A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Ceilidh with Jabadaw, Accrington Town Hall, 8pm. One Night With Elvis, starring Steve Preston, Darwen Library Theatre, 7.30pm. The Alarm, Spear of Destiny and The Mighty
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Cookery Gourmet Evening with Nigel Haworth, Ribblesdale High School Drama Complex, Clitheroe. Charity Night, Barden Mill, Barden Lane, Burnley, 7.30pm. Ribble Valley
THE latest production by local drama group The Broughton Players opens next month at the Playhouse Theatre on Market Street West, Preston. My Cousin Rachel, by Daphne Du Maurier, runs from Wednesday, May 8, to Saturday, May 11. Curtain up for the romantic
POPULAR comedian Daniel Kitson, nominated for a Perrier comedy award, is appearing at the University of Central Lancashire's comedy club, Stand and Deliver. The sarcastic funny-man will be joined by Australia's Sarah Kendall and compere Joon Broon. Tickets
NOT many people would be surprised to learn that some mechanically dodgy cabs were running around an inner city area like the back streets of Manchester or Salford. Even in Blackburn and Burnley unannounced checks by police and council officers at peak
BIKE-CRIKEY! Sixth formers at a Poulton school have raised hundreds of pounds for charity using pedal power to go the extra mile. A group of 14 sixth formers from Baines Sixth Form, Highcross Road, put their stamina to the test with a 140-mile bikeathon
BURY Croquet Club's Open Day in aid of Bury Hospice rasied £200. The Peelers drew 3-3 in their opening match of the season at Bowdon, playing the St Mary's team. In the doubles Ken and Margaret Anderton were up against a pair of experienced middle-rankers
ICAN'T believe the powers that be want to put another shop in Blackburn centre (LET, April 23) -- on the only piece of land so central to the town as Salford What the town needs is a proper bus station. Salford is an ideal site and the Boulevard could
I COULD not believe my ears when I heard on TV about the Chorley man sentenced to six months in prison for collecting lost golf balls. I was so annoyed that I immediately contacted the Home Office and was put through to a very helpful man who also said
NOT only will the clampdown on 'speeders' fail to reduce accidents -- I suggest it will increase them. For having 'sped' at 35mph on a wide, empty road, I now tootle along at 28mph and am overtaken time after time by cars which cause oncoming traffic
POLICE in Leigh are set to swoop on robbers as part of a countywide crackdown on street crime. Crime hotspots in the town have been earmarked as targets by police chiefs who are preparing a series of co-ordinated initiatives aimed at stemming the rise
AFTER recent reports of old people being left unattended for long periods at hospitals, I must tell of my own experience. After returning from holiday, my mother, aged 81, felt unwell. I rang the NHS helpline at 5.40pm on a Saturday and, as promised,
LET your hidden talent shine through at The Star at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. The popular pub is holding The Star In Your Eyes talent competition every Friday night from tomorrow (May 3) until June 14 giving showbiz hopefuls the chance to show their best
A POTENTIAL title decider between Sunday League soccer rivals was re-played behind closed doors after crowd violence forced the original game to be abandoned. Around 180 supporters clashed when Kings Inn and Old Toll Bar met in a Blackburn Sunday League
VETERAN striker Mark Hughes today admitted he fears a decision over whether his playing career is coming to an end could soon 'be taken out of his hands' as Graeme Souness begins to formulate his plans for next season. Welsh boss Hughes will be out of
TWO Preston volunteers are riding the crest of a wave as they are to be honoured for their service to the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) at an awards ceremony in London. Anne Duncan, 64, of Oakfield in Ashton, and Barbara Rickards, 52, of Alcester
A JUNIOR choir from Longton are tuning-up to perform at the prestigious Royal Northern College of Music in the first heat of Sainsbury's 'Choir of the Year' contest. And the musical youngsters from St Oswald's Catholic Primary School are in fine form
LIFE was not always so sweet for this little cutie. Last year Madge, a Welsh Terrier, was found living in squalid conditions in a Bamber Bridge out-building. She was one of 28 dogs kept in three out-houses, owned by a breeder and dog show judge. The place
PRESTON planning bosses have revealed that city status may already have helped boost the area's economy. After a tough battle to claim the title of Jubilee City, Preston's civic leaders are looking forward to a bright and prosperous future. And the city
SCHOOLS in Preston and South Ribble are planning to tackle truancy by bidding for Government cash to install big-brother swipe cards in classrooms. It follows a £16million handout made available for the computerised registration systems. Staff at Ribbleton
PUPILS at Walshaw High School have used their nimble fingers and linguistic skills to make gifts for the children of Stoneyholme and Daneshouse Sure Start. Year Ten GCSE textile students have made soft toys and recorded stories in Bengali, Urdu and English
THE Co-op will promote products which ensure a fair deal for third world workers at this year's Burnley May Day Festival on Monday . The Fairtrade products make sure Third World growers and workers get a fair deal by guaranteeing impartial prices. Visitors
MORE than 130 people are facing fines for not displaying a valid road tax disc after a crackdown on tax dodgers in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale. The crackdown was launched last month by Pennine Police in conjunction with the DVLA and Vehicle Registration
CHAMPAGNE corks popped as two local schools celebrated the achievement of being awarded Investors in People (IIP) status. Representatives from Holcombe Brook CP school and Potters School in Bury attended a champagne reception to mark the occasion. The
TWO East Lancashire supermarkets were the only stores in the North West to be given special certificates and £100 cheques for their charity efforts. At the Golden Bear Awards at Asda in Leeds the stores in Rawtenstall and Burnley were honoured. Jean Corless
BURY'S Holy Cross College has been named among the top 20 colleges in the country in its latest Ofsted report. In 2001, the average point score for each student was 20, compared to a national average of 17.8, and a local average of 16.2. This means the
