A MAN accused of taking part in a sham marriage has told a jury he had become ‘besotted’ with a Vietnamese woman and thought their relationship was genuine. Jason Procter had not thought that he was being tricked, conned, or duped, into a wedding
BLACKBURN Rovers were beaten by Lancashire rivals Bolton Wanderers at Ewood Park tonight. Former Rovers striker Kevin Davies collected a pass from Chris Eagles before firing home after only two minutes at Ewood Park. Lee Chung-Yong then doubled Bolton
Rovers suffered back to back defeats as Bolton ran out winners in a one-sided Lancashire derby. Jordan Rhodes handed Henning Berg's side a lifeline with a header eight minutes from time but by then goals from Kevin Davies and Chung-Yong Lee had
BLACKBURN Rovers boss Henning Berg has handed Josh King his first start for the club at home to Bolton Wanderers tonight. King made his debut as a substitute against Millwall on Saturday after joining Rovers on loan from Manchester United last week,
A SYRIAN shepherd who fled his homeland under penalty of death ended up in Blackburn stealing to fund a heroin addiction. Blackburn magistrates heard Lawein Koloos Jejo was wrongly accused of defacing a presidential poster and ended up seeking
KEVIN Davies' early strike gave Bolton a 1-0 half-time lead against Rovers at Ewood Park. The hosts were outplayed by the visitors for much of the half and fell behind after just 100 seconds when Davies found space to fire a Chris Eagles pass into
LANCASHIRE has become the first place in the North West to embark on an ground-breaking adoption programme. Children up to the age of two are to be placed with foster carers who may go on to adopt them in a programme called concurrent placements
A FIRE has broken out at an allotment site in Padiham. Firefighters were called to the Quarry Street site at around 5.40pm.
BLACKBURN Rovers have had a number of derby heroes against Burnley over the years but not all of them were the players that might have been expected beforehand. While the contributions of goalscoring legend Simon Garner and local lad David Dunn, to name
ENTERTAINMENT costs in Hyndburn are being kept low to help struggling families. Shows at Accrington Town Hall and Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre have announced children’s shows this winter will be capped at £6 per ticket. For loyalty card holders
RAMBLERS are headed on a 10-mile hike on Sunday. Hyndburn Ramblers are to meet at Plantation Street car park, Accrington at 9am for the Nick O’ Pendle walk. New members are welcome. Ring Gail Bedson on 01254 398670.
PATROLS are set to focus on a town centre hot spot for gangs of young people. Police in Accrington town centre say juveniles are gathering and smoking on the market hall steps that lead down to the cellars in the evenings at weekends.
POLICE were called after a group of men fought in the middle of an Accrington street. Four men were arrested on suspicion of affray and are being questioned by police following the incident in Ormerod Street at around 7.30pm on Monday. Police said
BUS fares are set to rise in the Valley from this Saturday in the latest “scandal” for consumers in Rossendale and Ramsbottom. Bosses at Haslingden-based Rossendale Bus have announced that prices will increase for certain journeys in Lancashire
A MAN believed to be armed with a knife has locked himself inside a house in Cairo Street, Burnley. Police negotiators are at the scene to talk to the man, who is on his own inside the property. A number of police vans and ambulance vehicles
A MUM-OF-THREE was handed a suspended jail term after admitting 11 offences of benefit fraud spanning five years. Preston Crown Court heard that Lisa Smith, 32, of Stump Lane, Chorley, netted more than £29,500 in benefits from the Department for
REPAIRS are to be carried out to a historic railway viaduct to ensure its safety. Accrington Railway Viaduct is one of the town’s crowning examples of architecture, representing its entry into the industrial age. Recent checks of the Grade
“IT was a complete fluke,” former Burnley striker Paul Fletcher has had 34 years to reflect on his goal against Blackburn in the Clarets 2-1 win at Turf Moor in December 1978. The Clarets did the double over Rovers that season with Tony Morley and Brian
THE East Lancashire hills are alive with the sound of music — not least thanks to the Clitheroe Pop Choir. Seventy amateur singers, mainly women aged 16 to 70 with just a sprinkling of men, enjoy weekly rehearsals and regular performances under
PEOPLE really showed how proud they were to be from Lancashire yesterday. Celebrations took place right across the county with Lancashire-themed foods, drink, events and town criers. And even down at Westminster, the Thwaites shire horses were
PEOPLE keep asking why we have had so much flooding this year. During the next rare dry spell, take a look at how clogged up the drains and grids are with muck and litter, and you’ll have the answer. Observer, Blackburn.
