SUPPORTERS of one of Burnley’s main shopping streets, backed by Portas Pilot cash, are welcoming a new arrival – but losing a well-known trader. Just as Artisan, the vintage store in Standish Street, announces it will be moving to Colne, a fledgling
EXCEPTIONAL dancers from St Mary’s College, Blackburn, have been hand selected to perform at a prestigious dance venue. St Mary’s College Dance Academy has been selected to perform at the U Dance North West regional platform 2013 which takes place
BLACKBURN College has put a £6.5million contract with the Rwandan government, which planned to help the civil war-ravaged country’s economy back on its feet on hold. The five-year contract, signed in late 2011, was due to provide business training
BLACKBURN with Darwen council leader Kate Hollern and MP Jack Straw yesterday told local government minister Brandon Lewis that imposing a one fifth cut in the borough’s Whitehall grant was penalising its residents. They went to Westminster to
A BOXING Day dispute over a taxi led to a man attacking a passenger as he sat in the vehicle with his wife, a court was told. Burnley magistrates heard how Dwayne Taylor had been in the back of the cab when Lucas Schofield, who had thought it was
TRIBUTES have been paid after the death of a ‘strong and dignified’ Pendle woman who battled a hereditary form of breast cancer. Jacqueline Robinson, 58, of Barrowford, died peacefully at home surrounded by family, including husband Stuart and
WEST Ham United have increased their offer for Blackburn Rovers' Martin Olsson. The Hammers are understood to have now bid in the region of £4million for the Swedish international - just 24 hours after manager Sam Allardyce said they were unlikely
ROSSENDALE Council has launched a new crackdown on dog fouling. Owners who don’t clear up after their pets will be issued with an on-the-spot £75 fine, after officers noticed a spike in complaints during the winter months. There will also be
A CLOUGHFOLD retailer which operated a chain of 45 shops across the country collapsed owing creditors more than £11million. Famous Footwear, which has its headquarters in Bacup Road, has axed 250 jobs after bad debt forced it to appoint administrators
A FRIENDSHIP club brought this widow and widower together — but trouble in the bedroom nearly tore them apart... Doreen Oliver, aged 72, met 69-year-old Neville Jones at The A59 Club, which caters for divorcees, singles, widows and widowers over
THE news that the HMV chain of stores is in trouble is certainly bad for the country’s high streets. The 92-year-old firm has found trading tough for the last few years as it strove to meet modern shopping habits. Its problems follow the recent
Down south, there may be a shortage of urban or brownfield sites to provide housing on. But that’s hardly the case in East Lancashire. It’s just that there is more profit building in the countryside for the aspirational types rather than building
IN response to the letter ‘Bring back road lessons!’ it would be nice if they encouraged people not to be ‘middle-lane Malcolms’. Always drive on the inside lane of a motorway unless you are overtaking. You haven’t bought the middle lane so stop
Re: ‘Sixteen cars damaged in Darwen hammer rampage’, Darwen used to be a nice, working-class town full of genuine hardworking people. Now it’s full of dole-dossing junkies and teenage mothers and parents who don’t care what their offspring are up to
There are lots of people who are in work but still claim benefits – working family tax credit, child benefit. Just because you claim benefits doesn’t mean you’re scum. The majority of people have genuine reasons for claiming benefit but newspapers
The ACE Centre in Nelson always seems well used when I am there. But stopping people parking opposite will not help the ACE Centre itself. The people who want to park there for ‘business purposes’ want to park there all day, of course, while
I am writing with reference to the story ‘Winter fuel benefit test given the cold shoulder’ (LT January 4). As Blackburn with Darwen’s older people’s champion, I am urging all pensioners to remember to keep warm and well this winter. I have
A SECOND World War veteran who fought in ‘two wars and a skirmish’ has died, aged 86. Eddie Smethurst died after a 12-year battle with cancer at Springfield Nursing Home in Blackburn. Born and bred in the town, the father-of-four had been diagnosed
GROUPS in East Lancashire aimed at getting people involved with playing sport are urged to bid for a new £40million Sport England fund. National Lottery funding will be invested through the Community Sport Activation Fund to support grassroots
A COLLEGE student’s work has been chosen to feature on a tourist website to attract people to visit South Africa. Pre-degree student Aaron Dunleavy said studying at Blackburn College has allowed him to see the world through his camera lens.