A CAMPAIGN to fight an animal incinerator in Hapton is gaining momentum. When local Labour councilllors discovered earlier this month Enviro Skips Ltd planned to install an incinerator for abattoir waste -- including body parts, guts, offal and blood
FED-UP traders in Nelson's Scotland Road have gathered more than 1,000 signatures in a campaign to bring shoppers discouraged by empty shops back to the area. The shopkeepers, many of who have been there for more than 20 years, are worried that Nelson
A LOOK at the Bay Northern Premier League results. Division One: *Blackpool 112, Kendal 100 (15pts-3pts); *Chorley 181/8, Leyland Motors 60 (15-2); *Lancaster 206/7, St Annes 132/9 (8-2); Leyland 81, *Darwen 210-7 (1-15); Morecambe 113/1, *Preston 109
A DISASTROUS opening weekend in the Bay Northern Premier League saw all three local sides suffer heavy defeats. Preston went down to a ten wicket defeat at Morecambe and could not even manage a bonus point after being bowled out for 109. Leyland and Farrington
A CONFIDENTIAL hotline for people in Leigh and Atherton to talk about loan sharks aims to help borrowers get out of debt. Wigan Council is asking its residents to reveal their personal experiences of dealing with loan sharks and similar creditors. It
SENIOR citizens from across Burnley, Pendle and Yorkshire will take to the stage in Colne tomorrow to battle it out for a place in the area final of the Silver Stars Talent Contest 2002. Fifteen people over the age of 60 have submitted an entry for the
TWENTY new jobs will be created in Colne this week when a Marks & Spencer Outlet shop opens its doors within the Boundary Mill Stores. The new development is the 11th in the group's expanding chain of Outlet shops and the first in the country to operate
A PRESTON mother has slammed the city council for failing to clean up the garden of her council-owned home before she moved in. Tenant Caroline Norcroffe, 24, claims the garden of her Weeton Place home, on the Larches estate, is littered with bottles
A POLICE officer spoke of the moment of terror when he was rammed by a stolen vehicle as he sat in a squad car. Motorway PC John Whitehead was a passenger in the car when it was struck three times by a Land Rover following a motorway chase. It happened
A WOMAN left bruised and battered is warning neighbours not to go out at night after being brutally mugged for a portion of chips, writes Teri Jones. Jean Gregory, aged 55, was returning to her Atherton flat at around 10.30pm on Monday when she was approached
A TEENAGER who was critically injured in an horrific car crash is now out of his coma and on his way to recovery. Andrew McMinn, 19, of Blake Gardens, Great Harwood, was rushed to hospital three months ago when the car in which he was a passenger crashed
AN Atherton man's mid-afternoon gardening session was interrupted by a UFO. Arthur Westwood was pottering about in his garden at his Devonshire Road in Hag Fold when he says he suddenly noticed a strange object in the sky. The 62-year-old said: "I couldn't
DESPITE Saturday's rain Atherton firefighters' charity car wash in aid of teenage leukaemia sufferer Daniel Berry definitely wasn't a wash-out. The Gloucester Street station opened to the public between 11am-4pm while Green Watch and Blue Watch firefighters
A BURGLAR caught red-handed inside a Leigh house told police the property had already been broken into and there was nothing left to steal. Police went to the house after receiving information that a man had been seen inside and detained James Hutchinson
HELP is at hand for local voluntary and community groups in the Ribble Valley looking for information and advice on developing projects and running activities. Throughout May the Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Council for Voluntary Service, a registered charity
STAR Wars fever is back to haunt us. The next movie in the Star Wars sequence, Episode II: Attack of the Clones, opens in cinemas worldwide soon. If you want to know something about the movie before you go and see it, there's loads of stuff on the web
YOU really can find practically anything on the Internet from key dates to quoteable quotations; word spellings to translation services. All you need to know about today's births, deaths and historic events can be found at www.scopesys.com/today/. It
CLARETS top scorer Gareth Taylor has retained his pace in the Wales squad for the prestigious friendly against Germany at the Millennium Stadium on May 14. The 29-year-old finished the season with a best ever haul of 16 goals, including the winner against
CLARETS chairman Barry Kilby knows that the Football League clubs may face a long battle to get any of the television money owed to them. But he believes there may be light at the end of the tunnel. "We know it could be a long legal battle but I have
TICKETS are now on sale for this year's Disney on Ice show -- Beauty and the Beast. Following the success of last year's Toy Story performance, the company of international figure-skating champions will bring the beautiful Belle, the egotistical Gaston
OPERA with a Leigh flavour will be staged on May 8, 10 and 11 at Bolton's Albert Halls. Bolton company Opera '74 present the classic love story of Orpheus and Eurydice -- Christopher Willibald Gluck's tale of love, grief and joy. It is directed by St
ST Joseph's Players present their new comedy, Party Piece, starting Friday May 7. The light-hearted play is based on the hilarious antics of feuding neighbours, set in the back garden of one neighbour's home. The scene is set on the night of Michael and
A man leapt to his death from the top floor of the Albert Road car park at around 6.50pm on Wednesday. Officers and paramedics arrived within minutes but the man, who has not yet been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene on May 1. He is believed
LOCAL politicians can now be held to account thanks to a new complaints procedure launched this week. From Sunday (May 5), councillors on county, unitary, city, district, town and parish councils can be reported by anybody if they break the national code
ANTIQUES fans have the chance to boost their collections at four clock and watch dealers fairs at Haydock Park Racecourse on May 5, July 21, September 22 and November 24. Entry fees are: 7am to 8.30am, £10; 8.30am to 10.30am £5; and 10.30am to 2.30 pm
LEIGH MP Andy Burnham will hold surgeries tomorrow at Atherton Town Hall (6pm to 6.45pm) and Golborne Library (7.15pm to 8pm); and on Saturday at Leigh Advice Centre, 10 Market Street, Leigh (10am to 11am). His office at 10 Market Street, Leigh, is open
A FESTIVAL is set to bring Leigh alive with a blend of music, dance, acrobatics and comedy. On Saturday, May 18 Wigan Council's MayDayze Festival takes place with free live performances from locally and regionally-known artists. Festival activities will
