Silentnight bosses have been criticised by the state’s pension rescue fund after the firm was bought out just hours after collapsing into administration. New owner HIG Europe has pledged to invest in the bed company and protect jobs after
A FINANCIAL services firm is creating 150 new jobs in Blackburn after expanding its head office. P2P Group aims to have a new team of call centre operators, administrators and sales staff after it launched a price-comparison service.
A MARKS and Spencer outlet store has closed in Colne after bosses admitted they couldn’t make it a success. But staff at the M&S Home store, in Boundary Retail Park, were given the chance to relocate to the nearby clothing store at Boundary Mill.
WATER company United Utilities has rolled out its secret weapon to tackle moorland fires in Lancashire — all terrain vehicles equipped with high-pressure hoses. The vehicles, which have 500 litre water tanks, are being used to dampen down '
NORTHERN Rail has improved much in recent months but it still pains me to think of the revenue they must lose daily through guards failing to collect fares between Darwen and Blackburn. Traveller, East Lancs.
AN East Lancashire university centre claims it is coming under pressure to increase its fees from rival institutions. Principal Ian Clinton announced last month that Blackburn College would be charging its fees at £7,000 a year for its higher
REGARDING PCSOs (LT, April 29), could your letter writer Mr Pratt please tell me why the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester has given all his PCSOs virtually the same powers as his police officers? Greater Manchester is the only place in the country
Having read the comments by the BNP candidate in Roe Lee (LT, May 5) I am deeply hurt and disappointed. I belong to a Lancashire group ‘Youth on a Mission’. We are strong believers in humanity before nationality, colour or religion. Nevertheless
A DATE for East Lancashire's first ever gay pride festival has been set. The event will be held in Burnley town centre on September 10, organisers have revealed. Talks have been ongoing for the last few months and plans are now being
A HIGH-FLYING teacher is reaching for new heights after pursuing his dream to become a pilot. Art teacher Steven Nuttall, 30, has worked at Fearns Community Sports College, Stacksteads, for the past seven years but has always harboured dreams of learning
BURNLEY'S children's ward is to remain closed with all inpatient services staying in Blackburn, it has been announced. The Health Secretary ordered a review on the decision to close Burnley General Hospital's 15-bed Deerplay Ward at the end
A COMPANY has turned to a Belgian expert to head its expanding marketing operation. Gregory T’Kint has joined James Hargreaves Ltd, which is based in Burnley and has 25 branches and five bathroom showrooms across the North. Managing director Gordon
PENDLE Council is to spend almost £6,000 on carrying out more repair work to the Colne war memorial. In Autumn 2010 a specialist contractor made repairs to the stone, re-pointing, cleaning the memorial and re-bronzing the name plates. But they noticed
A MOTHER-of-two who moved away from East Lancashire to beat a drugs habit died from an overdose the day after returning to Nelson, an inquest heard. Rachel Johnson had relocated with her partner Richard White to Peterborough to break old ties, Burnley
POLICE entered an election count to serve a court warrant on a candidate over an alleged driving offence. Three uniformed officers approached former Rossendale pub landlord Nick Hogan in the Lancastrian Suite in Chorley Town Hall on Friday afternoon
STUDENTS at Burnley College have helped to put together a fashion show inspired by Lancashire’s cotton industry. The spectacular show, called Spinning a Yarn, is part of the Lancashire Museums contribution to the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad programme
Nearly three-quarters of East Lancashire voters rejected the Alternative Voting system in last week's referendum. Across the area's six boroughs, 42,017 voted in favour of ditching our current First Past The Post system, with 117,683 against
DEFENDER David Edgar is hoping to play a bigger role for Burnley next season after impressing in his first start in eight months on Saturday. "I loved it. I think if anyone was watching me you could see a smile on my face,” he said. "I just loved
