffer

  • Proposal to lift gagging order on former town clerk

    CITY mandarins are looking into the possibility of lifting the gagging order imposed on former town clerk John Burrows The Citizen can reveal. The leader of the Independent group on the council, Tricia Heath confirmed this week that officers have been

  • Justin's set for the silver screen

    ONE of the actors starring in the Dukes latest production The Glass Menagerie will soon be appearing on cinema screen's across the country. Justin Shevlin, 28, is currently entertaining Lancaster audiences as Tom Wingfield, the frustrated son and narrator

  • It's the science of common sense

    WHAT changes can we expect to see in the new millennium? Reporter Paul Wilkinson has talked to local people who are working to influence the world we live in. This week he talks to a local man who is an expert in permaculture... IS there such thing as

  • Free coaching

    LANCASHIRE Football Association and PNE Women and Girls FC are holding a free coaching session for girls aged from eight-15 at the County Ground, Thurston Road, Leyland. All activities are free, but places are limited. If you're interested call Jo on

  • Patti's home game

    STRIKER Steve Basham may have suffered a broken leg injury, but Preston's 1-0 win against Tranmere on Saturday (October 14) was enough to 'praise the Lord' according to one fan. American-born PNE fanatic Patti, 49, from Chicago, Illinois, flew into the

  • Non league: Nelson's new net-man

    Nelson have secured the services of former Colne keeper Mark Canning. The experienced shot stopper will make his debut in the North West Counties Division Two local derby at home to Darwen tomorrow.

  • Poll Tax debts written off

    FINANCE bosses in Pendle are poised to write off nearly a quarter of a million pounds owed by Poll Tax dodgers since the early 1990s. The community charge disappeared in 1993 and was replaced by the council tax because of its unpopularity and the difficulty

  • Five years ago: No tipping

    A BUSINESSMAN'S plans to tip M65 construction waste on land at Bull Hill in Darwen were rejected by members of Lancashire development control sub committee. The man had applied for permission to use 22 acres of land at Mount Pleasant Farm and then restore

  • Terror attack by firework thugs

    A TERRIFIED boy ran a mile home with badly burned clothes after thugs threw fireworks at him as he played football. Police today issued an appeal for help in catching and stopping youths involved in the potentially deadly prank in the week that an 18-

  • Ex-Councillor paid expenses

    A FORMER councillor today revealed he had been paid expenses by a council currently probing its allowances system - two months after he resigned. Adrian Shurmer, who caused controversy during his year as a councillor for Great Harwood, today said a deposit

  • Woman's body in car boot

    POLICE have named the man they want to interview in connection with abduction and murder after the body of a woman was found in a car behind a Blackpool town centre pub on October 18. Mother of three, Megan Margerison - pictured here - was found with

  • Whole episode was a farce just like Blobby

    I AGREE with Mr Hill. His questions regarding the Civic Illuminations are perfectly reasonable and deserve an answer from the council. The information I received, as a member of the Economic Development Committee, was that there was a revised schedule

  • Time to look at the money

    THIS is the month in which the public may inspect last year's city accounts. All the hype and conjecture can finish. In black and white we can see that the city had to borrow £6m more last year, bringing the net total to about £57m. Net interest on loans

  • Safety of the nation is at risk!

    I WRITE, devastated at the news that the retirement village in Middleton may now not go ahead as planned. I am devastated, not just because it looked such a lovely place to retire, nor just because it would utilise a run-down location in an otherwise

  • Revolution should start in the Citizen's letters pages

    MANY people enjoy the backbiting between and against councillors in these pages, and I must say their punctured pomposity is amusing, but it's like shooting fish in a barrel. It's too easy. Local politics is like that. And what depresses me is that next

  • Labour's diet of red herrings hard to swallow

    IT SEEMS that Labour has an opt out clause from the EU's Common Fisheries Policy, as they continue to catch as many red herrings as they want and then serve them up to the populace with a nice garnish. I refer to Emily Lomax's letter (12/10). She refers

  • Making the news

    A FORMER Bury Times journalist is making the news rather than writing it. For Gary Zabel, managing director of Hollis Directories Ltd, has sold the company to Wilmington Publishing Group and the firm's management. The sale was instigated by Gary after

  • Royal approval

    LOCAL companies can emulate the success of two Bury firms by seeking the Royal seal of approval for their drive and innovation. They can enter the Queen's Awards for Enterprise 2001 only if they apply before the October 31 deadline. Businesses in Bury

