Archive

  • We all have to protect Nellie

    THE tale of plucky pensioner, 91-year-old Nellie Duxbury seizing her rolling pin to beat off two con-men bent on robbing her home provokes a mixture of admiration, amusement -- and concern. For anyone forming a mental picture of a little old lady of such

  • Rising stars

    TWO Bedford High School students have won places in rugby league's National Player Development Camp. Darryl Kay and Andrew Bracek, both in Year 11, will join the countries brightest young RL talents. Darryl, who plays for Wigan Academy, captained England

  • Free speech, a thing of the past

    I THINK it is disgusting that Jim Bowen should feel forced to retire because of his remarks "nig nog," (LET, October 7). Years and years ago it was a common phrase, not only used for coloured people but also for white people if you thought they were acting

  • Get a finger on the pulse

    WHAT a pity that the writer of your leader column (LET, October 7) failed to point out that there are two definitions of 'nig-nog' and that anyone with a modicum of common sense wouldn't even question that Jim Bowen used the original and first definition

  • Six thousand sign fireworks petitions

    SIX thousand locals have signed the national fireworks petition handed to PM Tony Blair yesterday. (Wednesday) Collected for Wigan borough MPs Andy Burnham, Ian McCartney and Neil Turner it calls for key reforms to existing laws. Public displays would

  • No one likes to hear of clubs being in trouble

    IT looks as if Leicester City has found a temporary solution to their cash crisis with players taking a pay-cut, or at least deferring their payment. The first thing I say is that is good news because as a fellow professional you don't like to hear about

  • Sex pest strikes again

    POLICE are hunting a cycle-riding sex pest who has exposed himself to women six times in the last month. In the latest incident a teenager on a bike exposed himself to a 17-year-old girl on a footpath from Hygiene to Blackburn Road, Great Harwood. He

  • Travel firm's crisis deepens

    THE crisis at struggling holiday operator MyTravel, formerly Airtours, deepened today after the group issued its second profits warning in just 18 days. Investors were sent packing as the group, which has a call centre in Accrington, warned of worse-than-expected

  • Ticket news for Celtic

    JUST under 3,000 Rovers fans will be able to travel to Glasgow to see the first leg of the mouth-watering Battle of Britain with Celtic. The tickets will go on sale to season ticket holders and non-season ticket holders who travelled away to CSKA Sofia

  • Tommo wants his own place

    BLACKBURN midfielder David Thompson today vowed to bounce back bigger and stronger for his England experience after watching last night's 2-2 draw with Macedonia from the stands. The former Liverpool star had hoped to be given the opportunity to show

  • Put Seaman out to pasture, Sven

    VETERAN keeper David Seaman came under growing pressure to retire from international football after his first-half howler heaped further embarrassment on England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson. For the second time in four months, Seaman's ability to perform

  • School's £500,000 new lease of life

    A PADIHAM High School has been given a new lease of life thanks to £500,000 of government investment. Gawthorpe High School, in Burnley Road, officially unveiled the radical improvements to the public yesterday. The school's new sports barn and contemporary

  • Firework campaign hits the streets

    POLICE in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale have launched a hard-hitting campaign aimed at curbing the misuse of fireworks in the run up to bonfire night. As part of the campaign, police officers throughout Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale are visiting shops

  • Mystery of the man behind travel trust

    A COUNTY councillor is appealing for more information about a man whose legacy is helping send children around the world. Lancashire County Council is responsible for managing a trust fund established in the will of the late Arthur Edmondson Quinn of

  • Town centre: Here's one we made earlier

    THE ambitious plans for Burnley town centre unveiled exclusively in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph this week will no doubt have excited many in the town. But can Stannifer Developments deliver what they promise? Reporter Danny Brierley looks at Romford

  • School stays open

    TEARS of relief were shed by parents when a Ramsbottom primary school escaped closure at a crunch meeting. The Schools Organisation Committee (SOC) voted two to one in favour of closing St Paul's CE Primary School on Thursday night (Sept 5). But the school