SHOPPERS in Accrington are being urged to be extra vigilant after a pickpocket targeted an elderly woman in the town centre. The 83-year-old noticed her purse, containing £75, had been taken from her handbag around 12.30pm, on January 10, in Broadway
A MUM has recycled her old keep fit resolutions to launch an unofficial bootcamp in her local park. Mum-of-three Sally Randall had a garage full of fitness equipment after past keep-fit pledges fell by the wayside. Sally, from Rishton, realised
A DRUNKEN man who urinated in the street also threw a stone at police, but was so intoxicated he missed, Burnley magistrates heard. The court was told jobless Gerrard Beier, 41, had struck at 6.30pm, when a child and other members of the public
A DOG and two puppies were seized from a house in Blackburn when police executed a dangerous dogs warrant. Officers attended the address in Railton Avenue after Twin Valley Homes had been informed there was a suspected American pit bull, which
A SUSPECTED drink driver asked to provide a police station breath test was ‘considering his options’, a court heard. Burnley magistrates were told how door security operative Albert Brian Buckley, 38, had given a positive roadside test after he
MAYOR of Blackburn with Darwen Zamir Khan has announced the borough’s annual Mayoral Ball will take place at King George’s Hall on Friday, April 12. The money raised by the yearly civic celebration will go to his chosen charities the East Lancashire
A BLACKBURN high school which moved into a new state-of-the art building in September is considering becoming an academy. School bosses at Witton Park High School, in Buncer Lane, met on Monday night to discuss the possibility of breaking free
A MOTORBIKE that was its owner’s ‘pride and joy’ was stolen from a house in Darwen. Police are appealing for information after the theft, believed to have taken place between 8.30pm and 10.45pm last Thursday. Officers said someone broke into
VETERANS are set to be given specialist expert help from psychiatrists after securing a grant from the National Lottery. Almost £10,000 has been handed over to Veterans In Communities (VIC) from Awards For All, to assist up to 22 former servicemen
A PAIR of derelict houses in Darwen that had been empty for three decades will be renovated after being bought by the council. Numbers 16 and 17 Green Street East had caused concern for residents and councillors after becoming eyesores. The
A COUPLE from Blackburn have been left heartbroken after their ‘princess’ died aged just 23 days. Little Ruby Julie Monaghan was born on December 8, weighing a healthy 7lb 3oz, but started having breathing diff-iculties when she was three weeks
EAST Lancashire Hospice has started the new year with a generous donation of £3,477 from Thwaites brewery. Staff nominated the Blackburn-based hospice as the brewer’s charity of the year 2012 after former Thwaites drayman, Roy Aspin, was cared
TWO men who used drugs money to buy a £44,000 car and live a lavish lifestyle have been jailed for more than three years. Mahmoud Jaber, 29, of Arncliffe Avenue, Accrington, and Waqqas Malik, 28, of Pringle Street, Blackburn, appeared at Preston
The Bishop-elect of Free State, South Africa, Rev Dintoe Stephen, will attend tonight’s Praying For The Bishop event at Blackburn Cathedral. He will join Anglicans from Lancashire to pray for the new Bishop of Blackburn to be appointed next month
A 28-YEAR-OLD man butted his sister during a drunken row over a can of beer. Blackburn magistrates heard the woman eventually ran from her house barefooted, in her pyjamas and with blood pouring from her nose. Michael John Slater, of Fowler
A MAN who carried out what a judge called a ‘sustained’ and ‘savage’ attack on a female friend has been given a fourteen year extended sentence. Steven Holt's punishment consists of a nine years jail sentence, with five years extended licence to
BREAST Cancer survivors and charities from East Lancashire are welcoming news that the NHS is considering introducing preventative drugs for high-risk people. If a consultation by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) is successful
FINANCIAL experts are helping East Lancashire’s most vulnerable people break away from the grip of loan sharks. A circle of three social enterprises have entered a ground-breaking partnership to offer solutions for people unable to access finance
A LEAD thief jumped over a back yard wall with his bag of swag and landed in front of two police officers on foot patrol. John Sandon, 30, of Albert Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to theft of lead belonging to Hyndburn Borough Council.
