A BUDDING pilot from Pendle is on cloud nine after becoming one of the youngest people in Lancashire to gain his licence to fly solo. Hassan Imtiaz passed his Private Pilot Licence (PPL) test on Tuesday – less than a month after turning 18.
DISABLED rights campaigners have been left ‘unhappy’ after learning conservation rights will prove an obstacle to improved wheelchair access at an historic bank. Blackburn councillor Roy Davies and Elderly Forum Chairman Brian Todd said they “do
CHRIS McCann has been reunited with his former Burnley boss Owen Coyle at Wigan Athletic after departing Turf Moor. McCann opted to leave the Clarets at the end of his contract at the club and after considering a number of offers has now signed a three-year
A LOT has changed in the last two-and-a-half years for Deborah Parkinson. Happily married in 1991 to her childhood sweetheart, Gary, whom she met at the tender age of 15, she worked as a childminder, and later, mother to their three children while
A SEX offender banned indefinitely from using the internet after downloading child porn was found about to go online by staff at Burnley library, a court heard. Russell Wilkinson, 37, who has repeatedly flouted a sexual offences prevention order
A CHILDREN’S music charity has been formed to continue the legacy of a well known singer and guitar player who died suddenly just before Christmas. Peter Haselden, 55, performed with his acoustic guitar in Chapel Street, Chorley, his ‘pitch’ being
‘YOU’RE putting our lives at risk.’ That was the message to speeding motorists as children at a Great Harwood school took part in a traffic-calming exercise. Dozens of children, aged eight and nine, from Our Lady and St Hubert’s Primary School,
HAMSTERS, toads, ring doves, a cockerel and a tortoise or two attended St Mary Magdalene’s School in Accrington, back in 1955. Pet-loving Mr G A Bland introduced more than 30 animals and birds, as well as cold water and tropical fish to the classes
THERE was a modern version of the Roman invasion of Ribchester when a party of tourist VIPs from Rome flew into Manchester on the inaugural flight between the cities in 1974. The party were taken on a day’s outing to the Ribble Valley, with a stop
A NEW skating rink, built on the site of an old one, began rolling in Great Harwood, in 1983. And to see the opening of the Phoenix Rollerama were many people who had skated at the old rink, which closed in the sixties. Jack Galloway spent
THE story of a circus elephant which had to be shot by troops when it went on the rampage has been sent to Bygones by a former resident of Blackburn. Keith Brazendale said: “Older readers will well remember when the circus came to town and the
A JURY examining the fatal shooting of a Burnley police officer have been told that it was usual for shotgunners to cover potential threats inside vehicles when undertaking real-life armed response unit 'strikes'. PC Ian Terry, 32, was shot at
It’s that time of year again when school leavers up and down the country are preparing themselves for the biggest night of the year – prom. Whilst this still seems like quite a new concept in this country, it’s by no means a modern phenomenon.
IN the early 1960s, British beat groups dominated the music scene. The chart successes of iconic bands such as The Beatles, The Searchers and The Bachelors had teenagers reaching for their own guitars to try and make it big, too. This was particularly
THE winter of 1947 was so severe that burials became a problem and pneumatic drills were used to dig vegetables out of the ground. Phyllis Chapples used to push her newborn son Steve the four miles from Nelson to Burnley alongside the railway line
OUR photograph last week of the model aircraft club, which flies high at Pleasington, brought back happy memories by Sue Wilson. For she spotted her late father Frank Nikiel – he was second on the right on the front row – and reckons the picture
BLACKBURN in 1830 was a town where ‘drunkenness and profligacy exceeds belief... public houses are open day and night.’ A London newspaper thus described the town nearly 200 years ago as the beeriest in the country. But things were about to change
The drama of a canal rescue made the front page headlines on this day, when the heroic actions of a 15-year-old boy and two ambulancemen saved a teenager’s life. Leslie Dean, 15, of Peel Close, Blackburn, had fallen into the water at a spot off
IT’S very difficult to criticise any employer who brings work to East Lancashire. And manufacturing jobs in particular are much-needed in these recessionary times. But I do have a problem with the e-cigarette industry which has a strong presence
tHE Leeds and Liverpool Canal is probably the biggest leisure asset that East Lancashire possesses. Its towpath through Blackburn, Hyndburn, Burnley and Pendle attracts walkers, runners, cyclists as well as people who enjoy being afloat on the
Jonathan ‘BJ’ Chela is right to raise awareness of the prisoners detained at Guantanamo Bay (LT, June 18). But your repeated use of the words ‘Cuban jail’ is misleading and false. The prison is an American creation on Cuban territory, illegally
RE: ‘End of an era as Darwen market stall closes after 56 years’ – it’s a sad day when a market trader leaves in this day and age. Our North West markets, apart from the likes of Bury and Bolton, are a shadow of what they once were. I hope
BBC’s ‘The Route Masters’ documentary last week showed just how we repair pot-holes – badly. Traveller, East Lancs.