  • Goal ace needs to learn, says Preece

    BURY'S teenage striker David Nugent is set for another taste of first team action after escaping suspension. The 17-year-old enhanced his growing reputation with a beautifully taken goal against Darlington last weekend only to face a three-match spell

  • Principal Rachael comes home again

    COLNE-born musician Rachael Clegg will return home next week as principal oboe in the Manchester Camerata Orchestra. Each year Colne Municipal Hall hosts a series of classical music concerts performed by Manchester Camerata, one of the leading chamber

  • Landlords unite to ban troublemakers

    DRINKERS who cause trouble in Earby and Kelbrook will suffer the same fate as those in neighbouring towns by being banned from pubs for a possible 12 months. The new Earby Pub Watch scheme was launched this week as a follow-up to similar ones in Burnley

  • Ten years ago

    "ACCRINGTON Stanley, Hero of the People," by Joe Boyle, a children's book, was launched by 100 school pupils from St Oswald's, Green Haworth, St Anne's and St Joseph's.

  • Band answers the call to remember

    PROUD bandsmen have answered the call to lead Leigh's Remembrance Day parade in November. A contingent of musicians featuring former members of the now defunct Leigh Silver Band will join with former Bedford Band and other brass players. Leigh Silver

  • Drugs dealer wins jail term appeal

    A DRUG dealer who told police he was doing people a favour by supplying them with ecstacy and cannabis successfully appealed against the length of his jail sentence. After being arrested with 81 ecstasy tablets and a half kilo of cannabis Keith Smith,

  • Leigh vicar to retire

    A LEIGH vicar who describes himself as "an original Essex man" is retiring at the end of the month due to ill health. Rev Terry Challis, priest in charge at Leigh Parish Church and St John's, Kirkhall Lane, suffered a heart attack in 2000. He and his

  • School wins £2m government cash

    AN Accrington school has won £2million of funding for a two-phase building programme. St Christopher's CE High will have a new sports hall and state-of-the-art performing arts suite, each costing £1 million. The news was announced by headteacher Alasdair

  • Parking fine victory for Peter

    BUSINESSMAN Peter Cuthbert has won a landmark parking victory thanks to a 54 years old traffic regulation. The Minster Electronics owner, who has shops in Leigh and Atherton, decided to take on a court battle after police issued him with a fixed penalty

  • Fireworks warning

    LEIGH firefighters are fully behind Greater Manchester County Fire Service's campaign to stamp out firework-related incidents in the run up to Bonfire Night. Warnings have been issued about the dangers of playing with display fireworks following a recent

  • JOHN-Our Lead-Brian

    LEIGH'S Plank Lane is earmarked as a leisure map location with a boating marina at the heart of revitalisation plans for the derelict Bickershaw pit site. And if the marina idea gets off the ground it will have the full backing of MP Andy Burnham who

  • MPs put their foot down

    DISAPPOINTED MPs have drawn up their own progamme of vital road improvements after the area was left out of the latest round of projects across England. The £145million programme is made up of 92 schemes, including 11 in the North West based around Manchester

  • A light keyboard

    HOW about this for a great idea - a keyboard made of light that can be projected onto a flat surface and typed away on. Canesta (www.canesta.com), from San Jose in Silicon Valley, has designed what it says is the world's first integrated projection keyboard

  • Clarets face a Foxes backlash

    LEICESTER City received a massive boost just days before their clash with the Clarets at the Walkers Stadium with a deal that should secure their future until the end of the season. And skipper Matt Elliott is hoping in-form Burnley will suffer on the

  • Put Seaman out to pasture, Sven

    VETERAN keeper David Seaman came under growing pressure to retire from international football after his first-half howler heaped further embarrassment on England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson. For the second time in four months, Seaman's ability to perform

  • I knew Sparky had it in him!

