OVER the past decade, tourism has become a more important part of our economy in East Lancashire. In some areas like the Ribble Valley, the loss of revenue caused by the restrictions forced on the countryside by foot and mouth disease has hit hard at
RESIDENTS had plenty to celebrate yesterday at a special fun day. It launched a scheme to improve derelict land in Westbury Gardens United Reformed Church, off Audley Range, Westbury Gardens. Plans are due to turn the empty plot into safe parking, a garden
ACCRINGTON Theatre Group are performing Hot Mikado from Monday, November 12, to Saturday, November 17, at Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre (7.30pm).
ST Stephen's Operatic and Dramatic Society is presenting the rock musical Ebenezer at the school hall, Woodgrove Road, Burnley, from tonight to Saturday (7.30pm). . The show is a musical based on Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol and directed by Howard
A HAPPY tale of a rags-to-riches romance is sure to lift the spirits and cheer the soul as we head towards the end of British Summer Time. North Blackburn Church Players have been busy rehearsing for their latest production which starts tomorrow at St
I WOULD like to thank the private hire firm, B and B Taxis, which I use twice a day almost on a daily basis. I can't get in or out of vehicles unaided, and the drivers always help me. They are brilliant. MRS IVY FENDER, St Alban's Court, Blackburn.
ONCE, you could contact Accrington police station in the evening and they knew what you were talking about. Now, with all calls going to Blackburn, they know more about Kabul than they do about Accrington. Yes, it's cost, man and centralised-effective
A GRIM accident warning was issued today after horrified children saw a worker killed in a theme park rollercoaster tragedy. The Health and Safety Executive has launched an investigation following the incident which killed Harold Mathews, 59, at the Camelot
COUNTY Council chiefs today admitted a controversial waste incinerator was likely to be built in Lancashire -- after including its cost in a £300million plan. Details of the private finance initiative have emerged, just weeks after Lancashire County Council
NO coach likes to see goals being conceded from set-pieces whether they are working with experienced pros or promising youngsters. So there was an air of frustration for Rovers Under 17s on Saturday when they conceded three bad goals, two from set plays
LUCAS NEILL'S impressive start to his Rovers career has earned him a recall to the international squad - and handed his new manager a selection headache. When Graeme Souness heard that Neill had been called up he said ironically: "That's just great. "
A PART-TIME barman had almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in his system when stopped by police for driving without lights in the early hours. Burnley Magistrates heard how Lee Jason Orford, 26, had felt perfectly well and fit to get behind the wheel
FEARS about a Burnley man missing from home for four days are mounting as his family still have not heard from him. Derek Horne, 54, was due to visit his doctor yesterday, but failed to show for the appointment. His family and detectives from Burnley
MANAGEMENT at the Barnoldswick Rolls-Royce factories today revealed that a decision on redundancies may take weeks. After the announcement last week that the company was to shed thousands of jobs at its United Kingdom factories, workers returning to work
OH! What a night it was - as Kid Creole and the cream of the disco crops 'strutted their funky stuff' in a pulsating performance with sensational songs from the seventies to out-dazzle the illuminations that twinkled along Blackpool's Golden Mile. Set
COURTS, police and postal workers were put on alert in East Lancashire following a spate of mail bomb incidents. Special branch officers were called in to investigate after a crude incendiary device arrived at Preston Crown Court.