CALLING all guys and dolls who fancy being part of an energetic and exciting musical. Lowton Operatic and Dramatic Society are currently holding auditions for their production of Guys and Dolls and there are a number of male and female parts still to
CLARETS top scorer Gareth Taylor has retained his pace in the Wales squad for the prestigious friendly against Germany at the Millennium Stadium on May 14. The 29-year-old finished the season with a best ever haul of 16 goals, including the winner against
VETERAN striker Mark Hughes today admitted he fears a decision over whether his playing career is coming to an end could soon 'be taken out of his hands' as Graeme Souness begins to formulate his plans for next season. Welsh boss Hughes will be out of
THE FUTURE of six North End players hang in the balance as new Preston boss Craig Brown finds his feet at the helm of the good ship Deepdale. Appointed on Monday, with a disappointed Kelham O'Hanlon agreeing to become his deputy, Brown has already begun
A TOWN where old people are too scared to go out at night, feel isolated by poor public transport and abandoned by society. These were just some of the grim findings in a survey of Radcliffe's elderly population carried out by Bury and Rochdale Health
A GOLF trip of a lifetime awaits amateur Brian Hill and his Horwich PGA Professional, Brian Sharrock, if they can come through the next stage of what is now long established as Europe's biggest pro-am competition, the Lombard Trophy. Hill took his first
A CHURCHMAN will conduct his last service this Sunday before heading for the big city. Father Peter McEvitt is leaving St Cuthbert's Church, Earnsdale Road, Darwen, for the Holy Family, Failsworth, Manchester. He will oversee the confirmation of 14 candidates
PARENTS are being advised that an up-coming show at Darwen Library Theatre is unfit for children. 'Extremities', by William Mastrosimone, covers topics like assault and explores themes such as revenge, tension and resentment to question whether extremes
MEMBERS of a social club which is in danger of being sold off were today urged to turn out in force at a special meeting to secure its future. Management of Ineos Acrylics, the former ICI, are looking to end its association with and dispose of the Ineos
A POTENTIAL title decider between Sunday League soccer rivals was re-played behind closed doors after crowd violence forced the original game to be abandoned. Around 180 supporters clashed when Kings Inn and Old Toll Bar met in a Blackburn Sunday League
AN estate agent put up a reward in an attempt to stop an arsonist who was setting fire to for sale signs. Nick Hitchen, a partner in Weale and Hitchen, which has branches all over Rossendale, found an area of Holcombe Brook was being targeted. He said
A TEAM of young stylists are hoping to prove they can cut it after organising a photographic shoot as part of their entry in a national hairdressing competition. Nereace Coad and Vicki Southern, from Haslingden, and Charlotte Smith, from Bacup, set up
AN EAST Lancashire bride-to-be told her fiance to "get nutted" when he revealed what he intended to wear on the big day. Nigel Ingham, a site supervisor at Constablelee Primary School in Rawtenstall, has been a dancer with the world-famous Britannia Coconutters
CHORLEY Council has done away with the polling stations in a bid to get more people voting. They are one of the first authorities in the country to insist that people vote by post only. Already, it appears to be working, with an equivalent to a 32 per
A RENAULT 19 was destroyed by fire on a disused railway track in Leigh Road, Hindley Green.
COUNCIL leader Peter Britcliffe declared the elections in Hyndburn a referendum on plans to close Lancashire County Council-run homes, much to the horror of opposition councillors in the Labour group who claim to oppose the shutdown as much as the Conservatives
A FORD Escort Estate was set on fire on the top of Leigh's multi-storey car park off Bengal Street on Sunday. One of the car's wheels had been removed and the fire is believed to have been deliberately started.
PENDLE could see a shift in the political make-up of the council after Labour won only four more seats than the Liberal Democrats in the last elections. Labour won 23 to the Lib Dems' 19, with the Conservatives securing nine, but Labour councillor Kathleen
A HOSPITAL apartment was flooded by an overflowing water tank. The lid of an attic water tank in one of the residential flats - occupied by doctors, nurses and students - at the back of Leigh Infirmary, fell into the tank causing the flood. About 50 gallons
WITH a string of ministerial visits, several high-profile awards and one of the lowest council tax rises in Lancashire, it hasn't been a bad year for Blackburn with Darwen Council. But despite all the good news, the opposition council are quietly confident
THE media spotlight has been focusing on Burnley -- even more so since French National Front Leader Jean-Marie Le Pen's first round success in the presidential race across the channel. Condemnation of the BNP's tactics, why they are standing in Burnley
A WINDOW frame was destroyed and a house was smoke-logged when flames spread from a rubbish fire. A pile of rubbish which included a mattress, boxes and old newspapers, left outside an unoccupied semi-detached council house on Eldon Street, Leigh, caught
A RESIDENTS' rights champion has helped former miners in Atherton strike a rich seam in their battle for benefits. Thanks to help from Christine Ridyard, who is Wigan Council's Hag Fold Benefit Awareness Advisor, many former miners suffering from industrial
REGARDING the letter about the downfall of Roberts' House in Leyland (Citizen, April 18). I too think it is sad to see this very useful building, which was in good condition, brought to the ground in a heap of rubble. As I am aware there are plans to
POLICE are still searching for armed villains following separate raids last week. A security guard was hit over the head with a hammer and a substantial amount of cash taken in a morning raid at the Royal Bank of Scotland, Market Street, Atherton. Just
I WAS wondering if you could help me and my family, by running a story about my lost grandfather. Hopefully by printing the story we will be able to contact with relatives in the Lancashire area that could put the puzzle together for us. We have just
IF you're planning a relaxing Bank Holiday weekend, here's a delicious sweet to enjoy with a glass of wine. Celebrity chef Nigel Smith, of the Feilden's Arms, Mellor Brook, continues his selection of mouthwatering dishes with a tempting tart made with