    THE whole of Wales woke-up with a massive hangover this morning after celebrating one of the most famous victories in their history last night -- and it's all thanks to my old team-mate Mark Hughes! Sparky had already done a momentous job for the Welsh

  • Top choir's visit

    THE flag of the Welsh dragon will fly high next Friday when a renowned Welsh choir performs in Lowton. There'll be a distinct railway flavour with Bagillt, Flint and Connah's Quay represented when Flint Male Voice Choir performs, supported by Lowton St

  • Join the fun at Folk Club

    LEIGH Folk Club will echo with side-splitting laughter when comic rhyme genius Les Barker appears on the bill at Leigh Conservative Club in Railway Road. Next Friday, October 25, talented Les will, as usual, reduce the audience to tears of joy. He appeals

  • See this Broadway classic

    WHO'S Afraid of Virginia Woolf? will be at the Manchester Library Theatre from October 25 until November 23 in its 15th birthday season. Edward Albee's hard-hitting portrait of a hard-drinking academic couple caused a sensation when it premiered on Broadway

  • Billy's music lives on

    THE music of Billy Fury -- one time idol of the 60s and 70s Rock and Roll era -- rang out through Bolton's Albert Halls as if he had never been gone. Original backing group, Fury's Tornados, along with Stars in Their Eyes lookalike and singalike Colin

  • Charity begins at the checkout

    CHARITY will begin at the checkout at an estate store. Customers at Higher Folds Co-op can now help provide clean water for the people of war stricken Eritrea in East Africa by using 'easy giving vouchers' which are available in 50p, £1 and £3 denominations

  • RNLI charity nights invitation

    ATHERTON may be 30 miles away from the sea but this doesn't affect the spirit of the town's Royal National Lifeboat Institution supporters. The Atherton branch of the RNLI was founded in 1911 and is staging charity nights tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday

  • Councillors surgeries

    COUNCILLORS serving on Wigan MBC will be holding the following advice surgeries: THURSDAY, October 17: Golborne Library (10-11) B Strett, D Kelly; Lane Head Methodist Church, Lowton (7-7.45) P Franzen; Abram Library (10.30-12) B Hampson. FRIDAY, October

  • Teams for Saturday 19th October

    1st XVFrom Davies, Prescott, Young (c), Wood, Newton, Hampson, Robinson, Penn, Browning, Bullough, Sutton, Cunliffe, Fletcher, Bridge, Bentham, Murray, Wilcock, Wynn, Bate, Lee. De La Salle away. Meet at 1.00pm 2nd XVMcKenna, Egerton, Faid, Hughes, Eccleston

  • Tommy guns down leaders

    Leigh Miners Rangers 36 Castleford Lock Lane 0 - HIGH-FLYING Lock Lane were brought to earth with a bump as the Miners shattered their previous 100 per cent National Conference League Premier Division record. A hat-trick of tries from in form loose-forward

  • Ward pounces to lift RMI spirits

    Leigh RMI 2 Stevenage Borough 1 - CHRIS Ward started to repay the faith that Steve Waywell has shown in him by scoring his first for the club in the victory over Stevenage Borough. Ward's move from Barrow caused much consternation in Cumbria, with fans

  • Duff doubtful for Magpies clash

    ROVERS winger Damien Duff today admitted he's likely to miss Saturday's game against Newcastle after he limped out of last night's Republic of Ireland match with a fresh injury worry. Duff felt a twinge in his troublesome hamstring during the closing

  • Incredible night for Taylor

    CLARETS striker Gareth Taylor enjoyed a "brilliant" night at the Millennium Stadium as part of the Welsh squad that beat mighty Italy. And as he returned to training at Gawthorpe this morning he admitted: "Now I can't wait to get back into action for

  • £1million centre gets off to a sure start

    A NEW scheme worth more than £1million has been praised today by local councillors. Councillor Eileen Entwistle of Sudell Ward was taken on a tour of the Sure Start Centre, in Lord Street, which opened to the public last week. An official open day has