A TRAINEE paramedic and special constable has been cleared of raping and indecently assaulting a young mother after a night out in Accrington town centre. Mark Evans, 25, was found not guilty of all charges by a unanimous verdict after a two-hour deliberation
POLICE are warning Hallowe'en revellers to stay away from Pendle Hill this year for fear they may inadvertently spread Foot and Mouth. On the advice of DEFRA, the police will be restricting access to the hill with road closures in Barley Village and Annals
POLICE are hunting a con woman after a spate of thefts from the elderly. Detective Constable Ian Proctor said officers were linking three incidents in Great Harwood and Whalley on October 16 and in Ribchester three days later. The thief, believed to be
A FARMER delayed the lifting of foot and mouth restrictions across Lancashire after declaring his land an independent republic in protest at the handling of the crisis. Ribble Valley farmer Paul Kenny, 52, has been in dispute with farming officials for
POOL Manager Steve McMahon praised the side for their work rate and commitment but criticised "naive defending" as the Seasiders lost out to an injury time winner at Peterborough Utd. The Seasiders had taken an early 2-0 lead in the second half but after
ANOTHER game without Glen. Another winless weekend. The two are synonymous at present. It's all a far cry from just over a month ago, when Little put Birmingham to the sword, Burnley led the division and the Clarets faithful only half jokingly suggested
ENGLAND'S cricket tour of India next month looks certain to go ahead. Captain Nasser Hussain and his tour party today met Sir Rob Young, the British High Commissioner in New Delhi, to discuss their security concerns. Following the meeting, England and
PUBLICAN John Clayton has selected an unbeatable range of real ales for his customers John, who runs The Station Hotel in Nelson, has no fewer than 25 beers from all around Britain for a special beer festival from October 31 to November 4, with all beers
A LEADING Lancashire brewer is confident of unlocking new business thanks to a key appointment. Daniel Thwaites has drafted in Tony Wilkinson as key account manager, hoping to reap the benefits of his wealth of experience within the British brewing industry
LUCAS NEILL'S impressive start to his Rovers career has earned him a recall to the international squad - and handed his new manager a selection headache. When Graeme Souness heard that Neill had been called up he said ironically: "That's just great. "
STEVE Bruce might be the man tipped to be the new manager at Birmingham City but Clarets striker Gareth Taylor has no doubt who is the better boss. "There is no comparison in terms of coaching ability between Steve Bruce and the gaffer (Stan Ternent),
BURY have the giant task of beating league leaders Brentford tonight - but most fans have not even given it a thought yet, writes STEVE CANAVAN of the BOLTON EVENING NEWS. They have been too busy concentrating on a frenzied spate of tranfer activity,
DARWEN'S first skatepark is a huge success -- according to one of its organisers Debbie Bentley. The Rhythm skatepark, in Percival Street, officially opened its doors on Saturday and has so far attracted hundreds of sporting enthusiasts. The 9,000 sq
ROSSENDALE'S MP has expressed concern over what has been described as the 'too lenient' sentencing of local magistrates. In a national survey carried out last year, Rossendale Magistrates was criticised for being too soft on offenders. At the time, Inspector
RESIDENTS plan to step up their campaign to save Whitworth swimming pool and pressurise Rossendale Council after securing 7,000 signatures on a petition. Alan Neal, an ex-Mayor of the Valley from the late 1990s, is leading the fight, along with members
ABOUT 1,000 British Special Forces are ready to join the ground war in Afghanistan, it was claimed today. Two squadrons of SAS troopers, the Pathfinder platoon and the Parachute Regiment reconnaissance unit will make up the bulk of the force, The Daily
TWO US postal workers are feared to have died from the most deadly strain of anthrax. Post-mortem examinations are being carried out today on the two Washington postal staff amid fears they contracted the inhaled form of anthrax. Both men worked at the
A SIX-WEEK arthritis self-help course which was set up in response to demand from Blackburn sufferers still has places to fill with a week to go before it starts. The charity Arthritis Care in Blackburn organised the course after getting a steady stream
TWO men were left with serious injuries following a 'racist' street fight between two gangs outside a Blackburn garage. The attack followed a running battle between two car loads of men which began in Barbara Castle Way and continued up to the Esso Garage
A PURPOSE built centre will give a further boost to Blackburn with Darwen's pioneering Sure Start Programme. Sure Start, which offers a new approach to pre-school child care by including family support in addition to a nursery, currently operates a centre