I HAVE enjoyed the change where bird scientists have decided that it is acceptable to feed birds all year round. There is a danger, however, if people only put out bits of bread and peanuts. This is not a good diet for young birds which need a good
The Lancashire Telegraph, in conjunction with Blackburn Rovers, is running the 2010/11 goal of the season competition, The Peter White Memorial Trophy. A shortlist of 10 strikes and team moves have been drawn up and we want readers to pick
Church v East Lancashire East Lancashire innings DJ Pearson c Bentley b Anwar 24 Minaj Bhada c Tucker b Jamil 12 JPA Turner run out 11 Erasmus b Jamil 1 MC Lomas c Hussain b Anwar 7 MJ Bolton c Hussain b Anwar 0 PB Kelly c Bentley b Anwar
Blackburn Rovers have slashed ticket prices for their final day trip to Wolves as they look to guarantee a bumper Molineux following. With their Premier League safety still hanging in the balance, Rovers will subsidise all tickets for the trip
BUS maker Optare insists it has a bright future — despite revealing a 35 per cent drop in sales. The Blackburn firm said a record-high order book and improving trading conditions meant it had laid ‘solid foundations’ for an upturn. In
ONE lane of the A59 was closed this afternoon after a car crash. A Nissan Micra was the only vehicle involved in the accident, outside BAE Systems heading towards Blackburn, at 1.50pm. The male driver was checked by paramedics but not need to
RAMSBOTTOM’S 20-match winning streak was ended yesterday as Lowerhouse stunned the Lancashire League leaders at Acre Bottom. Rain intervened at the end forcing the captains to shake hands early – but by that stage Ramsbottom were behind the
Danny Hothersall struck a vital 73 as Baxenden won a fourth successive game to stay top of the Ribblesdale League on a day when fellow pace-setters Edenfield were beaten for the first time. Hothersall’s 54-ball innings enabled the 2009 champions
GOALKEEPER Frank Fielding has today left Blackburn Rovers and signed for Derby County on a permanent basis. Fielding had been on loan at Derby this season and continued to train with the Rams after his loan deal expired. The Championship
Two teenage girls from Chorley who went missing from their homes have been found. The pair, who are aged 15 and 16, left their home adresses in Withnell at around 6.30pm on Thursday and were missing overnight. Both girls were found safe
A DVD showing off the beauty of Burnley and Pendle has been produced to raise money for Pendleside Hospice. The DVD has been produced by Burnley resident Marilyn Wrigley and took 12 months to complete. She said: “I was inspired to produce
BLACKBURN’S town centre Morrisons store has extended its opening hours. It is now open 8am to 8pm, Mondays to Saturdays, and 10am to 4pm on Sundays. The supermarket was previously only open until 6pm on some weekdays. Morrisons said the change
SCHOOLS from around the Ribble Valley have flocked to take part in the area’s annual sheep fest. Children have spent the past few weeks making and decorating sheep figures which were on display yesterday on the pathway up to Clitheroe’s Castle Keep
Darwen made an impact on the ECB National Club Knockout yesterday. They beat Cheshire Premier outfit Neston by 10 wickets at Birch Hall.
Just 25 overs-per side were possible at the Ernest Pass Memorial Ground where Barrow claimed a winning draw in an exciting finish against unbeaten Darwen. The home side made 147-5 with openers Rob Lightfoot (38) and pro Pieter Malan (31) posting 71
Chorley moved into fourth place in the Northern League on a soggy Saturday as they earned their second successive win a low-scoring encounter at Windsor Park despite being shot out for just 109 by Lancaster. In a game reduced to 37 overs, Chorley feared
Cardiff manager Dave Jones hit back at his side’s critics after the 1-1 draw at Burnley allowed bitter rivals Swansea to leapfrog them into third place in the Championship. Jay Rodriguez’s 15th goal of the season put Burnley ahead but Craig Bellamy struck
JACK Cork will return to Chelsea to finish the season, but Burnley are hopeful of bringing the midfielder back to Turf Moor for a third spell, this time permanently. The 21-year-old has spoken of his desire to break away from Stamford Bridge
