Archive

  • East Lancashire's serial killer - heart disease

    A MOCK hunt for a serial killer will be staged to shock people into leading a healthier lifestyle. Hard-hitting images of a child attending a father's funeral and graphic surgery procedures are also being used to target East Lancashire's biggest "serial

  • Barrowford man guilty of stabbing wife

    A HUSBAND has been cleared of trying to murder his estranged wife in a knife attack - but faces a substantial prison sentence' after being convicted of unlawful wounding. Allan Murgatroyd, 61, from Barrowford, stabbed his former partner Linda at the

  • Nelson sex offender failed to tell police his address

    A CHILD sex pervert has been rapped after failing to keep police informed of his whereabouts for a second time. Convicted paedophile Anthony Kirkbright, 41, from Nelson, is barred from every camp site and caravan park in the country, under the terms

  • Nelson thug 'held up train and assaulted driver'

    A THUG who held up a train and attacked the driver has been told he could be jailed. Hundreds of passengers were delayed after Asim Hussain, 31, of Railway Street, Nelson, started making trouble on the Blackpool North to Colne service. Train staff tried

  • Barnoldswick councillors’ walk-out slammed as 'childish'

    A MEETING due to discuss a controversial planning application had to be cancelled when two councillors walked out. Barnoldswick town coun-cillors Jenny Purcell and Keith Bailey left the town council planning meeting, which was due to look at a planning

  • Burnley's £300,000 bus station improvements

    BUS travellers are to benefit from £300,000 of improvements following a supermarket's extension project in Burnley, it has been revealed. The cash is set to be spent on improvements to Burnley bus station and Centenary Way as part of a planning agreement

  • Young drivers - why graduated licences can save lives

    GRADUATED licence systems are intended to allow new drivers time to build up their skills, confidence and road experience so that they become fully competent behind the wheel. All of the major English-speaking countries in the world - except for the

  • Accrington youngsters get graffiti lessons

    YOUNGSTERS went back to school to learn the art of graffiti, before painting landmarks in Accrington. The 15 art students were described as having hidden talents, after signing up to the 12-week graffiti art course at Accrington and Rossendale College

  • Burnley neighbour from hell has stereo seized

    A "NEIGHBOUR from Hell" who blasted heavy metal music throughout the night has been fined and had his stereo seized. Howard Crabtree, of Rossetti Avenue, Burnley, was fined £500 and ordered to pay a further £509 in costs when he appeared before Reedley

  • Colne R&B festival headliners announced

    WALTER Trout, The Beast and some Yardbirds are set to provide some real 'animal attraction' at this year's annual rhythm and blues extravaganza. And a Blues Brother will be on a mission to entertain the thousands who will descend on Colne for the Great

  • Lancashire League season preview: Bacup CC

    The Lancashire League season starts this weekend. Here, Lancashire Telegraph Sport looks at Bacup. Captain: Nick Cronshaw Professional: Chris Harris (N Zealand, below) Last season: 5th Ins: Adam Highly, Matt O'Connor, James Cunliffe Outs: Terry

  • Lancashire League season preview: Colne CC

    The Lancashire League season starts this weekend. Here, Lancashire Telegraph Sport looks at Colne. Captain: Matt Wilson Professional: Blake Snijman (South Africa) Last season: 10th Ins: Chris Holt Outs: Qasim Ali, Sean Lemon, Stuart Lemon, Jeff

  • Lancashire League season preview: Rawtenstall CC

    The Lancashire League season starts this weekend. Here, Lancashire Telegraph Sport looks at Rawtenstall. Captain: Andrew Payne Professional: Nathan McCullum (New Zealand) Last season: 2nd Ins: Jamie Carter Outs: John Dawson, Damian Hanson, Peter

  • ‘Old flame’ text led to assault

    A WIFE confronted her husband after discovering a "happy new year" text message from an old flame on his mobile phone. Blackburn magistrates heard the confrontation led to a heated row, which ended with Mohammed Zafran assaulting his wife and then telling