  • Ryalux sold for £25m

    RYALUX Carpets, which has had a significant presence in Bury since the early nineties, has been acquired by Sirdar Plc for £25 million. Although Ryalux itself has its headquarters in Rochdale, the company's important Oxford Spinning Mill and Mossfield

  • Import deal strengthens India links

    FULL of Eastern promise! That's the future for Bury-based hardware importers Universal Importers which has advanced further links with India. The company, located in Bank Street, Walshaw, has concluded a partnership deal with their Indian-based suppliers

  • Business in fine Voice

    BURY companies had the ideal shop window in which to showcase their products and services during the highly-successful Business Voice 2000 show. Around a dozen local businesses took out stands at the two-day exhibition last week, staged at the Reebok

  • EXCLUSIVE: Clarets £1.6 million loss

    BURNLEY reported a loss of £1.6 million in the last financial year as they celebrated promotion to Division One. The Clarets' turnover increased by £2 million to £5.6 million in the year ending in May but the losses were cut by just £200,000 from the

  • Crouch hopes for last laugh

    TO his former Spurs team-mate he was Rodney Trotter, but at Queens Park Rangers lanky striker Peter Crouch is hoping to have the last laugh. The beanpole front man is no stranger to jibes abut his gangly frame. But at six feet, seven inches tall he takes

  • Witness appeal

    A LANCASTER man has appealed for the witness of a traffic accident on Dallas Road to come forward. The accident involving a HGV and a Ford Granada happened on Saturday lunchtime. A woman in a beige Mercedes witnessed the incident and she is asked to contact

  • New screening unit from Lottery money

    LOTTERY money has helped buy a new mobile breast screening unit. The money will greatly expand facilities in the area, with a new screening unit and two new X-ray rooms. The new unit, which will serve the growing female population of North Lancashire,

  • Woman dies in crash

    A WOMAN has died following a serious traffic accident on Bayhorse Road in Ellel on Saturday. A Ford Mondeo and Fiesta collided at a junction causing serious injuries to the occupants. Firefighters used cutting equipment to free the people who were trapped

  • Victim threatens revenge

    A MAN who had been attacked in a pub in Lancaster produced a five-inch knife as paramedics rushed him to hospital. He was picked up by an ambulance crew near Dalton Square having sustained a cut to the back of the head. In the back of the ambulance he

  • Health posts filled

    THE POSTS of chairman and executive director for the Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust, have both been filled. Professor Idris Williams and Ms Cathie Lubelska were appointed for the posts respectively by the Secretary of State for Health. Both these people

  • Getting it taped for charity

    A BOOK and audio sale will take place to raise funds for Galloway's Society for the Blind (formerly the Blind Welfare Society), next Sunday. The event will be held on Sunday, October 22, at the Morecambe Blind Centre from 11am to 4pm. Admission will be

  • Presented with a bit of byte

    LANCASTER & Morecambe College held a presentation evening on Wednesday for all those who successfully completed its new outreach computer course. The course, aimed at those with no previous experience of computers, attracted all ages from school leavers

  • Guess what time of year's coming up?

    AND they're off. Granny's taken an early lead, grandad's still on the starting line but, oh what's this? Mum's coming up on the outside with a late bid for the winning post -- but, no, granny takes it after all. Oops, sorry, just got a bit carried away

  • Units damaged in ram raid attacks

    VANDALS caused thousands of pounds worth of damage when they ram raided five garage workshop units in Bury. They repeatedly reversed a stolen car into the steel doors and shutters of the units at the town's Chesham industrial estate in Oram Street. Many

  • Getting a taste of success

    TWENTY-SEVEN Bury Council catering supervisors have tasted success by earning themselves a recognised national qualification. At the same time as boosting their own academic standing, the local authority staff have also increased their expertise. This

  • Renewing their vows 61 years on

    HELEN and George Olive were able to exchange their wedding vows without the distraction of a war this time The couple, of Topping Fold Road, Bury, were married in 1939 and were the oldest couple to reaffirm their promises at the Parish of St John the

  • Boy (3) threatened in knife gang robbery

    A THREE-year-old boy was caught up in a robbery when a knife-wielding gang stormed into his parents' shop. Mrs Vasanpi Solanki (24) has spoken of her fear as the masked, violent thugs burst into her newsagent and off-licence on Saturday evening (Oct 14

  • Simister in full bloom for festival

    WINTER may be on our doorsteps, but Simister was a mass of floral colour over the weekend. The reason was the Simister's Flower Festival 2000 which everyone agreed was a great success as more than 600 visitors flocked from far and wide to help celebrate

  • High school reports drop in truancy rate

    TRUANCY rates at Coney Green High School have been dramatically reduced, reflecting overall improvements in academic standards, said headteacher Diana Morton at the school's annual presentation night. Mrs Morton pointed out that levels of unauthorised

  • The Face of fashion photography...

