BLACKBURN Rovers' co owner Balaji Rao has reiterated that Venky's are "here for the long haul" and has promised big changes at the club. The Venky's director told the Times of India newspaper that there was no chance of Venky's selling and said they
A RETIRED television announcer from Rossendale will mark his 75th birthday by running the Bupa Great Manchester Run in memory of his late son. Charles Foster was a well-known voice on Granada TV with his continuity links before giving up the microphone
AN extra 1,500 jobs could be created across Lancashire if a £7million business incentive scheme comes to fruition. County councillors are set to approve a series of measures which should provide a welcome boost for dozens of entrepreneurs and struggling
A VOLUNTEER who found a missing Edenfield man has said he ‘just wanted to hand him over alive‘. Craig Robertson, 44, from Fecit Lane, Ramsbottom, spotted Alzheimer’s sufferer Stephen Iggulden by Naden Reservoir, near Rochdale on Monday afternoon. Mr
CHORLEY’S Nick Dougherty returned from a six-week absence from competition to post an encouraging first round score at the Madeira Islands Open today. The Shaw Hill professional, who is looking forward to the birth of his first child, is up
THE Ramsbottom Festival may be four months away but fundraising begins next week to safeguard the fest-ival’s future. Mark Radcliffe will perform at The Met in Bury on May 17, a date rescheduled from April because of illness. BBC 6 Music DJ Radcliffe
The Premier League have dismissed MP Jack Straw’s calls for an investigation into Venky’s takeover of Blackburn Rovers and say they are confident the club will remain financially sustainable despite relegation. Straw, MP for Blackburn, has accused the
MORE THAN 600 athletes from 22 countries are set to train in the North West in the run-up to the Olympics – but none of the pre-Games preparation camps is in East Lancashire. Stonyhurst School near Clitheroe had expressed an interest to host hockey
HOSPICES in East Lancashire are set to benefit from a change in legislation for charitable donations. Charities can currently ask people to donate an additional 25 per cent at no extra cost by signing a gift aid declaration. And under changes announced
THE UK’s biggest card retailer is set to lose its battle to stay open after its largest supplier said it will force it into administration. Clinton Cards, which employs 8,000 people and has branches in Blackburn, Burnley, Clitheroe and Chorley, ran
ROYAL Blackburn Hospital main entrance will be closed from Monday while improvement works are carried out. The entrance will be closed until mid-July so a new, larger revolving door can be fitted to improve access for all visitors at the hospital.
Small Lancashire schools are at risk of closure (LT, May 7) – it’s the job of the council to provide these things where they are needed, not where they find it convenient to provide them. And what happened to all Cameron’s talk about ‘localism’?
THE OWNERS of a Helmshore pub targeted in a robbery last month have organised an event to raise money for victims of similar crimes. Jessica Lloyd and her fiance Matt Sykes, both 25, were locked in their own cellar when four armed thugs raided The
RE ‘Concern over NHS East Lancashire patients being sent home confused’ (LT, May 8), when I worked at BGH in the 90s we had this weird and clearly outdated thing called a ‘discharge assessment’. When people were admitted to a ward they were assessed
AFTER the search for a missing man with Alzheimer’s Disease ended with his discovery next to a remote reservoir (LT, May 7), I am glad he was found safe. Alzheimer’s is a terrible disease. mavrick (via website).
IT’S difficult to put into words the idiocy of anyone stupid enough to put a wheelie bin on a busy railway line. No one should condone any act of vandalism but the potential for serious injury or even death puts this type of act in a different category
We need power stations – fact. We have to be tough. Nobody wants wind turbines on their doorstep. But they have to be on someone’s doorstep. Let’s stop picking little faults and be glad it’s not a coal burner or nuclear power station. 2 for 5p
REGARDING the anger over a felled tree on Oswaldtwistle Moor by a windfarm company (LT, May 7), it makes a change from the usual felling of so-called diseased trees for housing development. Nothing must stand in the way of mankind’s drive to destroy
At last. I was beginning to worry that the old spleen- venting Tories of the past were gone, then along comes Jack Herer (LT, May 7). Why, when things don’t go right for the above mentioned, do they go back to the old excuse of blaming the unions and
CELEBRITY chef Paul Heathcote is to reveal Lancashire’s appeal to daytrippers as head of a new tourist board. The restaurateur has been named the new chairman of Marketing Lancashire, with a brief to promote tourism and business in the county. He
A CAR has overturned next to the M65 after hitting a bridge. The speed limit was reduced to 50mph following the accident just past Junction Six, heading towards Burnley at 2.30pm. Only one vehicle was involved in the accident and ended
A MEMORIAL service will take place in Norway on Saturday, to remember the 21 men killed in a plane crash in 1945, two days after peace came to Europe. Among those on board Short Stirling LK147, as it approached Gardermoen airport, in Oslo, were two
A PACKED commuter train narrowly avoided being derailed after crashing into a wheelie bin. British Transport Police released details of the ‘shocking’ incident in Darwen as a campaign was launched to stop people trespassing on the tracks. The
STRUGGLING families are ‘unknowingly’ being made to launder money in return for the promise of cash from loan sharks. Police are warning families not to fall victim to the conmen who are currently cold calling residents in East Lancashire. The conmen
FRESH plans have been drawn up to convert the former Blockbusters bar in Burnley into a new town centre nightspot. Proposals by DB Associates would see the entrance to the bar, at St James House, being taken from Ormerod Street. Extra office space
BLACKBURN Rovers owners Venky's have again denied the club is for sale. Co owner Venkatesh Rao has also told an Indian news channel deputy chief executive Paul Hunt was sacked as a cost cutting measure - and not because of a leaked letter.