TWO East Lancashire councils have yet to resolve which party will lead their boroughs four days after elections left no-one in control. The Labour party in Rossendale pulled off a major shock by seizing five seats from the Conservatives to
SOMETIMES what appears to be the most straight-forward task can lead to the best of battles and the most exciting of finishes. As the Lancashire League was hit by rain for the first time this season, the players of Church and East Lancashire
BURNLEY chairman and Surrey opener Michael Brown returned to the Lancashire League on Saturday - and helped his home club win for the first time as they beat Rishton. Brown, who missed the whole of the 2010 County Championship season with a
I WAS contacted last week by a university law student who wanted me to take part in a questionnaire about ASBOs. He flattered me with phrases like 'expert in your profession' and it worked. I was ticking boxes before I knew it. The main
THE MOTHER of single punch victim Adam Rogers is taking part in the Great Manchester Run in his memory. Pat Rogers is undertaking the 10k run to highlight the effects of violence, almost two years after 24-year-old Adam was killed by a single punch
PATIENTS on their way for surgery will be helped to relax thanks to artwork by Burnley youngsters. Children at St John the Baptist Primary, Thames Avenue, created paintings entitled ‘My Favourite Place’, for display along the corridors and in preparation
HUNDREDS of people took part in Hyndburn’s biggest annual charity event yesterday. Church and Oswaldtwistle Rotary Club’s Big Walk is thought to have raised a huge amount of cash for local charities after 700 walkers took part. The day went smoothly
JASON Roberts believes a chat with the Rao brothers provided the squad with a real boost going into Saturday’s crucial draw at West Ham – insisting Blackburn Rovers are now ‘nearly there’ in their quest for Premier League survival. Rovers
A 16-year-old boy was seriously ill in hospital last night after being attacked in Darwen, police said. Taylor Connolly was found injured in Highfield Road at 10pm on Friday. Paramedics treated the boy at the scene for head injuries before taking
VOTERS in Darwen had to fill out their election forms in the boot of a car because the polling station opened late. The keyholder for the Tower View Centre in Marsh House Lane had not arrived at 8am when Sue Skipper went to register, despite
A JURY is considering its verdict on a Darwen soldier accused of raping a teenage girl. The trial of Bruce Bernon, 29, continues today, the jury having spent several hours deliberating on Friday. Bernon is accused of rape, attempted
A BABY girl born with a life-threatening heart defect has beaten all the odds to celebrate her first birthday. Doctors fought 'hour by hour' to save little Sophie Margaret Baylis as she also suffered from extreme liver failure. The mother
VOLUNTEERS from a mountain rescue team held a service to ‘bless’ a new £130,000 fleet of ambulances and all-terrain vehicles. Bolton Mountain Rescue Team, which covers the West Pennine Moors in Darwen, Oswaldtwistle, Haslingden and Belmont, has taken
TWO brothers whose behaviour drove a resident to contemplate suicide have been given ASBOs banning them from being in public together. Police said Dylan Hibbert, 14, and his younger brother Scott, 13, were responsible for smashing up cars, throwing
BURNLEY manager Eddie Howe has revealed consistency will be the focal point of his summer plans, after ending the season two places outside the play-offs. The Clarets looked like bowing out on a high after taking a 13th minute lead against
TWO teenagers learnt a harsh lesson as they were made to clean up mess they had dumped all over the street. The two boys, aged 16, who have not been named, were caught on CCTV ripping bin bags and scattering shredded paper in Parker Lane, Burnley.
STEVE Kean says his players have proved they are fully behind him as manager after a patched-up Blackburn Rovers side continued to edge their way to safety with a draw at West Ham United on Saturday. Rovers secured a 1-1 draw at Upton
A BACUP businessman is set to take the leading role on Channel 4’s The Secret Millionaire. The show sees millionaire benefactors say goodbye to their luxury lifestyles and go undercover in deprived areas to find out who needs their help.