    ITALIAN Vogue, American Vogue and The Face magazine. It's all a long way from Bury Camera Club. But that's exactly where international fashion photographer Elaine Constantine started out. An exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London is charting

  • Telegraph apppoints new youth editor

    The Lancashire Evening Telegraph today appointed Freya Lewis as their new youth editor. Lewis (1) brings a wealth of experience almost unheard of in modern newsroom practice to the post. And her IT skills are red hot too.

  • Rovers quash Jansen Fulham reports

    CHIEF Executive John Williams today quashed speculation linking Matt Jansen with a move to First Division leaders Fulham. A report in one of the morning tabloids claimed Fulham chief Jean Tigana is lining up a £5 million bid for the England Under 21 international

  • Strong play can't stop Lytham losses

    Lytham 1st XI 3 Alderly Edge 6. LYTHAM started superbly, playing at a high pace, yet managing to play controlled passing hockey. They looked the more likely team to open the scoring, but their familiar mid half lapse was capitalised on by their opponents

  • Girls join staff

    A LEADING East Lancashire accountancy practice has added two new faces to its staff. Rebecca Fielding (pictured left) and Louise Worden (right), both 18, have joined Haworths chartered accountants, of Accrington, straight from St Mary's College, Blackburn

  • John takes over

    LEADING businessman John Calway has been elected as the new chairman of the East Lancashire Partnership. He replaces Councillor Malcolm Doherty, leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council. The Partnership comprises more than 20 organisations from across

  • Ten jobs to go

    TEN jobs are to be lost at Darwen's Akzo Nobel after Christmas. The redundancies will all be in the customer accounts and pricing departments at the Crown House site. A spokesman for the firm said: "As a result of ongoing improvements in electronic information

  • Brekkie club raises bread

    YOUNGSTERS organised a tasty treat at their school to raise money for Food Aid. The school council -- a 10-strong committee made up of two children from each class -- came up with the idea for the Breakfast Club and on Wednesday pupils at St James CE

  • Police face £50,000 storage bill

    A BUSINESSMAN who stored a vehicle for Lancashire police for five years without payment has been awarded almost £50,000 including costs after taking the force to court. Raymond Stansfield agreed to take the stolen Mitsubishi Shogun and store it in his

  • Long live the Playhouse

    AS a pensioner who likes nothing better than a good night out, I was very happy to read that Preston Playhouse is opening its doors on October 25 to a new play by The Broughton Players (Citizen October 12). Over the years I have enjoyed many productions

  • Thanks for all your help

    I WOULD just like to express my appreciation and great thanks to The Citizen newspaper for the publicity of my recent photographic exhibition, Preston And Its People, held in the annex of the Harris Museum. Any my thanks must also go to to the helpful

  • 'Lives at risk' in bus attacks

    VANDALS are putting passengers' lives at risk bus company bosses have warned after a spate of attacks on their vehicles. Stone-throwing thugs have targeted buses from Blackburn-based Dreamline Travel, smashing vehicle windows as the buses travel through

  • £15m voluntary group cash boost

    VOLUNTARY and community groups in East Lancashire are to benefit from a £15 million cash boost with the announcement of two new Government grant programmes. The announcement was made by Paul Boateng and Lord Falconer, the Home Office and Cabinet Ministers

  • 'Lives at risk' in bus attacks

    VANDALS are putting passengers' lives at risk bus company bosses have warned after a spate of attacks on their vehicles. Stone-throwing thugs have targeted buses from Blackburn-based Dreamline Travel, smashing vehicle windows as the buses travel through

  • Beer giant's pubs sell off

    ALL 136 Whitbread pubs in Lancashire are to be sold as part of a major company shake-up. Around 3,000 pubs countrywide are to be "unlocked" by Whitbread in the plans to sell its Pub and Beer Company in order to concentrate on the company's hotel, restaurant