  • Youths ‘terrorise’ Oswaldtwistle estate

    TEENAGERS "terrorising" an estate have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to a play area. Residents from the Tinkerbrook Fold estate in Oswaldtwistle are in uproar after steel railings and metal fences were torn down and shrubs and trees pulled

  • Extradition man charged with Blackburn murder plot

    A MAN has been charged with conspiracy to murder after being extradited back to East Lancashire from Ireland. Two men, Suheal Patel and his cousin Sameer Kanwadkar, escaped death by inches after a bullet was fired through the passenger side of the

  • Car Park Problem

    Local councillor Gladys Sandiford is looking at ways to improve vehicles parking on Salisbury St and Dale St car parks due to people leaving their vehicles long term and causing congestion.

  • Villages get anti-crime schemes up and running

    NEIGHBOURHOOD watch schemes aimed at reducing crime in rural areas are now up and running in Worsthorne and Cliviger. Following a well attended meeting of residents on March 19, volunteer co-ordinators came forward to run the schemes which cover over

  • Sabden woman's hailed a hero after sea rescue

    A TEENAGER with ME who overcame her condition to save a young boy from drowning off the Cumbrian coast has been hailed a national hero. Juliet Tanti, then 18, of Simonstone Road, Sabden, was on holiday in Ravenglass in the Lake District, when she saw

  • ‘Green’ grants for eco warriors

    CAMPAIGNERS in Rossendale are launching a determined fight to save the world - one step at a time. Eco warriors across the borough are set to benefit from a Lancashire County Council fund designed to back climate change initiatives. The Rossendale Climate

  • Drunken Blackburn husband had knife

    A WOMAN called her in-laws for help after her drunken husband brandished a knife during a row over money. But they called the police and Dominic Walsh, described by his wife as a "good father, husband and provider", ended up spending two days in custody

  • Man charged with murder over social worker's death

    A 51-year-old man has been charged with the murder of a Lancashire care worker. Phillip Ellison was stabbed to death at a house in Preston. Robert Searle, of Glebe Close, Preston, was charged with murder this afternoon and will appear before Preston

  • Final farewell to Tommy Ball

    THE song Danny Boy was performed as friends and relatives said a final goodbye to Tommy Ball. A funeral for the Blackburn shoe magnate took place on the Isle of Man yesterday afternoon, followed by a committal at a nearby crematorium. Mr Ball died last

  • Stab victim carried knife

    A NEW dad said to have been the victim of a serious stabbing has been jailed after arming himself with a knife the following day. Burnley magistrates heard how Damien Taylor, 22, who had been ordered out of part of Bacup by police after shouting and

  • Site in hunt for picnic crown

    A PENDLE picnic site is in the running for a top title at this year's Warburtons Picnic Awards. Pendle people are being urged to vote the Barley picnic site, near Pendle Hill, as the UK's favourite picnic spot. The site will battle against nine others

  • Blackburn schoolgirl robbed on way to school

    POLICE are appealing for witnesses after an attempted robbery on a schoolgirl. The 15-year-old was on her way to school on Orkney Close in Blackburn at 9am on Monday when she was approached by three teenagers. One grabbed her by the arm of her jacket

  • Officer fell over wall in Blackburn struggle

    A POLICE officer attending a report of two men fighting fell over a garden wall as he struggled with one of the antagonists. Blackburn magistrates heard that Naiem Abbas was shouting abuse across the road when police arrived. He refused to listen when

  • Missing Dewsbury girl could be in Bacup

    CONCERNS have been raised for the welfare of a teenager who has been missing for over a week. Police are concerned over the whereabouts of Kimberly Bonsall, 14, who failed to return to her home in Dewsbury after visiting friends in Bacup. She was last

  • Explicit texts provoked slap

    A 38-YEAR-OLD man confronted his wife after finding explicit text messages on her phone, a court was told. Blackburn magistrates heard that the showdown ended with Paul Steven Barnes slapping his wife of 17 years across the face. And the incident ended

  • Win pair of tickets for Lancashire v Derbyshire

    Here's your chance to win tickets to watch Lancashire take on Derby in Round 1 of the Friends Provident Trophy 2008. We've teamed up with Friends Provident, the life and pensions provider, to give two prizes of a pair of tickets each to watch Lancashire