FIRST-time buyers in Blackburn with Darwen need the lowest deposit to get a mortgage in Britain, new figures reveal. They need just £14,470 to start on the housing ladder — just over half the national average of £26,468 and one fifth of the £72,760
AN EAST Lancashire MP is highlighting the plight of struggling pubs. Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said he was backing calls to regulate the relationship between big pub companies and their tenant landlords. Campaigners are urging the government
STAFF at an Accrington family centre called police when a man was seen trying door handles and attempting to enter the building. Blackburn magistrates heard that officers found a hammer hidden inside Paul Lomax’s jacket and he later told them he
A WILDLIFE charity is reminding people they can get involved with its Big Garden Birdwatch. The RSPB is leading the campaign, which aims to identify how many birds of different species are flying into our gardens and parks. Now in its 34th
BLACKBURN MP Jack Straw will tomorrow visit staff at the town’s threatened HMV store after he described the possible closure of the national music and DVD chain as ‘a tragedy’. Yesterday the 92-year-old firm appointed accountants Deloitte as administrator
A WAREHOUSE shift worker was found to be more than twice the limit after he was seen driving 'erratically' on Colne Road, Burnley, a court heard. Allan Henry Sturdy, 29, was breath tested and gave a sample showing 78 micrograms of alcohol in 100
RECENT signing Darren Stephenson is determined score the goals to try and fire Chorley back into the Evo-Stik League Premier Division promotion frame. The Magpies got back to winning ways at the weekend when they beat Blyth Spartans thanks to a Dale
INVESTIGATIONS are under way after a river running between Burnley and Todmorden turned orange for more than two miles. Iron deposits are believed to have left the River Calder rust-coloured from Cliviger to the outskirts of Todmorden town centre
A CARER who was over the drink drive limit was told by Burnley magistrates the consequences could have been catastrophic — for himself or others. The court heard Brent West, 44, gave a test which showed 53 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres
FIRE crews who battled a huge blaze at a convenience store in Burnley returned to the scene to give out safety advice to residents. The Spar shop in Padiham Road was destroyed in a suspected arson attack on January 6. Two crews from Burnley
A CONVICTED burglar who moved homes without telling his probation officer was astonished to find himself dubbed one of East Lancashire’s ‘most wanted’. Robert Metcalf, 21, had made such progress on his probation order that officers were considering
THE makers of Shameless have said they are putting the finishing touches to the finale of the series which will return to screens for the last time in the spring. Jody Latham, who grew up in Colne and now lives in Bacup, is to return to his role
THOSE interested in the history of canals in Burnley can share their stories at events this month. The Burnley Canal Community Project is holding the workshops at Rosegrove Library on Saturday, January 19, 10am-noon. That afternoon the group
A NEW office complex could be created overlooking the River Calder in Padiham if proposals are given the go-ahead. Agents say proposals for the building, in Park Road, could create 20 jobs, if councillors can be convinced of their merits. Currently
YOUNG people are being urged to join in fun activities at Haslingden Library, when it hosts ‘cyber games’ and activities for over 11s on Mondays at 5pm.
MARK McCallister, 32, of Heaton Street, Blackburn, was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £50 costs by Blackburn magistrates after pleading guilty to stealing fragrances worth £58 from Debenhams.
Queen Street Mill Textile Museum, Harle Syke, Burnley will host herbal health practitioners on January 31 at 6pm. The workshop will include a talk, demonstration and class to create your own herbal tea and topical cream.Admission is £9 and booking
FIREFIGHTERS were called to a kitchen fire in a first floor flat in Haslingden. The female occupant in her early 20s was cooking on a grill pan when it caught fire at around 8pm on Monday. The crew used dry powder to extinguish the flames and
COMEDIAN Lee Hurst is bringing his show ‘Too Scared to Leave the House’ to Burnley Mechanics, Manchester Road, on Wednesday January 30 at 8pm. The first 50 customers aged 18 to 24 years to book pay £7.50, full price is £15. Call the box office
THE Sparrowhawk at Fence is holding a Burns Night Supper on January 25 in celebration of the famous Scottish poet, with traditional haggis, and cranachan.