CALLS have been made to create a museum featuring the Pendle Witches story as the area attracts more visitors in the lead-up to the 400th anniversary of the trials. Tour guide, storyteller and expert Simon Entwistle believes the focal point of a museum
THE race to become the new elected Police and Crime Commissioner of Lancashire has started to gain momentum. The first nominations for the controversial directly elected role have started to be announced. The role will replace the current police
PENSIONERS in Oswaldtwistle have been left with nowhere to go after funding for their luncheon club was stopped. Residents at Springfield Mews sheltered accommodation, in Simpson Street, who have been attending Oswaldtwistle Community Centre
EVER since I covered the royal visit in Darwen last year, I have been slightly obsessed with Kate Middleton. Never have I seen such a natural beauty who makes every little girl's dream of becoming a princess a reality. "When I grow up
A DRUNK being treated at Royal Blackburn Hospital told paramedics he had hepatitis c and threatened to bite them. Blackburn magistrates heard Barry Lumsden ripped tiles off the ceiling of a toilet room and stole medical supplies during the time he
At last, the back pages of our national newspapers have woken up. Beginning to go is the unjustified criticism of Rovers’ fans for being unreasonable in the face of adversity; to be replaced by some understanding that this is no ordinary relegation
THE second day of Lancashire's County Championship Division One game with Sussex at Hove has been abandoned without a ball being bowled. Overnight rain has left the field soaked through with conditions giving the umpires little alternative other than
A WOMAN has vowed to continue peacefully protesting outside a Darwen garage in a dispute over a faulty car. Sarah McFarlane, 27, said she will continue to stand outside M65 Car Sales every weekend until she gets the money back for her car. Garage
A PENSIONER was assaulted and had his phone stolen in Nelson at the weekend. The mugging happened at 10pm on Saturday night, when the victim who is in his 60s, was standing in Albert Street talking on his phone when he was approached by three men.
A NUMBER of improvements are to be made to Colne Market in a bid to attract new customers. The work is to be funded by some of the £395,000 paid to Pendle Council by Sainsbury’s when they were given permission for their supermarket in the town.
A FORMER nurse who played a leading role in a number of voluntary and community causes in Burnley has died at the age of 63. Warm tributes have been paid to the tireless efforts of Hilary Ward, of Todmorden Road, who overcame ill health to offer support
IT shouldn’t be too difficult for pupils at St Barnabas’ Primary School, Darwen, to get used to their new deputy headteacher. And there is no need to scratch the current incumbent’s name from her office door. For retiring Helen Thomas will be replaced
AN OLYMPIC martial arts hopeful showed off his medal-winning moves on a special visit to Burnley. Aaron Cook, 21, was at Blessed Trinity RC College, in Ormerod Road, fresh from winning gold in the 80 kg (fly) category at the 2012 European Taekwondo
Blackburn Rovers have finally confirmed deputy chief executive Paul Hunt has left the club. More than 24 hours after Hunt's exit was widely reported, Rovers have released a one sentence statement confirming the news. The statement read
MORE than 600 homes were left without power in Burnley following a break-in at a sub-station. Residents found themselves without electricity from 12.42am until 2.55am yesterday, as a result of the break-in, thought to have happened around midnight.