POLICE are appealing for information about the whereabouts of a 16 year old boy missing from his home in Leyland. Anthony Stubbs, who attends Wellfield High, was last seen at his home on Leyland Lane around 1pm on Sunday. He intended to go to his
AHEAD of the Sunday’s East Lancashire derby, we are asking Blackburn Rovers and Burnley fans to tell us their favourite memories of previous matches between the two sides. Here we ask for your ‘six of the best’, with the best answers being used in the
IF you go back in history, and I mean really go back, you will find that the Jews were in Palestine long before the Arabs. However, if Hamas stopped firing rockets into Israel, the Israelis would not have any need to respond. Hamas wants to keep
RE ‘Ribble Valley Council gets £750,000 reward for keeping weekly bin collections’ (LT, November 23) – this is a complete waste of money. The vast majority of residents in Ribble Valley and Lancashire already receive a weekly collection of rubbish,
THE new owners of a ‘dismal development’ in Blackburn have been given three months to clean up the site before the council takes enforcement action. The borough’s planning committee has given the Lancashire Mortgage Corporation retrospective planning
A MAN died after becoming trapped in thick undergrowth after an early morning drinking session, an inquest has heard. Aaron Taylorson, 27, of Laithe Street, Burnley, was found in Albion Terrace, off Albion Street, on June 26. An inquest at
MEMORIES of performing ahead of The Beatles have been stirred up for a Darwen man after he read about the gig in the Lancashire Telegraph. John Bentley, 66, of Earnsdale Road, was a rhythm guitarist with local five-piece band The Mustangs when
HE has smashed the O2 Arena with his concert and now Robbie Williams is heading to Manchester for a sell-out concert. The Lancashire Telegraph Reader Travel has tickets for two shows on Wednesday, June 19, and Friday, June 21, next year at the
A TOWN centre car park that was set to be demolished to make way for a new Burnley shopping centre is set to stay for a further three years. The Pioneer car park, in Curzon Street, has been used since 2003 but was on land earmarked for the £40million
LOCK gates weighing several tonnes were carefully lifted up from the Leeds Liverpool canal yesterday as part of a £60,000 maintenance scheme. A crane hoisted the 25-year-old gates into the air during the operation yesterday at Barrowford Locks
ROVERS full back Adam Henley believes the club’s confidence can help carry them to back-to-back derby wins starting with three points over Bolton Wanderers tonight. Despite Blackburn having registered just one win in Henning Berg’s five wins in charge
A DRINK-DRIVER landed in hot water after crashing his car. Blackburn magistrates heard Ben Henshall, 22, was arrested shortly after the incident when police found him in a hot tub with his girlfriend. Henshall, of Harmire Road, Barnard Castle
A 26-YEAR-OLD man attacked his partner for no reason when he returned home early from a night out. Blackburn magistrates heard Stephen Parsonage punched Nicola Charnock as she opened the door for him and knocked her to the floor. He dragged
POLICE have asked pubs in Burnley town centre to shut for half an hour after the final whistle of East Lancashire's big derby clash between Burnley and Blackburn on Sunday. The Clarets take on Rovers at Turf Moor in a 12.30pm kick-off, the first
LOCAL MPs took the Red Rose county’s finest produce all the way to Westminster yesterday to celebrate Lancashire Day. And a visit from the Thwaites’ Shire horses made celebrations extra special as the area’s finest ales were transported through
AMATEUR football leagues across East Lancashire will be postponing fixtures on Sunday ahead of the eagerly anticipated Clarets and Rovers clash. While some of the junior and senior leagues in the area have called off all of its matches, others have given
A PENDLE dad was diagnosed with testicular cancer just months after he thought about growing a Movember moustache for ‘a bit of a laugh’. Now Stuart Wright, from Nelson, is urging men to check themselves regularly for any symptoms after beating
LANCASHIRE’S Police and Crime Commissioner has met with the Police and Crime Panel (PCP) for the first time. The panel, established earlier this year, will scrutinise the work of the PCC, ensuring that decisions made by the new commissioner are