  • Priest damns airport sex pill

    A NEW NHS walk-in centre at Manchester Airport, where female holidaymakers are being offered the "morning after" pill as they step off their planes, has been slammed by family campaigners in East Lancashire. Father John Neville, a retired parish priest

  • Jack Straw's pride in truant swoop

    SCHOOL truants will be swept off the streets in a national campaign that was pioneered in Blackburn. Home Secretary Jack Straw has announced the scheme, based on a successful project run in Blackburn town centre last July, will give police and local authorities

  • Non league: Padiham hope to keep on track

    TWO wins from the last two games have got Padiham back on track after a run of three defeats last month. The NWCL Two new-boys made a storming start to the new season and boss Graham Haworth hopes to continue that at home to Oldham Town tomorrow. Haworth

  • Non league: Darwen face tough clash

    DARWEN Boss Steve Wilkes, who was delighted with what he described as 'the best performance of the season' in the 4-0 over Warrington Town last weekend, knows tomorrow's derby against Nelson in the NWCL Division Two will be tough. He said: "It is a big

  • Non league: Clitheroe in vase tie

    CLITHEROE manager Dave Burgess is hoping to have his assistant Lee Sculpher playing in the FA Vase for the home tie against Holker Old Boys tomorrow -- as he's sick of him sitting on the bench with him! "I hope he recovers from injury as I prefer him

  • Non league: Stanley aim to forget cup exit

    ACCRINGTON Stanley make the trip to Frickley Athletic tomorrow hoping to put last week's FA Cup defeat behind them. The Reds were defeated 5-2 at Bedlington Terriers but boss John Coleman says the best thing to do is forget the loss. "That's gone now

  • Non league: Rovers ace back

    FORMER Blackburn hero Glenn Keeley is returning to the local scene as he bids to help turn around the fortunes of Colne. The defender, now 46, has been called into action by new Holt House boss John Lister, who works with the former Rovers ace at the

  • I'm patriotic no longer

    READER Stuart Logan was spot on in his views on the treatment of British pensioners (October 5). In fact, I'm still waiting for the land "fit for heroes to live in!" That was promised to all service folk in the 1939 War. No longer am I patriotic! Governments

  • Looking for war veterans

    I AM presently researching a book about the War in France (1940). As part of this research I have been trying to locate and interview ex-members of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). So far, I have managed, with the help of local newspapers, to interview

  • Why can't we have council house?

    WE would like an explanation as to how Blackpool Council allocates priorities for the housing of their council tenants. We have an eight-month child of our own, and two children from another marriage. The children, a boy of 13 and a girl of 10, spend

  • Euro benefits worth price

    I BELIEVE that it is in Britain's interest to join the Euro as soon as economic conditions make this practical. While other MEPs in our region seem to have stayed silent, I have been arguing the case publicly at every opportunity. There is no point pretending

  • Sentimental value of lost watch

    MANY, many thanks to the person who handed in a ladies gold watch after the recent Bury v Bristol Rovers match at Gigg Lane. It has great sentimental value so I thank them for their honesty. MRS PAT HUNNISETT, Hunt Fold Drive, Greenmount, Bury.

  • Beggars could try a bit harder

    WHILE shopping in Bury precinct I couldn't fail to notice the beggars, more reminiscent of a Third World country, who are prepared to sit and wait for handouts. It is not a matter of being uncaring, or lacking in sympathy, but I can't help feeling that

  • Ignored but not by the Bury Times

    LONG with P. Kaiserman (Yours Truly, Oct 5) I would like to congratulate those responsible for the excellent coverage of our recent crossing protest in the Radcliffe Times of Sept 28. It made a welcome change after years of being ignored by successive

  • DJ in court on mum murder charge

    A LOCAL radio DJ appeared in court today charged with the murder of a Bolton woman. Paul Sharpe, aged 30, from Wellington Road, Bury, was charged with the murder of Breightmet mother-of-one Sarah Widdup. Sharpe appeared in the dock at Bolton Magistrates

  • Today's the day

    1967: The famous film of Bigfoot was shot by Roger Patterson and Bob Gimlin in the wilderness of northern California. They'd been riding along the banks of a creek when their horses reared and threw them and they got their first glimpse of the American