  • Justice for our girl

    A CONCERNED stepfather today demanded justice for three schoolgirls after the case against a man accused of sex offences against them collapsed. James Hawthornthwaite, 77, formerly of Hilton Residential Home, in Darwen, was due to appear at Preston Crown

  • Drugs mix killed teenager

    A TEENAGER died after taking drugs including speed, ecstasy and heroin, an inquest heard. Lee Trickett, 19, of Crawshawbooth, took the fatal combination over the course of a weekend but collapsed and died only after injecting heroin at a friend's house

  • Harry Nicholson

    IN the obituary for Mr Harry Nicholson, former deputy chairman of Leigh Local History Society, published in last week's Journal, it was stated "he leaves a wife, Irene and daughter Barbara". Mr Nicholson's first wife Irene died in 1985 and from 1996 he

  • Parish priest retires, 75

    PARISH Priest Father Arthur Mulcahy has retired from St Ambrose Barlow RC Church, Astley. Father Mulcahy, 75, held his final mass at the Astley church on Saturday -- 10 years to the day since he began his ministry there. During his time at St Ambrose

  • Witness appeal

    POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a 60-year-old woman was seriously injured on the East Lancs Road. The accident happened at 7pm last Friday near to the Church Lane junction at Lowton. A Ford Escort, driven by a 39-year-old St Helens man, was travelling

  • Schools' Lotto boost for sport

    SPORTS facilities in Lancashire schools are to receive a boost thanks to £600,000 Lotto cash. The Lancashire Education Authority has received the cash to develop PE and sport in local schools and communities. The authority has been asked by the National

  • Trust names hospitals chief executive

    THE chief executive of the new East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has been appointed. With nine years experience already as a chief executive, John Thomas, said he was "very privileged" to take on the role and used the appointment to promise a further

  • Courteous pupils are praised by the head

    THE principal of Blackburn's Westholme School praised pupils and staff for an outstanding year in a ceremony at King George's Hall last night. Lillian Croston said she was proud of the school's academic, sporting and musical success but she was particularly

  • School reunion

    A REUNION for those who left Atherton Hesketh Fletcher school in 1983 is being held on Saturday, October 26 at Atherton Laburnum Rovers soccer ground at Spa Road. Tickets cost £5 from Vicky Mannion 01942 796322.

  • Cannabis cafe closes its doors

    EAST LANCASHIRE'S first cannabis cafe has closed only two months after boss David Wilson allowed drugs to be used on the premises. The 37-year-old father-of-two sparked outrage when he started to allow cannabis to be smoked in his Real Jerk takeaway,

  • Nicola has a snappy answer

    A WOMAN handcuffed herself to a chair in a benefits office after her request for an emergency loan was turned down. Nicola Nigh, of Darwen, says she desperately needs £700 to repair a faulty fire in her living room. Police were called out to cut her free

  • Ban for tip vans set to stay

    TWO councils behind a controversial decision to ban vans from their tips today refused to reconsider the policy. Blackburn with Darwen Council and Lancashire County Council have come under fire for refusing to let people drive vans into household recycling

  • Free ticket to Tenerife

    THE thought of a week's holiday, lying on a beach, was enough to spur on landlords and landladies to raise funds for the Magic Eye Appeal. And an impressive £2,000 has been coppered-up from Daniel Thwaites pubs in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph circulation

  • Major clean up

    RESIDENTS are to stage a series of clean-up sessions. The Goshen and Hampson Mill Community Association are co-ordinating the six weekly days, targeting Goshen Woods, Bury. The first session is on Saturday (Oct 19) from 10am-4pm, meet at the Millwood

  • England coach's praise for Walker

    BURNLEY'S Danielle Walker has been hailed as "a star of the future" by England Fell Coach Norman Matthews after a stunning international debut in the Home Countries Junior match at Moel Ellio near Llanberis. The tiny 13-year-old won individual silver