CONTINENTAL cuisine is on its way to the Ribble Valley as a seven-day food festival fuses the best of East Lancashire and Portugal. The Gibbon Bridge Hotel, near Chipping, is inviting guests to sample a taste of Portugal from Monday, May 13, to Sunday
OUT of hours opening times THE local Sunday chemist rota is: Blackpool: Boots*, 28-38 Bank Hey Street, 10.30-4.30pm; Co-op Pharmacy (in Asda), Cherry Tree Road, Marton, 10-4pm; Moss Chemist, Morrisons, Squires Gate Lane, 10-4pm; Lloyds Pharmacy*, 110
BE prepared to see spots before your eyes in Blackpool's newest penthouse accommodation. The Cruella de Ville suite and puppy pound is the latest attraction at Sparkles Hotel in Station Road, South Shore, where dotty dalmatians are the only dogs allowed
TREES planted in memory of loved ones have been destroyed in the latest spate of mindless vandalism at Blackpool's Stanley Park. Youths have decimated seven lime trees out of a total of 50 planted last November to replace ones which marked the Festival
BLACKPOOL Challenge Partnership has hit back at allegations featured in The Citizen last week regarding £20m of government funding which a pressure group claimed was originally earmarked to build a conference centre in the resort. BCAGE (Blackpool Coalition
BLACKBURN snooker star Dennis Taylor's celebration of his world championships victory has been voted one of the best of all time. A poll by Egg Sport put his cue salute at number four. Dennis, who hails from Northern Ireland, beat Steve Davis in a black-ball
RAIL users' journeys will hit the buffers once again for 48 hours from tomorrow. About 700 conductors of Arriva Trains Northern are walking out for the fifth consecutive month in their dispute with management over pay. The TransPennine Express, which
THE circus has come to town and jugglers, acrobats and death-defying stunts will be on offer in Blackburn. Uncle Sam's American Circus rolled into Witton Park until Bank Holiday Monday. With its entourage of 12 gas guzzling American trucks, 52 staff and
A BOY aged just 10 has appeared in court and admitted setting fire to a family house. The youngster, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted a charge of arson when he appeared at Preston Crown Court yesterday . The court heard that the boy had
A MAN with a morbid fascination with death, who made a model gallows when at school, hanged himself at a time when family and friends thought everything was going well for him. An inquest heard that David Isherwood Leaver, 35, was a reforming heroin addict
A FATHER obsessed by his daughter's refusal of an arranged marriage tried to put out a contract for killing on the head of a man she married instead. Meetings were held with a hired hitman who turned out to be a an undercover policeman. Four thousand
THOMAS the Tank Engine and his friends will roll back into Bury this weekend. The steam train will be out and about on the East Lancashire Railway offering rides along the scenic Bury-Rawtenstall route on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Spokesman Lois Veers
PARENTS and carers of people with learning disabilities can attend a free seminar on how best to leave money in their wills to their sons and daughters. The seminar, organised by the Royal Mencap Society, will be held in Radcliffe on Friday May 24 and
CLAYTON tough guy Garry Wilkinson finished third in the 24 mile long Three Peaks Fell Race on Sunday in conditions which matched the worst ever seen. With gale force winds at 70mph in places, Garry completed the classic course over Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside
THE Coniston Fell Race on Saturday incorporates rounds of both the English and British Championships. Nine miles long and with 3500' of climb, it starts from the Institute, Coniston at 11:15am. Entry date has passed, so for queries about late availability
CLITHEROE'S NWCL Division One season ended on a sour note with a comprehensive defeat at Warrington last night. But player-manager Lee Sculpher was far from happy with the displays of the match officials who twice denied his side clear-cut penalties.
KATIE Ingram has been selected for the England Team which will contest the Knockdhu Home Countries Fell International in Northern Ireland on May11. The Chorley Harrier sealed her place after winning the opening race in this year's English Junior Championship
A LOOK at the race events taking place in the area. SAT May 4: Coniston Fell Race 9M/3500' (GB Champ 3/English Champ 2) Sun May 5: Wray Caton Moor Fell Race 7M/1100' (Lancaster) Mon May 6: Cottam 10K, Waterloo 15K (Southport), Penistone Hill Race 7M/1055
JAILED Chorley golfer John Collinson, nicknamed the 'Whetstone One' by supporters, has received hundreds of messages of support since he was imprisoned for stealing balls from a golf course lake. But reaction from the East Lancashire golfing fraternity
I WOULD like to say "Well said" to Mr N H Farrimond for what he said in your paper on March 21 with reference to the Council Tax. I don't know how this council works but if they stopped paying for the scroungers that come to Blackpool when the season
THE animals in Blackpool Zoo are once again in the news. A reader praises Coun Callow for her concern that elephants perform circus tricks to entertain zoo patrons. However, I understand from television programmes featuring animal behaviour experts that
I LISTENED to the Jimmy Young Show, March 27, hosted by Jeremy Vine who interviewed the Education Minister, Estell Morris. The interview focused mainly on parenting responsibilities and violence of parents within schools. I have commented before that,
JACK Croysdill, the local Labour Party spokesman, is like the man high up in a tree, sawing away at the branch on which he is sitting, while rejecting all other people who tell him the obvious. He boldly rejects all criticism of his town hall colleagues
Tony Scholes, chief executive of Preston North End plc, is confident they have appointed the right man for the job. He said: "His record speaks for itself. He is a man with great respect in the game, regarded as being one of the finest coaches and tacticians
PORTABLE radar/laser detectors are being snapped up by Fylde motorists attempting to sidestep speeding tickets. Dozens of drivers are picking up fines and penalty points as the region's road safety speed campaign surges ahead. As a result, motorists are
RADCLIFFE High School's Pupil Support Centre is to close just five years after it was established to help children with special educational needs. The centre, which opened in 1997, was designed to reintegrate 11 to 15-year-olds with emotional or behavioural
