Archive

  • Review: The Way Back (12A)

    Inspired by Slavomir Rawicz’s memoir The Long Walk: The True Story Of A Trek To Freedom, The Way Back is a harrowing tale of courage and endurance against the odds during the Second World War. Australian director Peter Weir certainly has the pedigree

  • Review: BBC Sports Personality of the Year, BBC1

    I’M not a big fan of awards ceremonies, especially as they tend to reward the already extremely well rewarded. Undoubtedly, Grand National winner AP McCoy is a reasonably worthy winner in that he has broken almost every bone in his body in his long career

  • North West set to back voting change

    ACTIVISTS calling for a change to the voting system have stepped up their campaign in the North West. The country will vote in a referendum on May 5, the same day as local council elections, to decide whether to change the system from 'first past the

  • Review: The War You Don’t See, ITV1

    HOW do we view war? Do we make our own minds up on who is to blame and whether or not we should go to war or does the media do that for us? Investigative journalist John Pilger believes it’s the latter and, after viewing this excellent documentary, I

  • Challenging time for North West businesses

    NORTH West businesses are finding the economic climate more challenging than in the last quarter. According to the latest Bibby Financial Services’ business factors index, more than one third (37 per cent) say conditions are tough and they are only

  • Rivington hunt on Boxing Day snowed off

    THE Holcombe Hunt’s Boxing Day meet at Rivington has been snowed off for the second year in a row. The hunt usually sets off from Rivington Barn and attracts hundreds of spectators. But this year the horses will be replaced with a parade of hounds

  • North West campaign to warn pedestrians off motorways

    PEDESTRIANS are being warned not to cross motorways on their way home from Christmas parties. The Highways Agency and the North West Motorway Police Group have joined forces to remind people they could be killed if they use the motorway network

  • Review: Gulliver's Travels (PG)

    Running time: 87 mins. Starring: Jack Black, Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Chris O’Dowd, Amanda Peet, Billy Connolly, Catherine Tate, James Corden, TJ Miller Director: Rob Letterman. The subtle, underlying themes of Jonathan Swift’s classic novel are

  • Accrington Stanley's Boxing Day fixture called off

    ACCRINGTON Stanley’s Boxing Day match at home to Crewe Alexandra was postponed this afternoon because of a frozen pitch at the Crown Ground. A local referee was called in to inspect the pitch a full 73 hours before the scheduled kick-off time of the

  • Blackburn Rovers boss in talks with Samba

    BLACKBURN boss Steve Kean will discuss Christopher Samba's future with the Rovers captain today after learning he has been asking to leave the club for a year. Kean spoke to Samba's agent yesterday and was shocked to discover the captain, who may not

  • Mac looks to be Iron and mighty

    KEVIN McDonald wants to get a head start on his New Year’s resolution, by gett-ing into Burnley’s first team before 2011. The powerful midfielder has returned to Turf Moor after a spell of building up his match fitness with Scunthorpe United. McDonald

  • Burnley keeper Jensen just keen to play, says agent

    BRIAN Jensen’s agent says the goalkeeper’s decision to submit a transfer request was fuelled by his desire to play first team football. The Clarets’ longest serving current player – nicknamed the ‘Beast’ – has told the club he is ready to call

  • Spurs monitor outspoken Blackburn Rovers skipper Samba

    TOTTENHAM Hotspur have been put on alert following Chris Samba’s threat to leave Ewood Park – but the Blackburn Rovers skipper is understood to have been pacified by Steve Kean’s appointment as boss until the end of the season. Samba had

  • Bacup man, 48, found dead at home

    A 48-year-old man has been found dead at home in Bacup. Thomas Mulcahy, of Yorkshire Street, was found at around 12.45pm on Tuesday by concerned relatives who had not been able to reach him for two days. An ambulance was called, but Mr Mulcahy

  • Christmas during the time of ration books

    WITH only two days until December 25, we take a look back to the Christmas of 1953, when families were determined to be merry — even though food rationing was still in force. With no supermarkets at the time and few fridges and freezers, families bought

  • Williams wants talks on Blackburn Rovers role

    BLACKBURN Rovers chairman John Williams is seeking clarity on his role at the club with his own Ewood Park future shrouded in uncertainty. Williams’ 13-year Rovers regime has seen them universally regarded as ‘one of the best run clubs in the

  • Police launch Christmas campaign against domestic violence

    A campaign against domestic violence has been launched ahead of the Christmas period. We spoke to some East Lancashire victims who explained what they had been going through at the hands of violent partners. THOUSANDS of victims of domestic violence

  • Freeze stumps East Lancashire Christmas tree growers

    CHRISTMAS tree growers in East Lancashire have been left stumped — by too much snow. Christopher Day, who grows trees on a three-acre plantation in Whalley, said around 95 per cent of his stock had come from Cumbria and Scotland this year due to the

  • Chorley Council loses appeal over unfair sacking

    A LONG-serving Chorley Council worker who was unfairly dismissed from his job due to his trade union activities has spoken of his ‘disgust’. Wayne Andrews, 45, was made redundant in August 2009 from his job as the town’s markets manager after 21 years

  • Rovers season tickets stolen in Pleasington raid

    BLACKBURN Rovers season tickets and a 42-inch television were stolen from a luxury home as the owners slept upstairs. A burglar forced a window frame and broke into the kitchen of the large detached house in Links Lane, next to Pleasington Golf Course

  • ‘Name and shame Darwen grot-spot culprits’

    A CAMPAIGN to clean up Darwen’s worst ‘grot-spots’ is to be launched by the town council. Leader Steve Duncan wants to ‘name and shame’ those responsible for run-down buildings and alleyways, and improve the main route through the town. He said: “I

  • Colne murder probe: man arrested

    A MURDER investigation is under way after a woman was found dead at a complex for people with learning difficulties and mental health problems. Detectives were called after the body of 23-year-old Anna Banks was found at a flat in Centaur Court

  • Edgworth boy rescued after sledge smash

    A BOY was injured when his sledge ploughed into a fence. The 12-year-old, from Edgworth, was sledging near Wayoh Reservoir on Tuesday, when he crashed. He suffered injuries to his pelvis and femur, Bolton Mountain Rescue said. It took rescuers

  • Man on £250k Lancashire stolen cars plot charge

    A MAN has been charged in connection with a £250,000 Lancashire burglary conspiracy. Anthony Baldacchino, 41, of Rodney Street, Salford, is accused of conspiring to commit burglary in a dwelling between August 15 and November 4. It is alleged that

  • Blackburn hospital patients in cold as heating fails

    PATIENTS were left in the cold at Royal Blackburn Hospital after heating failed in a ‘handful of wards’. Hospital bosses confirmed that a leak in one of the plant rooms, at the Haslingden Road site, caused central heating to fail. And during another

  • The Rumour Mill - December 23

    Roy Hodgson has told ex-LIVERPOOL boss Rafa Benitez that he will not be forced out of Anfield. AC Milan are all set to make a January swoop for MANCHESTER CITY’S Vincent Kompany - but they need to sell in order to afford his wages. HULL CITY have

  • Hyndburn family's rent bill for dead mum

    BEREAVED relatives have slammed a housing association after it ordered them to pay one month’s rent after the death of a tenant. The policy of the Anchor Trust emerged after the family of great grandmother Dorothy Thompson, 74, were told to hand over

  • The Ashes: Warne backs Haurtiz to be top man

    Shane Warne is convinced Australia will take a specialist spinner into the Boxing Day Test but believes selectors have chosen the wrong man for the job in Michael Beer. Beer was a shock inclusion in the 12-man squad for the Perth Test and appears likely