  • Specialists to teach pupils on road safety

    SPECIALLY trained volunteers will be going into the borough's schools to teach youngsters how to cross the road safely. The scheme has been made possible after Bury successfully bid for an £80,000 government grant. Local co-ordinators will now be recruited

  • Quicker please

    LEIGH brainbox Dan Turnbull captained the Brasenose, Oxford, team in the University Challenge match screened on BBC 2 on Monday. But his screen debut in the high-faluting contest may be his last. The politics, philosophy and economics student's side was

  • Scumbags strike again

    BARGAIN hunters at Tyldesley Salvation Army charity shop were disappointed to find it closed late on Friday morning. Changeover volunteers arrived at lunchtime to find a note on the counter from the morning helper stating that she had had to lock up and

  • Cops warn OAPs about conmen

    BOGUS workmen are being hunted by police after they tricked their way into the homes of three Radcliffe pensioners. Police are warning elderly householders to be on their guard against the conmen - who stole money and prized possessions - by checking

  • LISA date

    THE next Leigh RL LISA meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 22 in the Mick Martyn Bar. Coming soon after the Grand Final, it should be a lively meeting. Up for discussion will be the way the Association will go over the 2003 season. All LISA members

  • Powergen Cup first round

    Halifax...22pts Sedgley P...16pts - SEDGLEY Park crashed out of the Powergen Cup to add another disappointing chapter to this season's sorry story. Park faced both wind and slope in the first half, but began with some nice, controlled rugby in the first

  • Funding can be found all around

    IT IS nonsense for Martin Callaghan (Letters, October 11) to state that "we are not eligible for single regeneration budget funding in Darwen". Parts of Darwen were, in fact, included in the SRB (Round One) programme. An example of the major funding coming

  • Time to ring the changes for weary GPs

    ROY Davies (Letters, October 9) seems to refer back to some halcyon days of general practice. As GPs, we are still responsible for providing medical care 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. However, times change and due to the nature of demand we have

  • Holiday firm in trouble

    THE crisis at struggling holiday operator MyTravel deepened today after the group issued its second profits warning in just 18 days. Investors were sent packing as the group warned of worse-than-expected trading and added that major revisions to accounting

  • Justice for our girl

    A CONCERNED stepfather today demanded justice for three schoolgirls after the case against a man accused of sex offences against them collapsed. James Hawthornthwaite, 77, formerly of Hilton Residential Home, in Darwen, was due to appear at Preston Crown

  • GOING, GOING...

    THE financial implications of Leigh Centurions' failure to make Super League are already beginning to be felt at Hilton Park. With the future of head coach Paul Terzis still unresolved, Leigh have revealed that three of last Saturday's Grand Final team

  • Duff doubtful for Magpies clash

    ROVERS winger Damien Duff today admitted he's likely to miss Saturday's game against Newcastle after he limped out of last night's Republic of Ireland match with a fresh injury worry. Duff felt a twinge in his troublesome hamstring during the closing

  • Free travel on buses for police

    A NEW partnership between a local bus operator and police in Pennine Division has been fixed up to increase public reassurance and reduce anti-social behaviour. Burnley and Pendle Transport is offering free travel to police officers while on duty, including

  • Sex offender failed to pass on new address

    AN ex-convict on the Sex Offenders Register did not tell police when he moved, a court was told. Burnley Magistrates heard how those on the register had to notify local officers within 14 days if they changed address - but it was only discovered Derek

  • Padiham and Hapton Bulletin

    THE Mayor and Mayoress of Padiham Councillors Granville and Pat Lord attended the official opening of Padiham Snooker Club. There they met snooker player Jimmy White. The Mayor and Mayoress thoroughly enjoyed his company and remarked how friendly and