A TWO-WEEK crackdown on truancy, the biggest seen in the borough, has now started. Education welfare officers and police are carrying out patrols in all towns of the borough. They will be stopping all young people they see on the streets who they believe
HOW the definition of a sportsman has changed over the years. I was thrilled to get my hands on a book of instructions from the Olympic memorabilia of Leigh gymnast Hilda Williams (nee Smith) who took part in the 1928 Games in Amsterdam. The eight part
FOUR soldiers were shot dead after volunteering to go back for reinforcements in a Great War battle. When the company commander asked for a fifth to look death in the face, Leigh hero Alfred Wilkinson never gave the mission a second thought. He realised
A LOOK at what's on at the Blackpool Grand Theatre and Opera House. Blackpool Grand Theatre (01253 290190) Call Up The Groups -- The Barron Knights, The Tremeloes, The Fortunes and Marmalade in a night of hilarity and harmony. May 5 at 7.30pm. Tickets
IN the first Senior A match of the season at Padiham Pool, against Rosegrove and Chorley Marlins, Leyland Barracudas had a good start with strong team races in both the men's and women's Open Freestyle and some great individual efforts. After 12 races
A TEENAGER accused of causing death of an elderly pensioner has appeared before Bury magistrates. Kamran Afzal, aged 18, of Walmersley Road, Bury, is charged with causing death by dangerous driving, failing to stop and failing to report an accident, having
Leigh Soccer League: THE Davenport Cup semi-final clash between the top side of recent seasons, Higher Folds, and the new boys on the block, Kersal Vale, proved to be an absolute cracker with the Salford outfit squeezing through 5-3 in extra time. George
ATHERTON soccer star Ian Pendlebury has been tipped by a Bolton Wanderers legend to play a major part in Wigan Athletic's promotion push next season. The 18-year-old left-sided defender or midfielder picked up the 'Young Player of the Year' title at the
A LOCAL charity is putting on a show to remember to raise much-needed cash. St Catherine's Hospice, at Lostock Hall, Preston, is using members of its own Charity Players drama group to perform the hit West End comedy Stepping Out, from Wednesday, May
TO say that dental care in Rossendale is rotten is more than a pointed pun - it is shocking. For not only does the Valley have a staggering 50,000 people with no NHS dental care, it does not have a single dental practice taking on NHS patients. Against
STUDENTS at Lytham St Annes High School proved they were top of the class by winning this year's Top of The Fylde schools quiz, organised by Blackpool and The Fylde College. A total of 25 teams from 14 Fylde schools entered the ten-round quiz, now in
SIX caring students from Beacon Hill High School, Warbreck HiIl Road, who are helping to beat the bullies, received Princess Diana of Wales Memorial Awards at the Hilton Hotel, Blackpool. The awards, which recognise young people's community achievements
OVER the previous months I have received letters offering me thousands of pounds and even been told that I have won thousands of pounds. The catch? -- I have to send them a few quid first. Letters promising sacks full of cash have come from as far away
ALL four of my children went to St Paul's School in Ramsbottom and two are still there. It isn't just a school, it is a family unit where the children and staff form a close, happy bond. Qualities were being taught here that do not appear on any curriculum
A SKULL whose discovery sparked an Astley murder hunt will go on display nearly 2000 years after being sacrificed. When the skull was found in 1958 by a peat moss worker, police combed mossland and wild rumours involving skeletons, murder and a horde
FEEL the force at a special Star Wars night at NTK this month. Star Wars: Episode II - Attack Of The Clones hits cinema screens on May 16 and the Blackpool bar along with Odeon Cinema is celebrating in true intergalactic style with a fun evening of fancy
TAKE a Country Road to Fleetwood Marine Hall tonight (May 02) and enjoy a tribute to John Denver. Wayne Denton and his four-piece band will recreate the singing and song-writing talents of the man who brought Annie's Song, Rocky Mountain High and Leaving
STEP back to the 60s with a difference as four top 70s bands bring Call Up The Groups to Blackpool Grand Theatre on Sunday (May 5). The Barron Knights, The Tremeloes, The Fortunes and Marmalade will sing their own hits as well as moving back ten years
A LATE addition has steamed into the programme at Blackpool Grand Theatre. Edith Nesbit's The Railway Children will be making tracks to the resort from May 7 to 11 courtesy of the Middle Ground Theatre Company. Roberta, Peter and Phyllis live in Edgecombe
DO you believe words can kill? Imagine being a theatre critic reviewing a play about a theatre critic being murdered for his murderous reviews? That's what happened at Blackpool Grand Theatre this week as the play, within a play, within a play, Who Killed
FLAMBOYANT feathers, fever and flying skates spelled out the spectacular start of Hot Ice 2002 on Saturday (April 27). And the only celebrities worth spotting at the OK magazine sponsored launch of the Blackpool Pleasure Beach show were the skaters themselves
A MAYOR has blamed 'red tape' after it was revealed just three street parties were to be held in his borough for the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Now Blackburn with Darwen Council has extended the deadline for road-closure applications by a week to encourage
LEIGH Centurions will have just one thing on their minds when they trek up to Barrow on Sunday - victory. With the Centurions log-jammed alongside Barrow and Whitehaven at the top of the Buddies National League West Division table, they have set their
A HANDFUL of new children's schemes and clubs are being set up in Preston thanks to massive cash boosts. Four initiatives have already been allocated money and a further 13 have been approved in Preston and South Ribble this week with organisers expected
THE Government's health minister has advised Lancashire County Council to get outside help from other authorities and government officers to sort out its controversial plans to close three quarters of the county's care homes. The leader of the county
PREPARATIONS for the Queen's Golden Jubilee next month are well under way with parties and celebrations planned across the region. While the party spirit seems to have had a slow start the mood appears to be hotting up nicely. For people old enough to
A PRESTON schoolboy who battled through a turbulent six-week illness at the start of this year, is set to wade in deep and paddle 60 miles in a charity canoe expedition. Lee James Warren, 13, of Lychfield Drive, Bamber Bridge, is aiming to raise cash