  • This week in 1975 25 years ago

    TEETH: Bury's schools dental service was in desperate need of new recruits. Statistics showed that the Bury Area Health Authority had only one full-time dental officer and two part-time officers to provide dental care for some 32,000 school children in

  • Pauline knows our town

    IN reply to Beth Raeburn (Letters, October 18) who praises the "Bleakburn Bugle" and attempts to undermine Pauline Vaughan for her earlier criticism of this underground "paper," I would point out that Pauline has worked long and hard to improve the future

  • Give to help our heroes

    AS Remembrance Sunday draws near, I urge the people of Blackburn and Darwen to once again donate generously to the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal. All the monies raised by the Appeal go to assist servicemen and women who, by their courage and sacrifice

  • Help us beat this killer

    TWO years ago, my daughter Lucy was struck down by meningitis and I was brought face-to-face with the terrifying nature of this disease. Thankfully, after six agonising weeks, Lucy began to recover, and is now in very good health. But we were lucky --

  • Hospital dead not forgotten

    WITH reference to the recent reports and letters concerning the sale of the Brockhall and Calderstones cemeteries, I would like to correct the impression that those buried in the Brockhall cemetery had been abandoned and forgotten. For many years, it

  • Truth about those bins

    REGARDING your article "Mystery of missing litter bins" (LET, October 11), while it is true that I complained about the disappearance of seven litter bins from Clayton-le-Moors bus stops, your report failed to record the fact that this was directed at

  • Window of opportunity for raider

    A THUG clambered through an open window before robbing a Prestwich pensioner of £1,500 worth of jewellery. Seconds earlier, he had engaged the 77-year-old woman in conversation as he stood outside. But after climbing through the window and into her sheltered

  • Knifeman in food shop raid

    A WOMAN was held at knifepoint during an armed raid at a Bury food store. The 27-year-old female was threatened before the robber escaped from Chester's Mini-Market with the £120 contents of the till. He had entered the premises in Tottington Road around

  • Chip, chip hurray!

    A RADCLIFFE chip shop has been served with a top award despite only being open for a couple of months. Frydays, the Blackburn Street takeaway and restaurant, opened in August and has been awarded a top Quality Award from the Sea Fish Industry Authority

  • DJ on murder charge

    A BURY DJ has been charged with the murder of Sarah Jane Widdup, a single mother who was found dead at her home in Breightmet. Paul Sharpe (30), of Wellington Road, Bury, is due to appear before Bolton magistrates today (Fri Oct 20). The 28-year-old woman

  • Head-on driver is hunted by police

    POLICE are hunting the driver of a car who ran off seconds after a head-on collision with another vehicle. Three people in the second car were injured following the accident at Bradley Fold Road, Radcliffe, near to the junction with Bury and Bolton Road

  • Ex-Councillor paid expenses

    A FORMER councillor today revealed he had been paid expenses by a council currently probing its allowances system - two months after he resigned. Adrian Shurmer, who caused controversy during his year as a councillor for Great Harwood, today said a deposit

  • Romance rubbished

    WHITEFIELD golfer Daniel McArevey found himself caught up in the world of showbiz gossip after newspaper claims that he had been dating pop star Billie Piper. The teenager dismissed the reports of romance as rubbish, saying he had never even met the 18

  • Local Euro MP joins fight against racism

    EURO MP Gary Titley has joined top footballers in a bid to stamp out racism in sport. He has helped launch a video titled Show Racism the Red Card which features 60 of the world's top players, including Manchester United stars Andy Cole and Ryan Giggs

  • Hignett to meet mentor

    BLACKBURN Rovers striker Craig Hignett will come face-to-face with one of his former mentors when Grimsby Town visit Ewood Park tomorrow. The former Barnsley man knows all about Mariners boss Lennie Lawrence after he took him to Middlesbrough from Crewe

  • The Lawrence masterclass

    WHEN it comes to having an eye for a bargain, new Grimsby Town chief Lennie Lawrence is in the managerial masterclass. During a 20-year career which has taken in stops at clubs as diverse as Middlesbrough and Charlton, Lawrence has learned to survive

  • Public to vote on leader for town

    BURNLEY is heading for a referendum on whether an elected mayor should run the town. The public vote is expected to take place next autumn and will pave the way to just what system of local government will be adopted in Burnley as part of the major shake-up

