A NEW sports zone for adults and children is set to provide improved coaching for athletes and keep fit fanatics in Hyndburn. Hyndburn Leisure Trust is looking at the possibility of building a ‘Sports Legacy Zone’ (SLZ) on land currently used
GOALS from Junior Hoilett and Yakubu handed Blackburn Rovers victory over Sunderland tonight and moved them six points clear of the Premier League relegation zone. Hoilett fired home from the centre of the penalty area in the 58th minute after Sunderland
DANNY Carlton’s second-half equaliser denied Accrington Stanley victory against Lancashire rivals Morecambe at the Crown Ground tonight. Stanley had led through Peter Murphy at the interval, but Carlton levelled with 20 minutes left. Rob Kiernan headed
BLACKBURN Rovers are level at half time in tonight’s Premier League game at home to Sunderland. Yakubu saw his shot touched on to the post by Simon Mignolet after only two minutes, having collected a pass from Junior Hoilett. Grant Hanley later headed
THE ‘people’s walk’ will be held in Hyndburn in May with organisers hoping that record numbers will take part. Now in its seventh year, the Hyndburn charity walk organised by Church and Oswaldtwistle Rotary Club, will take place on Sunday,
BLACKBURN Rovers have named an unchanged side for tonight’s Premier League match at home to Sunderland. Bradley Orr returns to the squad following injury but has to be content with a place on the bench, with Jason Lowe again starting at right
AN EAST Lancashire MP has brought up the issue of metal thefts in Parliament after lead was stolen from a Lower Darwen primary school. Jake Berry, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, highlighted the problem during Home Office Questions and was told that an
A PARISH which has been without its own priest for the past five years has been offered a lifeline by the Bishop of Burnley. The Right Rev John Goddard has told the congregation at St Mark’s in Burnley, that the priest at St Matthew’s, in St
MEMBERS of a Blackburn youth group have run up an £800 boost for the East Lancashire Hospice. Fourteen teenagers from the Urban Essentials group donned a variety of fancy dress costumes for a five kilometre run in Corporation Park to help the
A PROSPECTIVE Conservative councillor was left red-faced after leaflets announcing his defection from the Liberal Democrats spelt his name wrong. Kevin Connor used to represent Marsh House, Darwen, for the Liberal Democrats on Blackburn with Darwen
LEAM Richardson hopes Accrington Stanley’s fine record against Morecambe will continue without John Coleman tonight. Coleman, regarded as a legend at Morecambe during his playing days, had guided Stanley to 10 matches unbeaten against his old club before
CONTROVERSIAL plans to turn a former car garage into five smaller units have been given the green light. Blackburn with Darwen Council received five letters of objection against the proposal for the former Hole I’th Wall garage in East Park Road, Blackburn
TRIBUTES have been paid to a community champion described as ‘a true gentleman’. British Aerospace engineer Peter Dawson, 66, was well known in the Shadsworth area of Blackburn for his work supporting schools, community centres, and disability groups
INSPECTORS have praised Westholme School for having good’ and ‘excellent’ qualities. The Blackburn school was reviewed by the Independent Schools Inspectorate. Inspectors said that pupils’ personal development was excellent, that staff
SHAM marriage ring leaders Milan Cina and Andzelina Surmaj targeted unsuspecting parishes in East Lancashire. Vicars, believing the marriages to be genuine, conducted the ceremonies in St Peter’s Church and St Andrew’s Church, both Accrington, as well
TEENAGE actress Jessica Balderstone is proving her versatility on stage this year – with three principal roles under her belt in as many months. This week, she will solve Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Company’s problem like Maria, when she plays the classic
A RAMSBOTTOM doctor has received a national award for making a diagnosis that saved the lives of an expectant mum and her unborn baby. Dr Gordon Mackinnon, who practises at Ramsbottom Health Centre, was nominated for The Tommy’s and Danone
PAUL Robinson is confident there will be no repeat of Leeds United’s Premier League plunge at Ewood Park – after insisting the close of the transfer window has brought some vital stability. The Blackburn Rovers skipper suffered relegation from the
CAMPAIGNERS are hoping to protect footpaths through an urban oasis after fears land could be fenced off. Plantation Waters, a much-loved green space in the heart of Accrington, was last year auctioned off to a private owner. The wildlife haven,
I recently visited Pleasington Cemetery and what a horrible and disgusting sight those wheelie bins are. Whoever sanctioned these to replace the wire baskets have displayed a blatant attitude of disrespect, and whoever at the council is responsible
According to David Cameron, Barack Obama, with his “moral strength, clear reason, and fundamental decency, has reset the moral authority of the free world”. Not quite! Last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) launched a Decade of Action