PLANS to close 35 residential care homes in Lancashire -- including nine in Preston and South Ribble -- have sparked fury among some sectors of the community. That is why The Citizen has pledged to put your questions to the decision makers. This week
FOLK are being urged to nominate East Lancashire's unsung heroes for recognition. The Queen's Golden Jubilee Award seeks to reward service by voluntary groups and can cover a team of helpers to a few individuals in their community. It will grant 200 awards
SYD Little played to a large audience at Burnley's United Methodist Church. The comedian -- one half of comedy duo Little and Large -- gave a talk at the Briercliffe Road church on Tuesday. Born again Christian Syd was invited to the church to help raise
A RAFT of new initiatives to boost the treatment of diabetics is to be introduced in Burnley after health chiefs praised the borough for its "energy and enthusiasm" in tackling the illness. Members of the Burnley Health Care NHS Trust board heard big
IT'S all change at Padiham Medical Centre. To ease the trauma of patients in pain, who currently have to wait some time to see a GP, the staff at the centre are introducing a new timetable to take effect from Monday, May 13. There will be no pre-booked
HEALTH bosses and an MP today welcomed plans to fill East Lancashire's NHS tooth care "black hole" and attract more dentists to the area. But they appealed to council bosses to help overcome parking problems which could thwart the scheme. Dr Shane Morgan
PUPILS at Affetside Primary School are victims of a miscarriage of justice, according to angry parents fighting to keep the village school open. The damning accusation was made following a meeting of the lifelong learning scrutiny and review panel on
AN elderly woman was rescued from her home in Regent Street, Nelson, last night after a fire started in her kitchen. Firefighters were called to the house at 7.55pm after a cleaning cloth near the cooker started smouldering. The woman was taken to hospital
TWO pupils from Mansfield High School in Brierfield have had their poetry skills recognised after their work was selected to appear in a book of poems entitled Letters from the Soul. Philip Bailey and Fiona McGhie, both year 11 students, have been told
SENIOR citizens from across Burnley, Pendle and Yorkshire will take to the stage in Colne tomorrow to battle it out for a place in the area final of the Silver Stars Talent Contest 2002. Fifteen people over the age of 60 have submitted an entry for the
TRADING Standards bosses are warning companies to be on the look-out for a letter asking for more than £200 to register with a web company. The mailshot, which has been sent out to businesses all over the county, implies that websites will be disconnected
A PRIMARY school has made giant leaps since its last Ofsted inspection, according to a new report. Briercliffe Primary School, in Delamere Road, has been praised for raising standards over the last two years. The report released this week said: "The school
THAI boxing ace Dave Mitchell from Bamber Bridge is celebrating after winning the British Light Weight Low Kick Championship. Dave, 34, beat the previously unbeaten Sean Edwards in Bristol and was supported by members of his own club, Elite Thai/Kickboxing
BLIND athlete, Kirsty Hunter broke her own national long jump record, and came first in two different championships last weekend. And she did without specialist jumping spikes but instead used six-year-old running shoes. Kirsty, aged 20, broke her own
COLNE Water Angling Club has expanded its opportunities for still water and trout fishing for its 50th anniversary season by securing the Churn Clough Reservoir near Sabden. The club already fish at the Laneshaw Reservoir between Colne and Cowling, in
THIS production of Chekhov's classic Uncle Vanya is brought to The Library Theatre with an atmospheric Scottish air. Performed by Glasgow based theatre babel this tale of long standing resentments brought to the surface is a painful, and rewarding, play
PRESTON and Leyland's unemployed residents will be visiting a new kind of Job Centre in the future as part of a national campaign to restructure benefit services. Following a visit to Preston last week, chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Leigh Lewis,
ACCRINGTON Road Safety officers dealt with an accident involving four cars in Whalley Road at 9pm last night , which left one person with minor injuries. The first car, a Leyland Freight Rover, had damage to the front, while the second car, a Volkswagen
A FATHER-of-two who subjected a young mother to midnight terror after bursting into her Oswaldtwistle home will be sentenced at Preston Crown Court tomorrow. Andrew Roberts, 39, had his case adjourned for the defence to obtain a psychiatric report. Judge
A VALUABLE pup has been stolen from a farm -- leaving her rare breed parents distressed. Saranna, a four-month-old Dogue-de-Bordeaux, made famous in the hit film Turner and Hooch, was taken from Stone House Farm in Tyldesley. Concerned owners Richard
A MAN who was discovered trying to steal from a community centre told police he had fallen through the glass roof when he went to recover the shoe for his false leg, a court heard. Roger Pilkington said his girlfriend had thrown the shoe on to the roof
A LEIGH woman wants criminals to be put in stocks and publicly ridiculed. Mum of two Dawn Parkinson woke one morning to find the door of her husband, Karl's, Ford Fiesta wide open, outside their Wigshaw Close home. A boxing bag left inside had been taken
AN ATHERTON mother of five has been officially crowned "Supermum". Shirley Jones was selected after her 16-year-old daughter, Rachael Hurst, secretly entered her into a competition to find the area's best mum. Supermum Shirley, aged 40, couldn't believe
FORBIDDEN teenage sweethearts got engaged two weeks after being re-united following a 23-year separation. Michael Hampson and Sharon Thompson first met when he was 15 and she was just 13 but their parents stopped them from seeing each other. They met
IT will be child's play for some Fylde students thanks to an idea that's no dummy! GCSE Child Development students at Lytham St Annes High Technology College are being introduced to virtual babies to get practical experience of what is involved in caring
WORK to establish a new Local Safety Scheme, which is expected to take about 10 weeks, begins in Prestwich on Tuesday with the introduction of traffic calming measures in the Bury Old Road, Kings Road, Bury New Road and Albert Avenue area.