MEN who attacked young girls in Pendle as part of an ‘evil’ underage sex ring are being hunted by detectives. Nine offenders were today beginning jail sentences totalling more than 77 years after being convicted of running the ring which brought
THOUSANDS of public sector workers are taking strike action today over plans to change employees’ pensions. Up to 65,000 people in our region are expected to take industrial action in protest at the government’s proposals to increase pension contributions
‘TURF wars’ led to a window cleaner attacking a rival and threatening to ‘rip off his head’, a court heard. Burnley magistrates were told how Andrew Bond, 39, set upon Paul Bailey in front of customers, after Bond was said to have flouted ‘window cleaning
TRIBUTES have been paid to the first leader of Bury Council who was awarded the OBE and made an honorary freeman of the borough. Albert Little, aged 96, died at sheltered accommodation in Holcombe Brook last Wednesday, He had a career in local
BLACKBURN Rovers were plunged into further chaos last night amid widespread reports that deputy chief executive Paul Hunt had left his post. Sources told the Lancashire Telegraph yesterday morning that Hunt had departed after the explosive
HASLINGDEN rider Tom Carne had to wait for news on his father’s recovery from a heart attack before claiming his first front row start in the Motostar British Championship. Carne, 18, qualified fourth for Team Repli-Cast and even took the lead on the
The televised Halfords ‘Tour Series’ of city centre circuit races starts next week and the teams of four of our East Lancashire based professional cyclists will be in action throughout the eleven event series – and all will be shown on ITV4.
AUTOTEST: Blackburn Services will host the latest production car autotest and autosolo this weekend. The event is run by Under 17 Motor Club (North West) and is part of a road safety campaign, giving classes to young drivers to encourage them to learn
ADRIAN Mason has hailed the biggest win in the history of Burnley’s FPW Racing team after Luke Hedger edged out fellow East Lancashire outfit Appleyard/Macadam Racing to claim victory in the Motostar British Championship at Oulton Park. FPW Racing stepped
THE Great Hameldon Hill Race in Accrington enjoyed its largest field in 14 years – and celebrated a local winner in the shape of Rossendale Harrier Brendan Taylor. It was the 31st race since its inception in 1979 and the first in this year’s Pendle and
CHARLIE Barnett says he is still weighing up whether to accept Accrington Stanley’s offer of a new contract – but assistant boss Leam Richardson has warned that the club will not wait forever for decisions from players. Barnett, Bryan Hughes and Kevin
Colne stylist Shayne ‘The Pain’ Singleton has been sparring with former English welterweight champion Adil Anwar after Junior Witter pulled out of planned sessions. Singleton makes his ring return in Oldham next week after his hand injury.
ROSS Wallace hopes Burnley can keep their class of 2011/12 together next season – but if not the winger has backed Eddie Howe to rebuild. With top scorer Jay Rodriguez a target for a number of Premier League clubs the chances of the Clarets not losing
* Many of our top outdoor athletes are limbering up for the Lancashire Track and Field Championships that take place at Blackpool’s Stanley Park Arena this weekend. It all begins at 11am on the Saturday with the U13 girls’ 70m heats with a huge programme
BRITAIN’S pole vault record holder Holly Bleasdale was among four Blackburn Harriers athletes that enjoyed testing the Olympic Stadium at the British University Track and Field Championships over the Bank Holiday weekend. At times, the London stadium
NATHAN Billington of Blackburn Harriers has climbed to the top of the ‘Power of 10’ north west rankings for the U15 hammer after a scintillating performance at last Sunday’s McCains Young Athletes League at Witton Park. The 14-year-old threw a massive
THE race for the Premier League title, much like this year’s Grand National, is heading for a neck and neck finish. One of the most exciting, tense finale’s in the Premier League’s 20-year history will reach its conclusion on Sunday. Will Manchester
Lancashire suffered frustration because of bad weather after the first day of their County Championship Division One game against Sussex at Hove was washed out. Umpires made the decision just after 1pm yesterday.
STEVE Kean has stressed that Blackburn Rovers must keep their squad together this summer as they look to take ‘one step back to make two forward’ in the years to come. Rovers’ relegation from the Premier League was confirmed with a home defeat to Wigan
UNDER-fire Blackburn Rovers boss Steve Kean is adamant Venky’s are “100 per cent” the right owners for the club – after claiming “exciting times” are ahead despite their Premier League drop. The Ewood Park outfit is surrounded in chaos as the Asian poultry
ALAN Shearer has hit out at Venky’s following Blackburn Rovers’ relegation from the Premier League. Shearer spearheaded Rovers’ march to the Premier League title in 1995 but points to the stark contrast between Jack Walker, the owner at the time, and
ONCE again Venky’s have got it horribly wrong. Just when there are signs that someone in the Blackburn Rovers hierarchy did actually know what he was doing, it looks like he has had to leave. Going on the past 18 months I guess we shouldn