Coun Roy Davies has slammed the ‘atrocious’ state of a busy Darwen road junction (LT, June 25). Part of the problem here was the way the traffic calming road ‘humps’ or junction tables, or whatever they are officially called, were constructed in
I WAS travelling up Manxman Road, Blackburn, at about 9.40pm on Saturday, June 22. As I approached the speed indicator, I was doing 18mph and I indicated to turn right and started my turn when a silver Vauxhall sped past me and made me brake hard
RE: ‘New life for derelict East Lancashire homes’, I cannot help but wonder if the owners of some of these properties that are derelict now, are thinking to themselves that they are going to get an handout to make improvements. Gladly, it’s not
Government watchdog the Care Quality Commission is supposed to be keeping a careful eye on health institutions on our behalf. Unfortunately, it seems to have not only fallen down on its basic duty but has allegedly been covering up its errors.
Homelessness is a problem in East Lancashire, as it is across the country where it is on the rise at a shocking rate. Rough sleeping has risen nationally by 30 per cent over the past two years. Ten people will sleep rough for the first time
Only once – and that was in a report that the French government had passed the law allowing same-sex marriages – have I read that it was an EU directive. Why has no mention of this directive been made here? Was our Prime Minister who fought so
A GROUP of writers have donated £1,000 to Rossendale Hospice. Rossendale Writers’ Group handed over a cheque to fundraising manager Sam Morris. The group, made up of writers from the Rossendale, Accrington, Oswaldtwistle, Blackburn and Rochdale
LANCASHIRE doctors have backed a vote of ‘no confidence’ in health secretary Jeremy Hunt. Representatives at the British Medical Association’s ann-ual meeting passed the motion with an ‘overwhelming majority’, accusing Mr Hunt of leading an ‘ideological
A hotel in Mellor has been awarded a ‘Five Bubbles’ rating and an outstanding review for its spa. Stanley House Hotel and Spa was reviewed by the Good Spa Guide which scored on elements such as customer care, treatments and cleanliness. It was
MILLIONS of pounds in support is being offered to businesses in East Lancashire in a bid to create and safeguard hundreds of jobs. Boost Business Lancashire (Boost) is the name of the new £7.2m Lancashire Business Growth Hub, which has been developed
A COLLEGE student is diving straight into the deep end after completing her degree in contemporary fashion. Lauren Dwyer, 23, has set up her own company selling swimwear and is hoping to see her designs within the pages of Vogue magazine. The
PREPARATIONS are well under way for two celebrations of the region’s waterways this summer. Blackburn and Burnley will both hold their own festivals on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal to commemorate the huge importance they played in establishing
CONSTRUCTION students celebrated success at the annual Accrington and Rossendale College Construction and Technology Awards evening held at Accrington Town Hall. Darren Eccles, head of Construction & Technology, gave the introductions, while
HUNDREDS of prospective apprentices flocked to an event at Accrington Town Hall, where a range of apprenticeships and training places were up for grabs. Youngsters aged 16-24 spoke to employers and training providers to get expert advice and one-to-one
COUNCIL chiefs today warned further big cuts in their budgets could have ‘devastating’ consequences as Chancellor George Osborne prepared to announce the result of his Whitehall spending round. As they braced themselves for a further eight to ten
A FIVE-car collision saw a motorway closed for the second time in two days. The crash on the M66 just before 8am yesterday happened one day after another accident on the same section of road. None of the five drivers or any passengers were
A ROW has broken out between Labour and Tory councillors over who was responsible for Accrington’s ‘superloo’ – which cost taxpayers £18 every time someone spent a penny. The Lancashire Telegraph reported last week how the self-cleaning unisex
BIRD enthusiasts from across East Lancashire are being asked to help halt the decline of the UK’s most acrobatic and spectacular birds. Swallows, swifts and house martins have all decreased in number over the past 30 years because of pesticides
TRAVELLERS who rolled their campervans on to a patch of spare land in Great Harwood have been told to attend court today The travellers parked their vehicles on council-owned land in Shaftesbury Avenue a week ago, said a nearby resident. A total