  • Apprentice week four: breaking point

    It seems like everyone involved with the show lost the plot this week. The girls and boys teams were finally mixed up to try and defuse the situation but instead it spread the arguments and tantrums. Where have they got this batch from? They really

  • Oswaldtwistle rallyman is a star in Belgium

    RALLYMAN Gary Gee entertained spectators on the TAC Rally in Belgium after being invited to demonstrate his ex-works Opel Manta 400. Gee joined other members of the Slowly Sideways group - a band of rally enthusiasts who own legendary Group B rally cars

  • Burnley yob butted teenager for no reason

    A DRUNKEN yob who knocked out a teenager for no reason in a Burnley park has been spared an immediate jail term. Liam David Cawtherley set about the 16-year-old and headbutted him as he sat on a see-saw in Woodchip Park. The defendant then apologised

  • Win pair of tickets for Lancashire v Derbyshire

    Here's your chance to win tickets to watch Lancashire take on Derby in Round 1 of the Friends Provident Trophy 2008. We've teamed up with Friends Provident, the life and pensions provider, to give two prizes of a pair of tickets each to watch Lancashire

  • Cyclist snatches teenager's purse in Darwen

    DETECTIVES are appealing for information after a cyclist snatched a purse from a teenager who was crossing the road in Darwen. It happened at about 4pm on Tuesday as the 17-year-old woman from Darwen was crossing Hindle Street when she was approached

  • Live on Air

    This was written after BBC Radio Lancashire came to the centre to do a live feature. Just a few of my musings. I hope you enjoy it! A feeling of anticipation could be sensed everywhere Today was the day we were live on air Transmitter aerial raised

  • Husband cleared of Gisburn wife murder bid

    A HUSBAND has been cleared of trying to murder his estranged wife in a knife attack at her caravan home. Allan Murgatroyd, 61, from Barrowford, was also found not guilty of an alternative charge of wounding her with intent to do grievous bodily harm

  • Angry Burnley man hit PC’s arm

    A MAN who assaulted a policewoman who turned up to a domestic row was fined £100 by Burnley magistrates. The court was told how Matthew Anthony Stockburn banged the officer's hand against a door frame as he was being handcuffed. She suffered cuts, scratches

  • Help solve mystery of Darwen artist Margaret Chapman

    EXPERTS are seeking information about an enigmatic artist after demand for her work rocketed. Little is known of Margaret Chapman, a published and modestly successful painter from Darwen who died in 2000. But a rise in the popularity of northern artists

  • Blackburn special school ‘impressive’, says report

    A SPECIAL school has been praised by Government watchdog Ofsted for its improvements. Fernhurst Secondary School, Heys Lane, Blackburn, which caters for pupils with behavioural difficulties, was found to have made good progress in all areas which were

  • Enthusiastic girls excel in the world of work

    Jennifer Hobson, Rebecca Robertson and Stevi Hoyle, from Pendle Vale College, have been nominated for the prestigious McDonald's Work Experience Award 2007. They were picked from 16,000 students in the county. All three were a huge hit on their

  • It’s the perfect time to get on your bike

    WITH the longer daylight hours now with us, there are several opportunities to compete in cycle events on midweek evenings across this part of Lancashire. Already, the Pendle Forest Cycling Club have started their regular series of Thursday evening time-trials

  • Accrington’s late swoop

    Lancashire League side Accrington have swooped to sign experienced all-rounder Paul Carroll from Central Lancashire League side Norden.