  • Benefit service praised

    PENDLE Council's housing benefit service has been ranked among the best in the country. The performance of the service has been praised by Central Government as being as good as that provided by the top 25 per cent of councils across the country. It was

  • Air rage smoker is jailed

    A PASSENGER who started trouble on a packed aeroplane after lighting a cigarette has been jailed for two months - almost four years after the event. John Michael Handley, 54, had gone missing when he was due to face sentence for the "air rage" rumpus

  • Park terror gang hunted by police

    POLICE are hunting a gang of teenagers who are carrying out a campaign of terror aimed at youngsters in Barrowford. Detectives say the group of Asians are hanging around on bikes near the popular Victoria Park and are targeting white youngsters. Police

  • Crash victim Kevin's now a hill raiser

    AN ex-boxer is fighting fit to tackle a record-breaking hike of Pendle Hill a week after being involved in a serious car accident. And when Kevin Maree gets to the top of the hill, he'll march back down again -- TEN TIMES over! Kevin, 24, of Beaufort

  • Titanic star plays on

    THE musician who played the part of bandleader Wallace Hartley in the film Titanic will perform for an audience in East Lancashire next month. Jonathan Evans Jones, who visited Colne in 1998 to lay a wreath on Wallace's grave, will return to play for

  • Worker stole from boss to pay debts

    A HARD-UP worker used his boss's cash after his wedding was called off and he was left with debts. Burnley Magistrates heard how Wesley Atkinson, 24, pinched his Barnoldswick employer's cheque book and then wrote out cheques which he used to pay back

  • Councillor to face fewer charges

    FOUR charges of incitement against a Preston councillor have now been dropped. At the same time, Bill Chadwick denied a charge of making indecent photographs of a child when he appeared at Preston Crown Court today. The 48 year old of Avenham Road, Preston

  • Five years ago

    MEMBERS of the handicraft group Red Rose Quilters donated a kaleidoscope bedspread quilt to Nightsafe in Blackburn to raise money for homeless people.

  • Sex pest strikes again

    POLICE are hunting a cycle-riding sex pest who has exposed himself to women six times in the last month. In the latest incident a teenager on a bike exposed himself to a 17-year-old girl on a footpath from Hygiene to Blackburn Road, Great Harwood. He

  • Youth gets a fighting chance

    YOUTH is being given a fighting chance by Astley Rotary Club. On October 31 at Lowton Civic Hall the club's youth development committee present a boxing dinner show with a programme of amateur bouts organised in conjunction with Tyldesley Centurions ABC

  • Pub pals leap into action

    BAR managers from rival pubs are set to show their bottle when they parachute out of a plane from 10,000 feet to raise money for charity. When Phil Cork, assistant bar manager at Baileys, Church Street, Accrington, decided to take the plunge, his pal

  • P'Mum' Joan calls it a day

    A MUCH-loved mum to many has retired. Leigh's senior assistant librarian Joan Montford waved farewell after 28 years service. Part of her busy role at the town centre library resulted in smiles on the faces of hundreds of children who enjoyed her story

  • Stacey rev's up for a big biking career

    DAREDEVIL motocross starlet Stacey Fisher is riding high as the nation's number two. The nine-year-old Leigh schoolgirl finished second overall in the British Schoolgirl's Championships in only her second season in the rough and tumble world of off-road

  • Wrestling debut

    A DREAM team of American-style wrestlers is bringing its original show to Westleigh for the first time. The Wigan-based North West Professional Wrestling Alliance will fight to "Breaking Point" at St Paul's Labour Club on October 25 at 7.30pm. Among the

  • Broadband fight begins

    IF you have just signed up for broadband access to the internet, the fight is on to get you to pay for online services. BT's new broadband service will offer users the chance to pick and choose content from a variety of providers. This could take the

  • The fax of the matter

    WHEN Fax Your MP (www.faxyourmp.com) was launched about a year ago, it set out to allow people to quickly and easily contact their local Member of Parliament. Recently the team of volunteers behind the site wanted to try to find out which MPs respond