  • Worth taking the time to visit

    THE small, but perfectly, formed Clocks Back Festival will entertain yocals and locals in Lancaster next weekend, October 27. On Friday, local band Trio Rat will be joined by ace melodeonist Simon Booth (ex Ran Tan Band) and this year they have two special

  • Methodists end the madness

    METHODIST Homes has withdrawn the threatened closure of Lancaster's Wesley House much to the relief of its elderly residents. Chief executive of Methodist Homes for the Aged, Barbara Leighton, has written to the 40 residents apologising for the "anxiety

  • Legal row over homes transfer

    TOWN hall bosses appear set on a legal collision course with Burnley and Padiham Community Housing -- just seven months after handing over their entire 5,000-home stock of council houses to the company. Council finance chiefs have revealed that they are

  • Relief in sight for long term sick

    A SPECIAL team of health care professionals could be set up to bring relief to local people with chronic health problems. That was the outcome of a study day which brought together 80 health professionals from across the North West at Lancaster House

  • Gran's first book goes worldwide

    A GRANDMOTHER from Nelson has published her first novel at the age of 66 -- and it has already reached America, Asia and the United Arab Emirates. Vera Bagust, of Clement View, is so proud of her first book 'Beyond the Shadows' she has sent copies to

  • Players please

    PRESTON and District Sunday six-a-side league will start in October. The league is based at the brand new Preston Sports Arena and all games will be played on the latest high-quality Astroturf surface. Teams will play one 40-minute game each week between

  • Hoppers' work fails to bring result

    HOPPERS will feel frustrated at throwing away what would have been a hard earned victory. Persistent drizzlr meant a slippery ball and consequently handling errors punctuated the game. As the forwards battled it out at close quarters, scoring opportunities

  • Non league: Nelsonhope to build

    NELSON welcome local rivals Darwen to Victoria Park tomorrow hoping to build on some good performances of late. Manager John Bailey will be without suspended Chris Holstead, but is confident Andy Howarth, who has been suffering from 'flu this week, will

  • Ten years ago: Rat run through Paradise

    BLACKBURN planning chiefs asked councillors to close off a town centre 'rat-run' after the area became too dangerous for pedestrians. Motorists were using part of Paradise Lane to avoid the traffic lights at the bottom of Montague Street and King Street

  • Out of the frying pan

    AFTER the local elections I said it was too early to get euphoric as the Independents had to prove they were as efficient as they'd led the electorate to believe. I now wonder how many feel we've jumped out of the frying pan into the fire. Certainly in

  • Doctor's drivel

    IN REPLY to Dr Findlater's total drivel of last week, I should like to point out that this Labour administration has achieved more in their short term of office than the Tories achieved in 18 years. They have made mistakes as all governments do, but they

  • Lessons in medicine needed

    A UNION spokesman has said teachers aren't given enough guidance about administering medicines following the case of a diabetic boy who was banned from school trips after suffering a blackout. The move came as Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans revealed he

  • IT Means Business

    BURY is staging a "IT Means Business" exhibition next Tuesday (Oct 24). Some 30 stands will exhibit the latest systems, software and services covering all aspects of information technology. Described as a "unique occasion for Bury," the event will be

  • Waste seminar

    PACKAGING, waste and producer legislation will come under the microscope at a seminar next week. Bury's Business Environment Association (BEA) is holding the event at its headquarters in Link House. The seminar will take place next Thursday (Oct 26) between

  • Ready for the Yellow Brick Road

    IF YOU were out and about in St Annes on October 13, you might have looked twice if you saw the odd munchkin or perhaps Pocahontas strolling into school. But it was just the children of Our Lady Star of the Sea School, Kenilworth Road, who were dressed

  • Final word on QPR

    BIG MONEY MAN: Attacking midfielder Gavin Peacock cost Rangers £1 million when he returned to the club where he had launched his career from Chelsea in November, 1996. Now 32, Peacock remains a key part of the QPR side. LAST SIX RESULTS: Grimsby (A) lost

  • Next bobby lobby at Asda

    ASDA will again be the host of a 'Bobby Lobby' event, to allow citizens to discuss their concerns about policing in the area. A police officer will again be present from 3pm to 4pm at the Asda store on Ovangle Rd on October 31. The Asda store is used

  • Calling all Santas

    CALLING all potential Father Christmases! The Royal National Institute for the Blind is holding a "Jail and Bail 'em" fund-raising event at the Judges' Lodgings Museum, and need a volunteer to play father Christmas. The society is hoping to raise £5,000