  • Police inquiry over handling of Longridge death crash

    AN inquiry has been launched by Lancashire Constabulary in to the way it dealt with the aftermath of a fatal road accident. Paul Hayhurst, 24, died just seconds from his home when the car he was travelling in smashed in to a tree in Whittingham Road,

  • Accrington Stanley out to repay fans

    ACCRINGTON Stanley assistant manager Jimmy Bell has called on his side to win their last two home games for the club's supporters. The Reds need just one more point to secure their League Two status for next season. But after enduring a lean spell of

  • Carlisle back in contention for Southampton clash

    BURN:EY manager Owen Coyle will have centre half Clarke Carlisle available again for Saturday clash with Southampton. It follows his suspension for a late red card in the derby defeat to Preston North End, which the defender described as "inexcusable

  • Longridge man admits unnecessary suffering to dog

    A LONGRIDGE man has admitted causing unnecessary suffering to a 12-year-old collie dog by failing to provide veterinary care and an adequate diet. Christopher Eddlestone, 51, of Neville Street, Longridge, appeared at Preston Magistrates Court yesterday

  • Wanted man believed to be in Burnley

    POLICE are asking for help to trace a wanted man believed to be in Burnley. Duncan Phillip McDowell, 35, is wanted on prison recall following an original offence of dangerous driving. McDowell, who is originally from Manchester, was imprisoned for 15

  • Crystal Palace starlet plays down Blackburn Rovers link

    Crystal Palace midfielder Tom Soares has played down recent reports linking him with a summer move to Blackburn Rovers. The 22-year-old, a former England Under-21 international, has scored five goals for the Eagles this season - including three in his

  • Barritt fired up for British title tilt

    DANIEL Barritt begins his British Championship campaign this weekend with just one aim - to navigate Phillip Morrow to the drivers title. After helping the Ulsterman to win last year's Mitsubishi Evolution Challenge, Barritt's job is to keep the highly-rated

  • Community get-together in Audley

    A MULTICULTURAL festival is being held on Saturday in the Audley Community Centre. Families are invited to attend a free evening of live music from Asian bands and featuring singer Silinder Pardesi. Pensioners can enjoy an afternoon of entertainment

  • Sneeze hazard on roads

    ACCORDING to new figures as many as 7% of motorists have had an accident, a near miss or temporarily lost control of their car while sneezing at the wheel. The survey was carried out by insurance company esure and found that 72% of motorists can be affected

  • All fuels to have bio component

    Motorists will be able to fill their tanks with greener fuels when a new initiative comes into force in the UK this week. The move is known as the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) and requires 2.5% of all road fuels sold to come from biofuels

  • Does my bumper look big in this?

    MOST drivers see their cars as status symbols but nearly all of them have no idea what they look like when they get behind the wheel. A survey by Chevrolet car company found Yorkshire car owners the keenest to want other drivers to view their cars as

  • Child Genius, Channel 4

    Most of us would like to have a few more brain cells than we currently have at our disposal. But who would really want an IQ of 170, putting us into the top 0.002 per cent of the population? And what if we had that mental ability and were under

  • They’re worse off than us

    IT'S difficult not to be infected by the economic worries and fears of recession in this country. Following the Northern Rock crisis we are told house prices are going down for the first time in many years, mortgages are becoming more difficult and there

  • Owzat! Burnley schoolboy scoops award

    A BURNLEY schoolboy has received an award for his contribution to cricket. Harry Spark, 10, has become the first member of the Burnley District Cricket team to be presented with the Craig Heaton' memorial trophy. The trophy is presented annually in

  • Arsonists close Accrington school

    PUPILS could get an extra week of holiday after arsonists targeted a school using a lager bottle filled with flammable liquid. The fire at Mount Carmel RC High School, Accrington, damaged a staff room, toilets and a computer service room. Officials

  • Snap a shot of Darwen

    PEOPLE can still send entries in for Darwen Civic Society's 20th photographic exhibition. This year's theme is the New Aspects of Darwen' and/or The Exterior of Darwen Library'. The library was chosen to mark its centenary. There will be an adult and

  • Call to publish Blackburn A&E figures

    HEALTH bosses must publish figures showing how often Blackburn's A and E is overwhelmed, the chairman of Blackburn's Health Scrutiny Committee said. Patients were treated in ambulances outside the Royal Blackburn Hospital on Monday evening as emer-gency

  • East Lancashire apprentices arrow in on team building

    ARCHERY and orienteering were among activities on an extended workshop for young apprentices. A group of young people spent a week in the countryside near Burnley as part of the Elevate Youthbuild programme, which helps develop social and professional