  • Bidding hots up for seat

    BIDDING is continuing today for the right to take Clarets boss Stan Ternent's seat on the Burnley bench at Leicester's Walkers Stadium. With Ternent again banished to the stands for the second of his two match touchline ban, one fan will get the chance

  • Fearless Shakers will stay on the attack

    SHAKERS' new-look attacking formation could get another airing after manager Andy Preece leapt to its defence. Bury started Saturday's clash with Darlington fielding three strikers - Pawel Abbott, Jon Newby and Gareth Seddon - in a 3-5-2 formation, while

  • Burham surgery

    LEIGH MP Andy Burnham's advice surgeries will start an hour earlier tomorrow (Friday). The door will open at Hindley Town Hall at 5.30pm and at the Bethel Community Centre, Hindley Green, at 6.30pm. The Leigh surgery will be open as usual on Saturday

  • Scouts appeal

    EVERGREEN Scouts have tracked down 60 former 13th Leigh Bedford Cub Scout group members who'll be at a reunion due to gather at 7.30pm on November 1 at Leigh Rugby Union Club. But ex-Group Scout Leader Les Green, who remembers well the gang shows of the

  • Art show

    AN artist who has gained a reputation in Europe and the USA is exhibiting at Leigh's Turnpike Gallery. Maria Marshall's Fine Lines show runs until November 9. The hypnotic large-scale video projections fuse a range of techniques and digital special effects

  • Narrow win (Junior Rugby League Under 12's)

    Hindley Under12's 4, V Leigh Miners Rangers 6 - ALTHOUGH not at their best, the Leigh Miners Rangers U12s came away from Hindley with a win. Hindley led 4-0 at half time but after the break Sean Marsh broke the line of defence and raced 50 metres to score

  • East U11s beaten

    LEIGH East U11s showed tremendous spirit in their 26-16 defeat by Woolston. Tries: D Gunning, J Reynard, T Grainey. Goals: D Gunning, S Grainey. Top Tackler: Daniel Gunning. Man Of The Match: Stephen Crook. Echoes of another Leigh game as a ref from Warrington

  • Far from Ideal...

    Ideal Isberg 20 Leigh East 20 - EAST should now be top of the National Conference Premier Division. Leading 12-2 against second bottom Ideal Isberg and with neighbours Leigh Miners hammering leaders Lock Lane, East had a golden opportunity to slip into

  • Harriers off to flying start

    LEIGH Harriers started the cross-country season with some outstanding results in the first South East Lancs Cross Country League meeting. The Harriers first race saw 11 years old Hannah Warburton run a superb U13s leg to finish second in 11mins 33secs

  • Leigh blitzed in derby battle

    Wigan 34 Leigh 1st XV 14 - LEIGH produced a below par performance in their local derby game at Wigan. Wigan took an early lead when their half-backs combined well from a wheeled scrum to put the winger in at the corner. A touchline conversion and a penalty

  • Centurions fall again at final Super League hurdle

    Hat-trick of heartbreaks Huddersfield Giants...38 Leigh Centurions...16 - ROM optimism to despair in the space of just 40 minutes. Just one half of rugby league condemned the Centurions to at least another year outside Super League. Few among the record

  • Three Towns concert

    THREE Towns' Operatic Society stage a concert on Saturday, October 26 (7.30pm start) in Bedford Methodist Church. Admission of £3.50 includes refreshments.