It is with regret that the Lancashire Council of Mosque (LCM) notes the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams. Dr Williams has been a unifying figure and provided leadership in what have been difficult times. He has been a
LIFE has probably never been more difficult for people working in the NHS in East Lancashire. Despite the claims of politicians it does appear that resources are challenged to the limit by financial pressures. At the same time more and more people
TRAVELLERS who have turned up on a Burnley recreation ground claim they are en route to a ‘religious festival’ in Accrington. Council bosses are set to seek a court order to remove about 20 vehicles which have set up camp on Stoneyholme Rec, off Rectory
HEADTEACHERS at two high schools have set aside £310,000 to ensure they are able to pay for unexpected building costs at their new sites. The heads at Our Lady and St John Catholic College and Witton Park High School, both in Blackburn, have
DANIEL Lafferty hopes he has done enough to earn a run in the Burnley team after helping the Clarets to a clean sheet on his debut on Sunday. Lafferty joined Burnley from League of Ireland side Derry in January but needed time to recover from injury
A MOTORIST caught ‘doing a runner’ at several East Lancashire petrol stations has been ordered to pay compensation totalling £220. Daniel John Watkin, 22, pulled off the stunt at no fewer than four garages before he was caught, Burnley magistrates
A TEENAGER who mugged boys in the grounds of Blackburn Cathedral is the ‘poster boy’ for an mugging awareness campaign. Niaeem Alam, 18, of Kay Street, Darwen, is starting a minimum youth custody term of two-and-a-half years after targeting three youngsters
On Wednesday 21 March at 12:30pm the Chancellor will present his Budget for 2012, setting out the Government’s plans for the economy and public finances in the year ahead. Follow the announcements as they happen and read instant analysis from our exports
PENDLE Council has completed a deal to buy the historic Brierfield Mills site. The council has grant funding from the Government’s Homes and Communities Agency to buy the building from charity Islamic Help for £1.5million. The listed
A MAN was attacked in Nelson town centre this morning. The 26-year-old was treated by paramedics outside the HSBC bank in Manchester Road after the assault just before 11am. Police were also on the scene conducting initial inquiries.
Having spent some time lately with Bill at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, things have changed a little from, when I was a patient in the ENT ward at old BRI a long time ago, having, what was for me, a life changing operation to straighten my squint.
Semi final week has arrived – along with the Ultimate Skills Test! Only one more show to go before we have another Dancing On Ice Champion! Opening the show with some funky light and camera work was Torvill and Dean skating to “I’m Feeling Good”.
A VICAR has been suspended after he was arrested on suspicion of assaulting an 11-year-old boy. Rev Joe Fielder, 44, the priest-in-charge at St John’s Church in Baxenden, was arrested at the village Vicarage in Langford Street. He has
A LORRY driver has escaped with minor injuries after a crash on the M6. Firefighters are working to release the motorist from the vehicle, which crashed onto its side, on top of a BMW. The incident happened at 9.35am near Charnock Richard
THE family of the Accrington man who died in a motorcycle crash on Sunday has paid tribute to a “really genuine bloke with a heart of gold”. Gary Roberts, 63, was riding on the A683 near Middleton at around 2.45pm when the accident happened
A ‘FIXER’ who recruited desperate ‘brides’ at the school gates for sham marriages to illegal immigrants in East Lancashire is on the run after failing to turn up at court for sentence. Polish mother-of-four Andzelina Surmaj was given three years and
AROUND 140 new jobs are to be created at bed manufacturers Silentnight after Lancashire County Council agreed a £1million investment package. A further 500 jobs have been safeguarded as a result of the deal, which secures the firms long-term future
TRAVELLERS were evicted from a campsite yesterday morning after notice was served on them by bailiffs. They had pitched up on the Axis Park site at Lower Darwen after being moved twice, from a site at Hollins Grove Street and the East Lancashire Warehousing
AN INTERNATIONAL company based in Clitheroe is moving its manufacturing back to the town, creating nine jobs. The Printed Cup Company, in Salt Hill Industrial Estate, is bringing its manufacturing back from China after a rise in demand for
AN elderly man died in a blaze at his home in Earby last night. Firefighers said a neighbour noticed smoke coming from the detached bungalow in Barnwood Crescent at 5.15pm. Neighbours then tried to reach the occupant, named locally as
HOSPITAL chiefs have said they are confident of hitting a key target despite ‘exceptional’ numbers of patients attending A&E. East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust saw a 14 per cent rise in attendance at its emergency units in February.
A FITNESS entrepreneur who offers personal exercise services to people with serious physical conditions and disabilities has won a planning battle. Matthew Howarth, of Inspire Health, has been running the sessions at Calder House, in Spring Lane, Colne