  • Blackburn paedophile pretended to be victims' uncle

    A 39-YEAR-OLD man has pleaded guilty to abducting a 13-year-old girl and sexually abusing another. Dale Michael Walsh, of St James' Street, Blackburn, admitted to a total of 30 offences at Preston Crown Court. Walsh originally denied five offences

  • Blackpool marathon should be Beryl of laughs for Darwen woman

    A DARWEN woman who took up running because she "didn't want to be fat and 50" will be competing in the Blackpool Marathon in aid of Derian House. Beryl Thomas, 57, of Hesketh Close, Darwen, has twice run the London Marathon and has raised thousands for

  • Kathy’s rape trial highlighted a dreadful crime

    Who the devil are they? is the response one can sometimes get from people who know exactly who they are but don't wish to admit this for fear of being considered naff. They are "The Archers", the longest running soap, starting life in the late 1940s

  • Now this would be one heck of a cricket team!

    CRICKETING aficionados will no doubt be able to put names to faces from this fascinating photograph dating back more than half a century. It was taken during a police charity match at the Church's ground in 1953. How many cricketing legends can you

  • Retail plans: no decision

    A DECISION has yet to be made on whether to build a retail and leisure centre in Rawtenstall. The development control committee at Rossendale Council delegated the decision to the head of regulatory services, after lengthy discussions on Tuesday night

  • Humble start to Holland's pies

    HOLLAND'S has been a great Lancashire tradition since 1851 - ever since the firm's modest beginnings in a small confectioner's shop in Haslingden. Holland's customers may have changed over the last 157 years, but the company's ethos is still firmly

  • Man wore stolen top under his own

    A 29-year-old Lithuanian seen acting suspiciously in JJB was found to have a £40 adidas top on under his own clothes. Blackburn magistrates heard that when police were called they found a pair of pliers which Audrius Bartkevicius had used to remove the

  • Man on Nelson arson charge

    Andrew Thompson, 21, of no fixed address, has been charged with arson and damage in connection with a fire in Railway Street, Nelson. Police and the fire and rescue service were called out to the blaze at about 3.55pm on Monday. The fire caused severe

  • Opening date for 'Frog Pond'

    THE official opening of a historic pond restoration in Darwen will take place later this month. Works to restore the Ellis Gibson pond in Sunnyhurst Wood to its former glory began last year after the Friends of Sunnyhurst Wood secured funding. The pond

  • London Marathon: Local results

    How East Lancashire athletes fared at the London Marathon. Men: Elite: 105 Jon Ferguson (Ross) 2:35:30, 403/M40 Paul Archer (CLeM) 2:48:09, 578 Alex Whittem (Tod) 2:52:37, 961/M50 Fred Lynch (Red Rose) 2:58:38, 975/M45 Kevin Davies (CLeM) 2:58:47,

  • BwD Freecylce

    Over the past month or so, I have been frantically trying to promote BwD Freecycle. We had a mailshot printed in the last edition of The Shuttle, On Monday of this week, I was live on Radio Lancashire, and I also did a broadcast over the phone for

  • Ridehalgh breaks club's Marathon record

    Jon Ferguson and Sarah Ridehalgh were East Lancashire's first finishers in the 2008 Flora London Marathon held last Sunday. Ridehalgh broke one of the few Accrington Road Runners' club records she didn't already possess as she clocked 3:13:04 to eclipse

  • Burnley addict, 45 ‘wants to quit drugs’

    A WOMAN who wants to leave the area and go "cold turkey" to kick drugs got a six month supervision order from magistrates. The Burnley bench heard how "troubled" Tracey Naomi Sullivan, 45, did not want to go on a methadone programme as it would bring

  • Great Harwood Co-op shut after fire in freezer

    A SUPERMARKET was closed yesterday morning after a fire began just before it was set to open. Fire crews were called to the Co-op, Queen Street, Great Harwood, after a blaze in a freezer unit at around 7am. Bosses at the store said that minimal damage

  • Survey to help transport plan

    VEHICLES were being monitered throughout Blackburn centre this week to measure the amount of traffic passing through the borough. The Annual Traffic Monitering Survey was done by Blackburn with Darwen Council in conjunction with CTS Traffic and Transport