AN EAST Lancashire employment expert has welcomed news that the government is extending a scheme exempting small businesses from red tape. Business minister Michael Fallon announced the existing exemption on new regulation for businesses with less
CABLING provider Concordia Technologies has announced the launch of a new catalogue that will demonstrate the company’s ‘new, far wider product range’. The Burnley-based company is capitalising on its acquisition of Appliversal in 2012 by including
RESIDENTS at Addison Court care home, Accrington, enjoyed a nostalgic afternoon thanks to wartime vocal troop, Land Girls. The singers perform in community settings to raise money for the Sue Ryder charity. They serenaded residents with ‘hits from
A TRAMPOLINING fundraising campaign is urging children across Lancashire to help Cystic Fibrosis sufferers this week. The scheme to promote the health benefits of trampolining for young people is being promoted across the county. Children from
A NEW hospice dedicated to providing respite and end-of -life care for young adults hopes to plug the gap in provision in the region. The Life Now charity, formed by former Blackburn church leader, the Rev George Thomas, is looking at sites in
A PROJECT that provides support and activities for families with disabled children is looking to expand into the Ribble Valley. The AllTogether Social Trust, which is based in the enterprise centre at Blackburn Rovers, encourages families to socialise
A CONTROVERSIAL fence will be allowed to stay after Lancashire County Council discovered that it had been built on private land. A row erupted over the fence with neighbouring residents complaining they were no longer able to park their cars on
CLITHEROE Royal Grammar School's Commemoration Day Service takes place today. In a ceremony which dates back to 1622, the staff, governors, and invited guests, including the Mayor of Ribble Valley, will travel down Church Street with staff and
CUBS from Whalley will be shown Clitheroe’s town regalia when they visit the town hall on Thursday, June 27. Boys and girls aged seven to ten will be shown around the building by town mayor Coun Kevin Horkin and learn about the regalia’s history
A TEACHING assistant in Clitheroe has recorded her first album in aid of the Salvation Army. Laura Smithies, 34, who works at St James CE Primary School, has sung all her life in clubs, at weddings and charity functions whilst also organising the
GARY Bowyer received many messages of congratulations when he was appointed as Blackburn Rovers permanent manager last month. Among those to get in touch were two current England internationals, Phil Jones and Tom Huddlestone. They had not forgotten
THERE are still places left to take part in a classic cars showcase at Clitheroe Castle on Saturday, July 27. The cars will be on display in the area at the foot of the castle keep. There will be displays in the Pendle Hill room of long- forgotten
WALES have had few servants as loyal and as proud as Brian Flynn. Despite making Burnley his home since his teenage years Flynn remains a proud Welshman. He played 66 times for his country, was assistant manager with the under-18s, coached the under
A BURNLEY man who stole a charity collection tin has been jailed for 16 weeks. David Gerald Harward, of Albert Street, also admitted stealing £900 in cash from a town centre bar. He was already serving a suspended sentence for a burglary, handed
A SHOPLIFTER from Burnley has been given a suspended jail sentence after he admitted five thefts. Robert Paul Jackson, of Colne Road, to Burnley Magistrates' Court he stole £44 of chocolate from B&M Bargains on June 1. He also pleaded guilty
WORK to end the traffic jam ‘nightmare’ at the M65 roundabout, between Guide and Belthorn, will take place next year boosting Blackburn with Darwen’s housing and industrial development plans. The Highways Agency, supported by the borough and Lancashire
AT a time when disability benefits are being hotly debated, a woman who suffered a stroke at 33 has proved it’s no handicap to finding a job. Sharon Slack, 47, from Intack, also has Dystonia, a neurological disorder which causes her to shake uncontrollably
HEALTH chief Mike Ions was impressed with the recent inspection of Burnley General Hospital. A team of inspectors visited the hospital earlier this month as part of a probe into mortality rates. Mr Ions, chief clinical officer for East Lancashire
AN IMAGINARY railway adventure is set to depart from Queen Street Mill (QSM) in Harle Syke, Burnley next month. From Rose Grove to Darjeeling is an exhibition of black-and-white photographs taken by local photographer, designer and steam enthusiast