A RAMSBOTTOM woman has been evicted from her home for failing to allow her landlord to carry out a compulsory annual gas checks. Rebecca Lord, 22, of Salmesbury House, Ramsbottom, was evicted by social landlord Six Town Housing after the firm secured
OVERWEIGHT father Philip Chawner is trying his hand at floristry in Blackburn in a bid to turn his life around. As part of a Sky Biography documentary on the 80-stone family from Great Harwood, Philip has been learning the skills needed to
HUNDREDS of people flocked to the Lancashire Telegraph Wedding Fair at Ewood Park. More than 30 firms exhibited at the Premier Suite in the Jack Walker stand, providing everything required to organise a perfect wedding. Businesses represented
Last night my daughter spent an hour posting photos from her birthday party on to Facebook. There they were, for the world to see – the fun laid bare for those who were invited and couldn’t come, and others who weren’t on the guest list to start with
DATA security company Secure Thinking has joined a scheme to promote Burnley. The company will work with Burnley Bondholders to help change views of the town. Founder Lee Hezzlewood said: “There are some truly great business leaders, innovation
A BUILDING supplies firm has sounded a warning over the price of timber. Howarth Timber and Building Supplies said the Government’s ‘green’ schemes were pushing up the price of raw materials. Subsidies encouraging businesses to use biomass electricity
THE rescue of bed giant Silentnight is fantastic for East Lancashire. First and foremost, it is a relief that 650 jobs have been saved. Last week, 240 people applied for the post of butcher’s assistant on Blackburn Market, showing how tough life is
PayPoint and TV Licensing would like to clarify that customers should not be charged extra for buying a full TV licence at PayPoint for the first or any other time (‘New system to pay bills’, LT, April 24). Even though PayPoint is usually a cash-only
MY name is John Walsh and I am trying to tack down my relatives. My father’s name was Ben Walsh and he was born in Carus Street, Hoddlesden. He lived from 1914-89. He had two sisters, Kate Hoyle, now living in Sydney, Australia, with her two children
I found a discarded takeaway meal in the gutter on Stanhill Road, Knuzden, on Thursday morning. It looked like it had been thrown out of a car. Birds and rats will eat the food, leaving debris to blow away, and perhaps be eaten by a sheep at great cost
BURNLEY-based Baldwin Wyatt Solicitors has secured membership to the Law Society’s new conveyancing quality scheme. The mark means the firm is recommended for the homebuying process. Chris Wyatt, partner at the Hammerton Street practice, said:
THE former boss of one of East Lancashire’s most successful companies has launched a new venture to help fast-growing businesses. Peter Cloney, ex-managing director of Precision Polymer Engineering (PPE), has founded DIB Europe just yards from his old
SOCIAL media specialist One Iota has signed a deal with Sage Pay. It will allow One Iota’s clients to use Sage’s payment technology on their Facebook and other mobile sites. One Iota chief executive Damian Hanson said: “We’ve made significant technical
PART of the ACE Centre in Nelson could be used as a college after plans were submitted to Pendle Borough Council. The Nelson-based Radiant College has applied to use the second floor of the centre to teach students. A spokesman for the college said
A TEENAGE boy was last night in a serious condition in hospital following a hit-and-run crash. A taxi driver has been arrested after the incident which saw 16-year-old Liam Sears from Blackburn suffer serious head injuries. His family
Bolton boss Owen Coyle wants to sign Kris Commons after the former Derby man made a big impact in front of goal for Celtic. Portuguese club Benfica have blocked Bolton's bid to keep 20-year-old forward Rodrigo Moreno Machado on loan at the Reebok Stadium
The npower Football League season is drawing to a close and each nail biting game is bubbling with excitement in the run up to the final result. Newsquest Northwest has teamed up with npower to promote their great competition to our readers. Enter
THE first ever pint was pulled at Moorhouse’s new visitor centre to mark the fifth annual Clarets Trust Beer Festival. Hundreds of visitors attended the three-day event, organised with the Campaign for Real Ale, which finished yesterday.
Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans believes it would help give others courage if top-level footballers came out as gay. The Conservative MP declared his homosexuality in December at the age of 54. He said he made the decision go public after a Labour MP threatened
FORMER Blackburn Rovers skipper Garry Flitcroft says he feels immense pride after guiding Chorley to promotion in front of almost 3,000 fans on Friday night. The Magpies claimed a 2-0 win over AFC Fylde in the Evo-Stik First Division North
St Bede’s Under 13 girls play the biggest match on Wednesday when they face Bristol’s Brisham Green School in the final of the ESFA U13 School’s Cup at Bristol Rovers’ Memorial Ground.
BLACKBURN Rovers skipper Chris Samba has admitted that he would be open to a move away from Ewood Park this summer. Samba had briefly suggested he wanted to leave following Sam Allardyce’s sacking in December but Rovers staved off interest