THEODOROUS Sitaras, 21, of Gisburn Road, Blacko, denied theft of a bottle of vodka worth £5.59, from Morrisons, at Burnley Magistrates Court. He will face trial on March 21.
A 63-year-old man was assaulted in the street by a neighbour almost half his age, in a dispute over damage to his car, a court was told. Angry David Shanks, whose partner Joan Hore lived across the road from ‘cocky’ Mumtaz Ahmed, had threatened
THE predictable, party political stance of so many elected representatives in this country is one of the big turn-offs for voters. In the House of Commons and council chambers across the land we see endless bickering on strict party lines. It’s
SIR Bill Taylor has repeated his request to open dialogue with the Rao family ahead of their scheduled visit to Ewood Park on Saturday. Taylor, the ex-Blackburn with Darwen council leader, formed Blackburn United in the summer – an umbrella group for
A DRINK driver who put his job on the line was found with a knuckle duster in his pocket, Burnley magistrates heard. Engineer Trevor Ashworth, 47, had only just started in his employment and did not know if he would be kept on. Ashworth, who
FOUR men have been bailed by police after weekend violence near a Pendle pub. Police were called to Gisburn Road where a brawl had broken out close to the recently-reopened George and Dragon pub, just after 11pm on Saturday. In a six-man fight
Nelson boss Mark Fell believes he now has a squad in place that has the quality required to move the Admirals up the North West Counties League First Division table. The former Whinney Hill manager, who replaced the sacked duo of Robert Grimes and Michael
LAURA Massaro is preparing for one of the biggest tournaments of her career – and she is not even playing in it. The Chorley squash star, who plays for Blackburn side East Lancashire in the North West Counties Squash League, is running her first world
A HOSPITAL support worker died after she took a toxic combination of cocaine and the legal high ‘bubble’ at a house party, an inquest heard. Kelly Moore, 25, who worked at Burnley General Hospital, collapsed on a bed after a party in Russell Terrace
A MINIBUS is being arranged by churchgoers at St Bartholomew’s in Colne who want to attend the licensing of former parish minister, the Rev Tony Rindl, at his new posting in Watford, on Tuesday, February 12.
DANCES of Universal Peace will be hosted by expert instructors at the New Oddfellows Hall in Oxford Street, Todmorden, on Saturday, January 26 from 2pm to 6pm
NUISANCE youths causing trouble in the streets of Burnley’s Brunshaw ward face being arrested if caught by police. Residents in Mitella Street and Lyndhurst Road have complained about groups of teens gathering outside their homes at a recent PACT
NEW Blackburn boss Michael Appleton had his first look at some of his squad as he watched Rovers’ Under 21 side slip to a 3-0 defeat to Everton at Leigh Sports Village. And while he would have been impressed at the tenacious way in which the young Blackburn
A NEW confectioners, Kandy Box pick and mix, is set to open in the former deli in the Post Office Buildings, off Station Road, next to the Council Shop in Barnoldswick.
THE Pendle Prince’s Trust team has announced the dates of three courses. The first 12-week session starts on January 21 and continues until April 12. Another course is from May 20 to August 9 and the final course from September 30 to December
NATASHA Bernadette Anne Moore, 22, of Colne Road, Brierfield, was given a six-month community order, with 100 hours community service, and ordered to pay £100 compensation, by Burnley magistrates after admitting stealing a mobile phone belonging to
HEIDI Parkinson, 40, of Slater Avenue, Colne, has been conditionally discharged for 12 months, with £85 costs, by Burnley magistrates, after admitting stealing perfume from Asda and jewellery from Matalan on December 1.
A SELF-employed contractor from Padiham falsely claimed £20,000 in benefits while working for nearly four years, a court heard. And when he was quizzed by borough council investigators, Kevin Gamble claimed he could not read or write and dodged
CASPIAN Preem Raphael, 21, of Percy Street, Nelson, has been ordered to complete 180 hours community service and pay £100 compensation by Burnley magistrates after being convicted of assaulting Adam Miller.