  • City's history on paper

    EDINBURGH University Press has announced the release of a new edition of 'A History of Lancaster', this time delving further than ever before into the past, with a new Roman chapter by Dr David Shotter. However, although its authors have finished the

  • Deluge brings setback for nature reserve

    LEIGHTON Moss Nature Reserve near Silverdale has suffered set-backs to its ambitious development plans, after a deluge caused extensive flooding. September's rainfall of 180 millimetres was three times the average monthly rainfall and work on a new reed-bed

  • Knifeman grabs schoolboy

    A LANCASTER 11-year-old was grabbed from behind and had a knife held to his throat on Monday afternoon. The schoolboy was with his friend by the River Lune in Cable Street when they were approached by the attacker. He grabbed one of the boys and held

  • Water baby!

    WATER baby Jasmine Walker has splashed her way to a possible world record. Little Jasmine swam the length of a 25 metre swimming pool - unaided - just one week after her second birthday! And her father Will is looking into the possibility that it may

  • Regulars take on outdoor challenge

    DRINKERS from a Walmersley Road pub swapped the comfort of their local for a tough outdoor challenge. Landlord Martin Newman and fiancee Natalie McGrath managed to persuade drinkers from the Sundial Hotel to tackle the Krypton Factor Army Assault course

  • Action stations on mini museums

    CAMPAIGNERS for miniature heritage museums to be created at Prestwich Metrolink station have held talks with transport bosses. As earlier reported in the Bury Times, Prestwich businessman Mr Harry Johnson had joined forces with the Prestwich Heritage

  • Soccer chiefs apologise to disabled fans

    MILLWALL chiefs have apologised to disabled Bury soccer fans who were subjected to disgraceful scenes of intimidation and abuse by home supporters. Four wheelchair-bound members of the Shakers' disabled supporters club and three helpers had to endure

  • EXCLUSIVE: Clarets £1.6 million loss

    BURNLEY reported a loss of £1.6 million in the last financial year as they celebrated promotion to Division One. The Clarets' turnover increased by £2 million to £5.6 million in the year ending in May but the losses were cut by just £200,000 from the

  • Perfumes on the internet!

    A LANCASHIRE firm is hoping to enjoy the sweet smell of success by selling cut-price perfumes over the internet. Simplyperfume, which operates its dotcom site from Heywood, near Bury, provides genuine fragrances at discounted prices. Steve Sealey, former

  • Better news as industry failures decline

    BUSINESS failures in Britain fell by 6.4 per cent in the first nine months of this year, according to business information company Dun & Bradstreet. There were 30,295 business failures from January to September compared to 33,028 during the same period

  • SHAKERS: Unsworth to get a Bury call?

    DEFENDER Lee Unsworth could be set to make a first team return when Bury take on Bournemouth in a crunch match tomorrow. As well as Unsworth, striker Paul Barnes is also back in the frame after boss Andy Preece vowed to ring the changes on the back of

  • Fancy dress pub crawl raises cash

    STAFF from the Highfield Hall Care Centre in Haslingden are organising a fancy dress sponsored pub crawl to raise funds for their residents and Help the Aged. The fun starts at noon on October 22 at the Regency Pub on Church Street in Accrington and nursing

  • Sixties night raises stacks of cash

    A '60s and '70s evening was held at Bacup Cricket Club to raise money for St Joseph's School and church in Stacksteads. The event was organised by the Parent, Teacher Association and the parish church committee. And more than 100 people strutted their

  • Honesty was appreciated

    I WOULD like to thank sincerely the lady who kindly handed in my purse to the £-Stretcher store in Leyland on October 5. It was very gratefully appreciated and thankyou for your honesty. Joan Bell, Wood Green, Leyland.