DARWEN Vale High School is in line for a prestigious architecture award following its £24million revamp under the Building Schools for the Future programme. The Blackburn Road school has been short-listed for a national Civic Trust Award, which
FLEETWOOD Town have decided to recall Rob Atkinson from his loan spell at Accrington Stanley. Atkinson had impressed since joining Stanley in September and his loan was recently extended into December. But Fleetwood have now made the decision to recall
Fire crews rescued two trapped drivers after a collision involving five vehicles near Mereclough. Vehicles heading towards Burnley were caught up in a collision on Kebs Road. A vehicle is thought to have struck a stone wall, then collided with
BLACKBURN Rovers have sold out their allocation of 3,400 tickets for Sunday's derby match at Burnley. The remaining tickets were snapped up this morning for the eagerly anticipated Championship fixture.
AMBITIOUS Bacup Borough are determined to make a serious push for promotion from the North West Counties League Premier Division next season – but those plans have also seen head of player development Andy Hill quit West View. The former Manchester City
A FIREFIGHTER leapt into action when a man suffered a suspected heart attack at 30,000ft on a flight back from holiday. Gareth Snowden, 29, from Higherford, was returning from a week-long stay in Lanzarote when a passenger complained of chest pains
TWO people have died after taking what police believe to be a ‘lethal’ batch of drugs. Officers said 44-year-old James Hacking was found dead at his home in Victoria Street, Church. Just hours later, a 36-year-old woman was also discovered
BOSS Henning Berg is not concerned about the start he has made as Rovers boss, despite his side having picked up just five points from five matches heading into tonight’s derby clash with Bolton. Since the Norwegian was appointed Rovers have won
A HEADTEACHER paid tribute to pupils who surpassed the national average for GCSEs at an annual prize night. Des Callaghan was speaking at the prize-giving at St Bede’s RC High School in Blackburn. Pupils from all year groups were rewarded for
BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche was pleased to pick up a point on the road as his side switch attention to Sunday’s East Lancs derby with Blackburn. Charlie Austin plundered yet another goal of an already prolific campaign to give the visitors the lead
A new bakery opened its doors in King William Street, Blackburn, yesterday as customers rushed to get their hands on some bargain pastries. Poundbakery has set up the new shop on the back of its success in The Mall. To celebrate the opening
A MAN has admitted causing another male's death by dangerous driving in Blackburn. Tanveer Hussain, 31, of Audley Range, yesterday pleaded guilty to causing the death of Imran Bavla on October 15 last year by driving an Audi vehicle dangerously
HARD times in East Lancashire have seen the amount of legacies left to hospital wards drop to just a fifth of the total donated 12 months ago. Charitable funds held by the area’s hospital trust regularly pay for new pieces of medical equipment
A HIGH school in Burnley, found to be failing last summer, is making good progress, say education watchdogs. In a surprise move in June the Blessed Trinity RC Collegee was placed in ‘special measures’ by inspection body Ofsted. Inspectors have
THE fourth annual celebration evening of Darwen Aldridge Community Academy celebrated the academic achievements of the school’s pupils. Certificates and prizes were handed out to pupils from all school years, with GCSE certificates from last year
A CHILDREN’S charity is appealing for volunteers to help with its festive fundraising events. Child Action Northwest, which is based in Wilpshire, needs helpers to sell ice-cream, programmes and raffle tickets and serve tea and coffee and mince
PARENTING classes have received the backing by the government. Families minister Edward Timpson claimed 2.5 million people across the country from 2013-15 will benefit from expert organisations from the voluntary and community sector sharing the
A NEW scheme to give residents more choice in choosing their energy suppliers is very sensible. Energy companies are continually hiking their prices which is hitting the poorest people in our communities who can ill afford soaring bills. But
I would like to respond to Stephen Potter’s quite shameful comments (‘Give money where it’s needed’, LT, November 22). Mr Potter sees fit to openly criticise the placing of the Crown Paints awards on a number of highly regarded organisations.