COUNCIL chiefs have been left red-faced after signs erected around their roadworks mis-took Darwen, Lancashire, for Darwin, Australia. Signs heralding the start of roadworks under Darwen Street Bridge, Blackburn, carry the message that the work is being
A GRIM accident warning was issued today after horrified children saw a worker killed in a theme park rollercoaster tragedy. The Health and Safety Executive has launched an investigation following the incident which killed Harold Mathews, 59, at the Camelot
TOWN Hall chiefs today vowed to stick to their guns and prosecute pubs illegally holding karaoke nights and insisted: "Public safety comes first." The chairman of Blackburn's Licensed Victuallers Association hit out over Blackburn with Darwen Council's
CONGRATULATIONS to J P Hayhurst (Sport Letters, October 16) for still remembering the exact dates of the two Rovers' wins over Burnley last season. Yes, we Burnley fans, including Stephen Cummings, were all gutted by the two results -- especially as my
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Fun with music for children age five and under, Darwen Library, Knott Street, 2-3pm. 'Warhammer' -- gaming event for dads and lads, Fielden Room, Central Library, Blackburn
BURNLEY theatregoers are in for a treat over the next few weeks with a host of amateur productions at the Mechanics to suit all tastes. On Friday and Saturday Burnley Gilbert and Sullivan Society presents 'Showtime', a cavalcade of song including all
THE bad old days are here again. Just as in the winter of 2000, services on the Clitheroe to Manchester line are being cancelled. I do not mention the lateness, but whenever I read a timetable nowadays, I put in the "x factor," which is greater as equal
FOR real socialists, it is ironic to see Labour councillors, including Springhill Ward Councillor Cliff Westell (Letters, October 15), criticising American foreign policy, when they know that Labour governments consistently support it, politically and
WALT Meadows has got hold of the wrong end of the stick when criticising my attitude towards empty homes (Letters, October 17). Charging double council tax on long-term empty homes was just one of the ideas in my letter to the select committee looking
REGARDING Eric Leaver's comments (LET, October 10) it doesn't really matter what I call the events of June 24-25 in Burnley. It is a matter of semantics on my part whether they be disturbances or riots. The Task Force have called them, I am told, disturbances
FORMER Rovers midfielder Jason McAteer got off to a losing start to his Sunderland career at Middlesbrough last night. After weeks of speculation he finally made the move from Ewood Park to the Stadium of Light at the end of last week and he has insisted
"WE can get a result today," I announced confidently at the Princess Louise in Holborn at about 1.45 p.m. on Saturday. Several Aussie barstaff and Chinese tourists looked on blankly. The six Rovers fans in our group peered at me suspiciously. "What do
FIRE crews came under attack from youngsters throwing fireworks as they put out a bonfire in Burnley. Two houses were also damaged in firework incidents. Leading firefighter Gary Kiyani warned: "Someone is going to get hurt." He addedsaid: "We went to
BURNLEY teenager Kieran Sturdy, who had the trip of a lifetime to Disney World and Silverstone race circuit, thanks to the Make A Wish foundation, will be one of the guests of honour at a party staged by volunteers. The Make A Wish party, to be staged
VOLUNTEERS are being sought to help clean-up the inside of Marsden Hall, in Nelson, on Saturday. The Friends of Marsden Park, officers from the council's parks department and volunteers are planning to clean out the former restaurant, still council-owned
A 12-YEAR-OLD girl who pleaded guilty to burgling the house of Nelson woman Sheila Bridge shortly before her death has been ordered to spend a year in supervised care. The girl, who was in secure accommodation leading up to the case, before a youth panel
A STRATEGY to tackle fuel poverty in Pendle and help people improve the energy efficiency of their homes has been launched by Pendle Council. One in four households in Pendle are believed to suffer from fuel poverty -- where more than 10 per cent of a
A BLACKBURN shopkeeper offered a free flight to a India for anyone who could lift his giant pumpkin. The enormous orange beast was nine feet round and weighed in at 550lbs. Akhtar Hussain, of New food Store, Whalley Range, paid £80 for the fruit and six
HUNCOAT is to get a new lick of paint with the allocation of a grant by the area council. The village's residents association put in an application for £75 to purchase ladders, a steam stripper, paste table and brushes in order to help brighten up the
A PUB landlord said to have molested a young mother late at night in a cemetery in Oswaldtwistle told a jury she did not resist his advances.. Twice-married Alan Jolley, 52, claimed he kissed her, fondled her, lifted her T-shirt and bra, put his hand
A DRIVER suffered serious head injuries after his car overturned several times. Firefighters took two hours to free Mohammed Balil Fazil, 28, from the Nissan Primera on the B6243 Preston Road, at Longridge. Mr Fazil, of Calverley Street, Preston was taken