POLICE in Briercliffe are monitoring parking outside Briercliffe Primary School after complaints from residents that drivers were blocking their driveways.
DAKAR Rally crash victim Justin Birchall has been discharged from hospital. The dad-of-three was left with four broken ribs, neck and back injuries after his support vehicle was involved in a fatal three-car collision in the Peruvian town of Tacna
A THREE-car collision on the M65 caused tailbacks into Nelson last night. The incident happened at 5.10pm when a Renault Laguna, Vauxhall Astra and Peugeot 206 were involved in a crash after Junction 12, heading towards Burnley. One lane was blocked
MIDWEEK lunches at St Bartholomew’s Church, Colne, will resume tomorrow following the festive break, and extra volunteers are wanted to staff the church on Thursday mornings. Volunteers can call Nan Blenkinsopp on 01282 866802.
RESIDENTS in Burnley have raised concerns with police about anti-social behaviour by local youths in Hodder Street, Conway Grove, and Sedburgh Street.
INDIE band Ring Ring Rouge will be appearing at Sanctuary Rock Bar, in Cow Lane, Burnley, this Friday followed, 24 hours later, by rockers Asimov.
STEVEN James Lumb, 55, of Church Street, Stacksteads, who admitted stealing meat products worth £24 from the Co-op, in Bacup, and abstracting £60 worth of electricity, was conditionally discharged for 12 months by Burnley magistrates.
RESIDENTS in Burnley’s Brunshaw ward are invited to a Police and Communities Together meeting every Tuesday, between noon and 1pm, at the Estate Management Board Office, in Brunshaw Avenue.
VOLUNTEERS are being sought to create a residents’ neighbourhood watch group in Burnley. Neighbourhood policing officers are looking for anyone interested in helping the group make use of the Kibble Cabin, in the Lanehead area. Call police on 101
BURNLEY Youth Theatre will stage a performance of Grimm’s Fairy Tales on February 22 and 23, at the Queen’s Park Road theatre. Tickets can be booked on 01282 458655. To find out more about getting involved with the group, call Mandy Precious on
HOMES are to be built on the site of a demolished mill if a plan gets the go-ahead. Great Places Housing Group has applied to build 18 homes on the site at Queens Works, in New Hall Street, Burnley.
PENDLE MP Andrew Stephenson has signed a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons, pledging to honour the victims of the Holocaust, who will be remembered on the worldwide memorial day on Sunday, January 27, which marks the 68th anniversary of the
ACTING Bishop of Blackburn John Goddard has welcomed the European Court decision that a Brit-ish Airways employee suffered discrimination over her Christian beliefs because she wore a cross to work. The Bishop of Burnley spoke out after the judges
ACCRINGTON Stanley have renamed the Crown Ground as the Store First Stadium after agreeing a six-figure stadium and shirt sponsorship deal. Storage company Store First, who have bases in Blackburn and Burnley, have finalised a three-year deal with Stanley
WEST Ham United look to set to admit defeat in their pursuit of Martin Olsson with Blackburn Rovers continuing to price the Swedish international out of the market. The Hammers had a bid in the region of £2million rejected for the left back earlier in
BURNLEY manager Sean Dyche is not expecting to lose any of his out-of-contract stars this month, even if new deals cannot be agreed before the end of the transfer window. First team regulars Lee Grant, Michael Duff, Chris McCann, Martin Paterson, Dean
THE wife of a ‘brilliant and charismatic’ school musical director ‘aided and abetted’ his rape of a student, a court has heard. Michael Brewer, 67, ‘could not keep his hands off at least two pupils and propositioned a third’ during his time at
AN ARMY officer accused of fraudulently claiming nearly £220,000 to send his children to a top public school was living on his own while pretending to be married, a court heard yesterday. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Jolleys, 52, claimed the school
A BLACKBURN sheltered housing scheme is hoping to give older people more of a voice. Staff from Anchor’s St Philips Court, St Philips Street, Blackburn, are part of a national project, in which people over 60 will contribute to the words of a charity