A £70,000 play area refurbishment has been completed at St Mary's Park in Prestwich. One of the new attractions is a four-metre high "space frame", one of the biggest in Britain. Teachers and pupils from local schools and members of the Phoenix Youth
A NEW brand of milk called 'White and Wild' has been launched in Clitheroe to help local farmers and wildlife. The initiative, launched by the Wildlife Trust, aims to provide additional income to dairy farmers who are willing to help wildlife on their
POLICE are appealing for help in tracing a teenager who has been missing from home for almost a week. Carla Marie Taylor, 14, was last seen on Friday, April 26, at her home in Fell Brow, Longridge. She is described as white, 5ft 1in, slim, with a fair
NIGEL Evans MP for Ribble Valley has warned that the government's penny on national insurance contributions will lead to service cuts or council tax rises across East Lancashire. The Tory MP wrote to Ribble Valley Borough Council to ask how much the increase
TAXI operators in the Ribble Valley are being targeted to clean up their act after random spot checks on hackney and private hire vehicles revealed over half to have some sort of defect. The spot checks, carried out by Ribble Valley Borough Council's
RESIDENTS of a Ribchester street are demanding a meeting with council bosses after trees and shrubs were removed. Residents of Sarmatian Fold were horrified to find 30 trees being uprooted on the orders of Ribble Valley Borough Council. It is believed
THE latest game in the Lancashire GMC Superleague Division Three saw St Annes travel to Rochdale to play Milnrow. The trip to the bottom club should have produced a victory for St Annes, but for the first time in their history they could only field nine
STUDENTS at Lytham St Annes High School proved they were top of the class by winning this year's Top of The Fylde schools quiz, organised by Blackpool and The Fylde College. A total of 25 teams from 14 Fylde schools entered the ten-round quiz, now in
MIKE WATKINSON today admitted that Lancashire are facing an uphill struggle to reach the quarter finals of the Benson and Hedges Cup. Yesterday's 16-run defeat by Durham leaves them with only one point from their first two matches and Watkinson said:
NELSON pulled off one of the shocks of the season so far with a last ball win over defending Transco Lancashire League champions Bacup - and pro Joe Scuderi hopes it's the start of things to come. The Seedhill side finished second-bottom last summer and
Heaven Can Wait begins on February 3, 1959 -- The Day the Music Died -- when rock 'n' roll legends Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and The Big Bopper, along with their pilot Roger Peterson, were killed in a plane crash. The story joins them in The Celestial
DETECTIVES investigating a blaze at a Bolton hotel which killed a Blackpool couple have vowed the arsonist responsible will be caught. On the first anniversary of the fire, officers leading the hunt have warned there will be no hiding place for whoever
AN indifferent first half display with incomplete sets of six, sloppy defence and missed conversions meant the Leigh Miners Rangers Under 9s went in 12-16 down at the break to Bank Quay Bulls. But the team showed their true colours and fighting spirit
LEIGH CC reached the semi-finals of the ECB Premier League National Cup despite a heavy defeat by Ormskirk last weekend. With two previous wins in the group stage, Leigh qualified for the last four as the best runner-up. The Group Two decider at Beech
GIN Pit was the venue for the Preliminary Round of the British Team Cup, cycle speedway's equivalent of the FA Cup, on Sunday. Having lost heavily at Sheffield the previous Sunday, Astley & Tyldesley Miners' Welfare-CTA Direct Cycle Speedway team
DETECTIVES say a series of home burglaries are the work of one gang. The Sunnyhurst area of Darwen and nearby Tockholes were hit four times overnight on Monday. Detective Sergeant Ian Critchley, of Darwen CID, also appealed for residents of those areas
A selection of work by local artists and craftsmen will be on display at Rossendale Museum, Whitaker Park, until May 17. For details call the Tourist Information Centre on 01706 244678 or Rossendale Museum on 01706 244682.
ROSSENDALE'S famous Horse and Bamboo theatre company's annual Puppetsense Festival will kick off with a free family workshop at Helmshore Textile Museum. The festival is on May 24, 25 and 26 and is the second Horse and Bamboo has organised. The Waterfoot-based
TWO East Lancashire supermarkets were the only stores in the North West to be given special certificates and £100 cheques for their charity efforts. At the Golden Bear Awards at Asda in Leeds the stores in Rawtenstall and Burnley were honoured Jean Corless
A FORMER escort girl who hacked to death her East Lancashire businessman boyfriend with an axe said whoever committed the crime was a "psychopath" in a conversation soon after the killing, a court heard. A jury at Leeds Crown Court heard a taped conversation
LANDLORDS across Rossendale have been invited to join forces in the largest Pubwatch scheme outside London after a number of people were injured in fights on licensed premises. More than 150 pubs in the Valley have received invitations from the police
PARISH priest Father Martin Dowd did not have far to go to cast his vote today. The presbytery of St Charles Borromeo RC Church in St Charles Road, Rishton, was being used as a polling station for the Hyndburn Council election. Voters across East Lancashire
ALL-OUT elections could see a political change in Rossendale because most of the seats are marginal. There will be a change of council leader because Coun John Holt is not standing. It is the first all-out election since as long ago as 1976 and it will
A HOSPITAL employee arrived at his workplace in an ambulance after his car veered off the road and hit a tree in a Bickershaw garden. The man was treated for minor injuries after the accident which happened about 6.30am last Friday morning. A police spokesman
A DISTRAUGHT woman is offering a reward after jewellery dating back 150 years was stolen during a burglary at her Astley home. Joyce Woodward returned home late on Friday, April 26 to discover all her own, as well as jewellery which had belonged to her
I WOULD like to apologise to all Preston football fans. It has taken Scotland supporters years to get a new manager who may get us to play good football and get us into further competitions. One thing about Brown, once you're in his team, you cannot get
LWT are making a new series of Temptation Island. We are currently seeking local people to take part in the new series of Temptation Island. We are looking for couples and single men and women, aged between 20 and 35, who will be spending two weeks on
I READ with interest Claire Raynor's comments about access at Preston railway station. (Citizen, April 18) I hope she never has to use Leyland station as there is no access to platforms two and three for the disabled. Also, if you want a ticket you must
A FORMER employee at Leigh's BICC plant has died in the USA. Alma Statham, aged 73, was a native of Leigh who moved to the United States nearly 40 years ago. She died on April 24 in hospital in Pennsylvania, PA, after complications following a sudden
CALLING all your readers who are allotment holders. Will you please help me in a project to find out, by July1, 2002, about the state of allotments in the UK by supplying the answers to the following: 1) Name and location of allotment site 2) Total number