  • Art attack unwarranted

    IN response to the article regarding Paul O'Hara's art (Citizen, October 5). I can understand why people are not interested, but I felt Paul was trying to use public spaces to get the public to think about their environments. And by the article it looks

  • England ace Emile on target

    LIVERPOOL and England soccer star Emile Heskey scored a hit with local youngsters when he popped into a Blackburn newsagents. The football ace was officially opening a new extension at Khonat Newsagents, on Johnson Street, as a favour to long time family-friend

  • Non league: Farsley out for revenge

    FARSLEY will be looking for revenge for Chorley's 'double' over them last season. Ken Wright's side beat tomorrow's opponents home and away last year and are confident of continuing that form. Paul Fleming (side and calf) and Steve Hook (tendonitis) have

  • Soccer: Preece may play

    BURY player-manager Andy Preece could give himself a recall as he looks to boost his side's strike power at home to Bournemouth. After two defeats in a week, during which the Shakers failed to score, Preece is desperate to get his side back on track and

  • Soccer: Fish no to new contract

    BOLTON Wanderers South African international Mark Fish has turned down the offer of an extension to his contract, stating a desire to play in the Premier League. Charlton Athletic, who almost landed Fish in the summer, have renewed their interest in the

  • Soccer: Meijer makes an early start

    LOAN signing Erik Meijer was certainly well prepared for his Preston debut -- he arrived at Deepdale four hours before kick off! The Liverpool striker made his first start for North End in the 1-0 win over Norwich -- their fourth straight league win -

  • Non league: Denis ready to hurt Brigg

    IT'S taken four years, but Denis Underwood finally gets the chance to gain some compensation for his Wembley heartache when Brigg Town arrive at Great Harwood tomorrow. Brigg denied Underwood and his Clitheroe team of FA Vase glory under the Twin Towers

  • Publicity is a great help.

    OVER the past few months I have sent items for publication on behalf of Bispham United Reformed Church. I have not seen these items myself as it is some time since I received The Citizen, but I am told by various members of the church that you have printed

  • Access grants are available

    ACCESS For All seeks to interest ther public in developing the finance in support of an incentive grant for small businesses and post offices. Our work in the community and also in the current research for a special needs guide has highlighted the fact

  • A town that's in decline...

    OF late there have been several articles in the press about local transport, the attributes (of which there are few) and inadequacies (of which there are many). One may query if these PSVs are legally on the road as the conditions of some are appalling

  • Why we should keep the £

    MANY people still seem to be confused about who is their Member of the European Parliament. In June last year electors in the North West gave more votes to the Conservative Party than to Labour and since then the North West, and every part of it, has

  • Tories not listening to each other

    FOLLOWING Anne Widdecombe's recent adverse comments about gay families, I am at loss for words as to what all the fuss is about and why people are even surprised. Conservative Shadow Cabinet member Miss Widdecombe often comes out with such drivel. Indeed

  • Ignore pensioners at your peril

    I NOTED with great interest the remarks of the director general of Age Concern, Gordon Lishman, concerning the tremendous potential political power of pensioners in a recent speech to the Blackpool branch of Age Concern. It has become increasingly evident

  • Terrorists rewarded

    MAY I reply to the outpourings of A. P. Tobias (Postbag, October 13). Firstly, I condemn all terrorists, they are cowards. But maybe A. P. Tobias has conveniently forgotten that in 1946-48 gangs of Jewish terrorists were shooting, hanging and blowing-up

  • A ghost town full of car parks

    ANY talk about the regeneration of Radcliffe is a joke! After spending millions moving a traffic jam 50 yards by building a new by-pass, renovating two "showpiece streets" at the rear of St Mary's Church, and paying a fortune for the Rusty Nails "sculpture

  • Bleakholt cat policy is crazy

    I VISITED Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary a couple of weeks ago for the first time. I was looking for another female cat or kitten to accompany the one I have. I was asked by staff whether I had any children under the age of five. I had my two-year-old with

  • Parents must park their car and walk

    PARENTS of children who attend Fishpool County Infants and St Chad's in Bury are concerned about the number of cars and taxis using Sultan Street. This cul-de-sac is the location for children being dropped off and picked up from the two schools. This

  • Right or wrong, he was just a child

    A. P. TOBIAS's letter headed "Arab aggressors are crying foul" (Your Letters, October 13) says a lot about the people who claim the high moral ground in the bloody turmoil which continues to blight the holiest of lands and the people condemned to live

  • The only land I own is my garden

    I CAN assure Mrs Mason (Your Letters, Oct 13) that I have only one "face", and perhaps if she got her facts right then she wouldn't have egg on hers! I am a tenant farmer and the only land I own is my garden. As for being one of the "privileged few" perhaps

  • Road deaths: our target must be zero

    AT a recent police-community public meeting, the issue of cycling on the pavement was raised. When a question was asked about who would be to blame if a pedestrian was hit by a child cyclist, the response from a police representative was that it would