  • Solid Gold Photography

    Personal family portratits can be either taken at our home studio or in the privacy of your own home or on location to give you a wide range of images to choose your favourites. All portraits will be projected on screen for you to view full size portraits

  • Coyle looks to build Clarets around Kyle Lafferty

    OWEN Coyle says he wants to build his team around youngsters Kyle Lafferty and Chris McCann. The 20-year-old duo have been continually scouted by Premier League clubs over the last two seasons, with Burnley rejecting a £3million-plus offer from Celtic

  • Win Moomin DVDs!

    In response to overwhelming public demand Stax Entertainment is releasing this hugely popular series onto a two disc DVD, containing fourteen episodes of Moomin and over five hours of entertainment! Last seen on your screens in the 90's, The Moomins

  • Blackburn dyslexia teacher calls for more action

    A FORMER teacher who campaigns for dyslexia awareness after her son was diagnosed with the condition has called for more work to identify children with literacy difficulties. Frances Mercer, 67, from Blackburn, is a former science teacher at Fulwood

  • Polish man beat his wife

    A Polish immigrant fuelled by vodka and cider assaulted his wife three times in four days, a court was told. Blackburn magistrates heard that Ivan Suliga had told police her husband, Thomas Suliga, beat her up every day in front of the children. But

  • Poorest people are paying for ‘gift’

    WHEN Gordon Brown said on US TV he was giving £200m to Africa, he omitted to say he had imposed an extra tax on the lowest paid workers in Britain to pay for it, ie the scrapping of the 10p starting rate on income tax. COUNCILLOR D PEARSON, St Michael's

  • Labour is paying for schools, not you

    I NOTICE that the Conservative candidates in Darwen are listing among 'Local Successes: Funding of £106.5m to schools across the borough for the Building Schools for the Future programme'. Just one small, but not insignificant point to put the record

  • Bullfighting shows a lack of dignity

    THE letters (LT, April 12) from Mrs L Jackson informed us regarding the horror and cruelty of bullfighting and to be encouraged by the European Parliament and EU members is incomprehensible. I wholeheartedly condemn this barbaric bloodsport. It is doubtful

  • Working hard has penalised me in long run

    ALL THIS talk about pensioners getting huge amounts of money. It's time the record was put straight. For some pensioners they will be getting a large pension, these are mainly (but not all) pensioners who have not been prudent with their money while

  • Spring in the Park

    Corporation Park is hosting a fabulous family fun day on Bank Holiday Monday, May 5th. 'Spring in the Park' is being held at the beautiful Conservatory in the grounds of the park, and begins at 1pm lasting until 3pm. This event has been organised

  • Robbers target man outside Blackburn school

    POLICE are searching for two men after a man was robbed in the street outside a Blackburn school. The victim was alone and making his way to a local doctor's surgery when money was taken from him at 2.35pm on Wednesday, outside the grounds St Matthews

  • Mark Hughes: Blackburn Rovers victims of own success

    MARK Hughes believes Blackburn Rovers are a victim of their own success when it comes to playing at Ewood Park. Rovers have frustratingly drawn six of their 17 Premiership homes games this season. And, with Champions-elect Manchester United travelling

  • Missing Nelson schoolboy found safe and well

    A TEENAGER who went missing two weeks ago has been found after a public appeal for information. Police became concerned for the welfare of Nathan Bolton, 14, when he went missing after leaving home to visit friends in Burnley on April 2. The Nelson

  • Come get dirty in Ball Grove this weekend

    The hedging plants are due for arrival tomorrow, so the Park Keepers will be planting the hedge from 10am this Saturday (19th April). Apologies for the short notice, but the sooner the plants go in, the more chance they'll have of surviving. The

  • Blackburn shooting plot suspect to return to UK

    A MAN is to be extradited back to East Lancashire after he was arrested in Ireland over a Blackburn gunshot murder plot. The 23-year-old has now voluntarily agreed to return to the UK where he will be interviewed in connection with a shooting in an alleyway