WHEN Brett Ormerod's name was missing from the starting eleven for Tuesday night's LDV Vans Trophy game, Blackpool fans were given a sneak preview of what the team would be like if the Tangerines' top goalscorer was to leave Bloomfield Road. As it happened
STEVE BRUCE'S super soaraway Eagles arrive at Turf Moor tonight looking for an eighth consecutive league victory. But the excitement at Selhurst Park is tempered by the fact that the manager's future remains in doubt, with Birmingham City supposedly ready
CLARETS' youth team recovered from the disappointment of missing a hatful of chances to beat Blackpool 3-2 on Saturday morning in a Youth Alliance League game. Manager Terry Pashley claimed: "It would have been an injustice if we had not won. "We missed
BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent welcomes one of his former employers to Turf Moor tonight. A dozen years ago Ternent was the assistant manager to Steve Coppell as the Eagles won promotion to the top flight. Now he is hoping to inspire his Burnley players as
YOUNGSTERS across Pendle are all ship-shape thanks to the generosity of the Daniel Thwaites Brewery. Thwaites' renowned Charitable Trust, which has assisted more than 150 worthy causes over recent years, has funded a new boat engine for the region's Duke
PRESTON aim to make it a hat-trick of wins as they bid to continue their charge up the First Division table when they take on Sheffield United tonight at Deepdale. Boosted by victory over Sheffield Wednesday and Sunday's 2-1 win against Manchester City
MECHANICS are fed up with the way they are portrayed in soap operas. Dressed in greasy overalls like Eastender Phil Mitchell they are shown as dodgy, workshy, incompetent and on the make, according to a poll of those working in the profession. Well, I
MAYOR of Blackburn with Darwen John Williams presented four civic awards during a coffee morning held by Darwen Civic Society at the Derwent Hall on Saturday. This year the society's Civic Pride awards went to Jim Hacking for his roadside garden, the
SHOPKEEPERS on Duckworth Street in Darwen town centre say the speed of the traffic travelling along the road is "frightening" and is sure to result in a serious accident. An accident on the road yesterday saw two young men being taken to hospital. A VW
THREE licensed premises in Rossendale have been targeted by burglars. Police say intruders got into the Red Lion in Newchurch Road, Rawtenstall, overnight from Friday to Saturday through an insecure window on the ground floor and raided various machines
A DISCIPLINARY hearing has been told how two reporters from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph snared a dietician who peddled illegal slimming pills to desperate dieters. The General Medical Council, in London, was told two female reporters set out to trap
IT IS, of course, good for English football that England have qualified for the World Cup finals. However, I do think that many supporters, players and ex-players are going over the top when they say that England can win the trophy in Japan. England have
COUNTY Council chiefs today admitted a controversial waste incinerator was likely to be built in Lancashire -- after including its cost in a £300million plan. Details of the private finance initiative have emerged, just weeks after Lancashire County Council
GRAEME Souness talked about buying British during the close season. Yet when we hammered West Ham 7-1, Rovers score was the same as the number of foreign players in their starting line-up. Who would have thought say 10 years ago, this League of Nations
NEIL SIMPSON has written off his rally season on medical advice. The 29-year-old Colne driver suffered a broken arm and fractured wrist in a testing accident prior to last month's Scottish Rally. And although he was expected to be back in the driving
NELSON boss John Bailey's reaction to hearing his side had been drawn against NWCL Division One high-fliers Clitheroe in the FA Vase was quite a few unprintable words! The NWCL Division Two promotion hopefuls have come through three rounds so far - beating
PRESTON aim to make it a hat-trick of wins as they bid to continue their charge up the First Division table when they take on Sheffield United tonight at Deepdale. Boosted by victory over Sheffield Wednesday and Sunday's 2-1 win against Manchester City
A ONCE-IN-A-LIFTIME 50 yard rocket from transfer-listed Jon Macken sealed victory for North End against promotion favourites Manchester City. Picking up the ball from midfield on 66 minutes, Macken looked towards the goal, saw the opportunity and unleashed
A TEENAGE Blackpool driver was killed in a crash which, left his friend seriously injured, when the car they were in hit a wall. Kevin Berry, 15, of Healey Street, Layton, suffered fatal head and chest injuries after the Ford Fiesta car he was driving
A SCHOOLGIRL wept as she told a court she was brutally raped by a married teacher who befriended her at a student trade fair. The 17-year-old put her trust in history teacher Lee Savage to walk her back to the holiday park where they were staying after