  • Teen mag in search for model wannabes

    CALLING all wannabe models. Teen magazineSugar is searching for a new covergirl and will be scouring the Trafford Centre on Friday, October 25. The Sugar/Rimmel Model Competition, now in its eighth year, will visit the Manchester complex between 12-5pm

  • Disney comes to town

    rMANCHESTER is set to come alive in a most spectacular way when Disney's Beauty and the Beast explodes onto the stage at the Palace Theatre from Thursday, October 24. The West End and Broadway musical production of the popular animated film will run for

  • Super Rivs hold out to stun leaders

    SECOND bottom Rivington produced the shock of the day when they ended leaders Radcliffe Amateurs' unbeaten record with a 4-3 victory. Rivington stunned the high-flyers by storming into a 4-1 half time lead but suffered a huge setback when they had two

  • Community in the know

    THE first newsletter of the East Rural Community Regeneration Board, which gives residents a say on Darwen issues, has been launched. It comes as the Community Regeneration Board celebrates a year of work to improve access to services in Darwen. A team

  • Warning over car thefts

    A CRIME prevention message has been issued by police in Ramsbottom after high-value cars have been stolen in neighbouring divisions. PC John Flowers wants to prevent people in the town being the next on the targets hit list. He said: "There has been a

  • Banishing boredom to cut crime

    POLICE in Rossendale have teamed up with the youth service to provide a "boredom-busting" half-term programme for vulnerable teenagers. The scheme, co-ordinated by Pennine Division and Lancashire Youth and Community Service in Rossendale, aims to give

  • Police letter appeal

    DRUG busters are keen to contact the person who wrote a letter to Leigh police following the Journal story highlighting the jailing of three heroin suppliers. Sgt Mark Bradley said: "Officers in the drugs unit at Leigh Police Station are particularly

  • Bickershaw road delays

    MOTORISTS travelling to Wigan via Bickershaw Lane will have their journeys disrupted on weekdays until Tuesday. A section of the road is closed between 9.30am and 4pm for resurfacing work to be carried out. Off peak journeys on bus service 658 between

  • Furniture building's future up in flames?

    A BLAZE at a furniture manufacturer has left a question mark over the firm's future in the premises. The fire at ESS Chairframes, Vernon Street, Blackburn, gutted the small one-storey building and left firefighters tackling the blaze ten hours later.

  • Brave Nellie, 91, sees off conmen

    A PLUCKY pensioner scared off two conmen when she fought them off with her rolling pin. Nellie Duxbury, 91, saw off the two men who were forced to flee empty handed. Police today praised the brave battler and appealed for information to catch the would-be

  • Union boss quits

    A UNION boss has announced his resignation after branding a ballot which averted a Lancashire ambulance strike as "a joke". Neil Cosgrove, head of Lancashire's chapter of the Association of Professional Ambulance Workers, said he was resigning after some

  • Phone calls alert to flooding

    AN area of Blackburn which was left mopping up after torrential rain is to be given its own flood warnings in a bid to prevent further disasters. Homes in the Waterfall area of Blackburn are to become the first in East Lancashire outside the Ribble Valley

  • Mel's magic form books links date

    BURNLEY'S Mel Link had to go all the way to the North East to steal one of their qualifying spots and win a place at the final of a national golf competition! The 52-year-old, who lives a 'seven iron's' distance from the Glen View club, had to go to Slaley

  • Double honour for junior school

    A LEIGH junior school has received glowing accolades from church and Government inspectors. Inspectors for the Government school standards watchdog Ofsted who visited the 225-place Leigh Street hailed St Peter's as a 'good and effective school', where

  • World gone mad

    ON a day when TV showed the Japanese Grand Prix three times, Paula Ratcliffe's world record breaking Chicago marathon, Leigh's RL Grand Final and the big snooker final, I discovered the International King of Sports on Channel 5. I've seen it all now.

  • Smile at Becks!

    I DON'T hear jokes like I used to, but this one sent to the office tickled me. And Manchester United fans please don't think I'm getting at Mr Beckham, I have some admiration for the good looking guy, who very much reminds me of a Sixties' boyfriend.

  • FA Cup danger

    RMI managed to avoid another Conference club in the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup - but they still face a tough test to make the First Round Proper. RMI travel to the Midlands to take on Moor Green knowing that it is a potential banana skin despite