I WAS horrified to learn that the police in Moss Side, Manchester, are to carry guns. I have heard rumours for a long time that they were unofficially patrolling with arms, but this is something completely different. The day the police start to carry
VOTERS can make their voices heard when a third of Wigan MBC councillors stand for re-election. Elections take place next Thursday, May 2 with polling booths open from 8am to 9pm. One seat in each ward is up for re-election. The full list of candidates
THE ELECTORATE holding various opinions on a plethora of subjects seems to me the whole essence of democracy. However, having written to a couple of MPs on a local issue I have doubts about their thoughts. While one of the replies was at the least understanding
LIFE'S too short for one busy Blackpool DJ as he crams a blossoming TV career into his already head-spinning schedule. Radio Wave's Joe Curran is to appear in a prime-time Saturday night BBC1 show called Life's Too Short this June which places cruel people
THE NEW Mayors of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre take up office next month. Blackpool's Coun Ivan Taylor says he's thrilled to be mayor-elect of such an exciting and progressive town and hopes his year of office will prove to be for the betterment of the residents
IT'S a purr-fect result for Blackpool's animal lovers this week as a doomed animal centre is given a three month extension to raise vital funds. Longview, in Division Lane, is part of the RSCPA Blackpool and North Lancs branch and was expected to close
THE revamp of Thornton Lecture Hall is one step closer to completion as the council prepares to unveil the much-anticipated new plans within the next few weeks. The sketches will be on display in Thornton Lecture Hall itself, and members of the public
COME on in the water is fine -- is the message from top marine experts who have awarded two of Blackpool's beaches the much sought-after yellow flag status. The MCS (Marine Conservation Society) launched its Good Beach Guide 2002 last week -- beside one
THE future looks clear for Blackpool Victoria Hospital's new cancer unit as the first glass panel of the Millennium Walkway has been unveiled. The panel is one of a number that will feature in a spectacular pathway leading to the new £2.9m cancer out-patient
ESCAPE this summer to a tropical oasis of calm and cultured learning at St Annes best kept secret -- The Flora Centre. The previously run-down Ashton Gardens greenhouses have been transformed into a hive of horticultural-based activities and displays,
SAMLESBURY Hall is again open to the public. The 14th Century building has undergone an extensive £200,000 refurbishment to its chapel, parlour and entrance area. David Hornby, of the Samlesbury Hall Trust, which owns the hall, said: "We have replaced
A 48-year-old woman has died in hospital after being admitted to hospital with suspected tuberculosis when she returned from a visit to India. Zubida Ahmed, of Crompton Place, Blackburn, was admitted to Blackburn Royal Infirmary on April 2 but her condition
A MAYOR has blamed 'red tape' after it was revealed just three street parties were to be held in his borough for the Queen's Golden Jubilee. Now Blackburn with Darwen Council has extended the deadline for road-closure applications by a week to encourage
PEOPLE in Lancashire are being urged to compost their rubbish to cut down the amount of waste taken to landfill sites. Lancashire County Council wants more people to start composting as it battles to reduce the levels of waste buried in landfill sites
PENDLE athlete Neil Tattersall is going all out to regain the Chorley Park Series title after missing out to Paul Muller last summer. In the first of four Friday Night races at Astley Park, Neil laid down his marker, pulling out a clear minute over second
A HANDFUL of local amateurs are just one step away from a luxury five-day trip to Portugal after coming through the first round of one of Europe's biggest pro-am competitions. The winners of the Lombard Trophy first round events at Mytton Fold, Wilpshire
DEFENDING champion Anna Griffiths has retained her Pentathlon title at the Lancashire AA and Lancashire Schools Multi Events Championships at Preston Sports Arena. The Hyndburn junior girl battled against terrible conditions, particularly in the high
DOUBLE Cup winners Accrington Stanley are now keen to clinch the big prize next season - promotion to the Nationwide Conference. Boss John Coleman admits this season has been something of a learning curve for his young side who clinched the Lancashire
MAY I use your newspaper to say thank you to the gentleman who found my daughter's wallet in Bispham Village on Wednesday April 17. He turned up at my house on a bicycle with the wallet, I thanked him for returning it at the time but forgot to ask for
I WOULD like to hear from any of your readers who have had trouble getting the police to act when crime is reported to them. It is an uphill battle to get the police in Blackpool to investigate crime seriously. Robbery, joy riders, anti-social behaviour
NEW Preston boss Craig Brown has a great wealth of experience. BEGAN coaching career as an assistant at Motherwell for three years combining his role with a school teaching job. Spent 10 years at Clyde as part-time boss. It was 12 years later became assistant
SO the guessing is over and ex-Scotland boss Craig Brown has got the job of guiding Preston North End to the Premiership. Selected from a short list of five 'top' names Mr Brown has been given a reported four year contract. Being that the board wanted
AFTER 16 years with the Scottish FA Craig Brown returned to club management yesterday and confessed: "David Moyes told me to take the job." And now Preston North End's new manager is looking forward to getting together with his predecessor to find out
AN inquest is expected to open into the death of a man who was dragged by a train 300 yards down railtracks while driving his van over a crossing in Leyland on Monday. The father and brother of Craig Procter, 22, of Fox Lane, Leyland, spoke of their grief
I'LL be delighted when the fad for 4x4 vehicles fades. As far as I'm concerned they should be banned from urban life and limited to the country folk who really need them. And why is it that most of them I see are driven by women? Do they feel safer on
A ROUND-UP of what's on at the Winter Gardens, Grand Theatre and the Grand Theatre Studio. Winter Gardens (01253 292029) Black Dyke Brass Band Concert & 82nd Brass Band Championships. Venue: Spanish Hall & Winter Gardens. May 11 from 7.30pm. Tickets
THE RFL is to investigate claims that a player turned out for two different clubs in the early rounds of the Challenge Cup. It is alleged that Kieron Kavanagh played for both the RAF and Simms Cross. It is claimed he figured for the RAF against Leigh
RADCLIFFE High School's Pupil Support Centre is to close just five years after it was established to help children with special educational needs. The centre, which opened in 1997, was designed to reintegrate 11 to 15-year-olds with emotional or behavioural
GOLBORNE FC's season came to a close with a home darw against local rivals Daten. Golborne had the greater share of possession but without turning it into definate goalscoring opportunities as both defences doggedly held firm. It wasn't until midway through