A mother-of-three hurled a 13-year-old girl in a canal on the way home after a drinking session, a court was told. Kimberley O’Horo’s victim went under the water and had to be helped out by her brother after the night-time incident on October 12
A DECISION is to be made this week on plans to turn the former Great Universal Stores building in Burnley into accommodation for over 120 UCLan students. East Lancashire Regeneration Ltd is behind the scheme to transform Kingsway House. Alan
Perhaps the militant minority who (for whatever reason) cannot accept the ministry of women as bishops need to reconsider what church they should be attending. And they shouldn't ‘feel they have a secure and permanent place in the Church of England
THE Church of England has every right to say ‘Stop the world, I want to get off.’ So long as they accept the consequences – that they are now a quaint, little sect with no real relevance to the modern world. They will be like people who dress up
NOW that the clergy have shown their true colours to the women of the world, isn’t it now time that a new definition of educated, modern religion concerning science, space and medicine was taught throughout the world? How much longer do we have
IT’S pointless warning people against loan sharks. If you need to put food on the table and can’t get any help from a legal method, what option do some people have? Don't tell me that budgeting better is the answer. More and more people are
IT is time that we got over the Beatles. They are hanging around like a bad smell. Resign them to the history books! And for the record, they were not fit to lace the boots of the great Velvet Underground! Now there is a really influential band
A WOMAN was approached by a man carrying a knife and had her bag stolen, police said. The incident happened at 9.15pm on Friday as the 20-year-old woman, from the Blackburn area, was on her way back from the Bangor Street Gym. She was approached
A MAN is in hospital with serious head injuries after being beaten in an Accrington street. Police were called to Blackburn Road in Accrington at 11.45pm last night (Tuesday) after a call from the ambulance service reported that a 21-year-old man
AN INQUEST has been opened into the death of a man was found in the River Ribble. The body of David Young, whose disappearance prompted a massive search operation, was discovered on the bank of the river close to Avenham Park in Preston, by a walker
ONE of Lancashire’s most senior midwives has been struck off for an alleged overtime fiddle lasting more than six months. Nursing chiefs told Kay Fazackerley she dishonestly claimed extra pay, amounting to a ‘substantial amount of money’, while
JUNGLE beauty Helen Flanagan has admitted she had never even camped before she joined I’m A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here. The former Westholme School student received the most votes to be evicted on Monday night and was reunited with family
MUSLIM parents are being urged not to allow their children to eat meat at school over concerns that the produce is not being prepared correctly. Lancashire Council of Mosques (LCM) issued a warning after it said it found that suppliers providing
RESIDENTS who have been making a difference in their community have been recognised by a national award. Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Your Call campaign was named Community Initiative of the Year at the UK Public Sector Awards. Your Call
RESIDENTS who have been making a difference in their community have been recognised by a national award. Blackburn with Darwen Council’s Your Call campaign was named Community Initiative of the Year at the UK Public Sector Awards. Your Call
POTENTIAL foster parents in the Valley are invited to an information evening on December 4. Rossendale Children and Parenting Support Service is looking for dozens of new carers for more than 100 children on Lancashire County Council’s waiting
CHARLIE Austin scored his 21st goal of the season as Burnley drew at Barnsley in the Championship tonight. Austin headed in from Ross Wallace's corner in the fifth minute to put the Clarets ahead at Oakwell. But Barnsley hit back eight minutes before