SELRAP, the campaign group that calls for the reinstatement of the railway line linking Colne with Skipton, has named a new high-profile patron. Richard Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Worcester, met members of SELRAP’s executive committee in Skipton
PENDLE Leisure Trust’s Out and About team has joined up with the Colne-based Walkers Are Welcome group to organise a mini-walking festival. Organiser Wayne Bowman said the aim was to showcase the walking opportunities in and around Colne. There
AN addict who was growing cannabis worth £26,000 told police it was all for his own use – and he was surprised at how successful he had been. Burnley Crown Court heard that Alex Robinson, 22, was found cultivating 11 ‘huge’ plants in a large front
A MUSICIAN from a Colne band has been left heartbroken after his prized guitar was stolen. Robert Style, 24, lead guitarist with Emmott and the Folkestra, was given the Crafter Electro Acoustic guitar as a gift from his aunt and uncle. It was
THREE East Lancashire swimmers will be aiming for medals in the British Championships this week. Daniel Sliwinski, Ryan Bennett and Josh Walsh are all in action at the event in Sheffield which starts today. The highly-rated Sliwinski, who hails from
FOUR people have been arrested on suspicion of helping a Burnley fugitive evade justice for four years. Officers from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, Lancashire Constabulary and the Serious Organised Crime Agency raided three houses
THE Mayor of Rossendale flew the flag for the Armed Forces at St Mary’s Gardens, Rawtenstall. The special ceremony, held on Armed Forces Day, was led by Mayor Coun Amanda Robertson. It took place at Rawtenstall Memorial Gardens, and was also
PEOPLE going to Bacup and Stacksteads Carnival are being asked to donate a tin or packet of food on Sunday. For the fete’s 60th anniversary and organisers chose the RAFT Foundation as its chosen charity. Chairman David Morris said: “We are
A COURT building where some of Rossendale's most notorious villains faced justice is set to go under the hammer. With bids starting at £150,000, the building at St Mary’s Chambers, Rawtenstall, could go to any bidder who can foot the bill.
VISUAL art and design students showcased their work at a celebration of their success over their two-year course. A Level textiles, graphic design, digital photography and fine art students at St Mary’s College, in Blackburn, put on a display of
SIXTH form songstress Jade Jones is to play at Cambridge Folk Festival alongside the likes of The Waterboys, KT Tunstall and the Levellers. Since it began in 1964, 10,000 people have descended every year on Cherry Hinton Hall to watch an eclectic
WORK has begun on a Blackburn Islamic education centre which was formerly the Dog Inn in Revidge Road. The pub was bought by a committee of 12 Bengali households in 2011 to be transformed into a madresah. But controversy arose when renovation
GARY Bowyer thinks Todd Kane can go on to secure further England honours after bringing the defender back to Ewood Park on a season-long loan deal. Kane will officially start his loan at Rovers on July 1 after impressing during two temporary spells for
THE Ribblesdale League team can put down another marker as to the strength in depth of the competition by reaching a second successive Readers Inter-League Knockout final next month, according to one of the three men charged with picking the squad. Ian
GENEROUS donations are needed to help support services for the elderly. Accrington’s Age UK shop in Whalley Road are hoping people will donate cash and goods. The shop has launched an appeal to raise awareness of a new easy to use text donation
BABY food nine months past its ‘best before’ date has been taken off the shelves of Burnley’s Tesco store. Environmental officers from Burnley Council visited the store yesterday following a complaint from a shocked mum who discovered jars of ‘
AN MP is urging constituents to join a debate on how the government affects family life. Graham Jones said he feared mums and dads were not spending enough time with their children due to a lack of support. He said issues like paternity pay
OLDER people are being offered a place on a free course aimed at reducing accidents involving the over 65s. The course has been developed by Lancashire County Council to boost confidence and improve safety for older people. The number of under
A 52-YEAR-OLD man ended up clashing with police when he tried to encroach on a part of Blackburn being used to make a film about the troubles in Northern Ireland. Blackburn magistrates heard drunken Lance Cook lived in Stansfeld Street where the
THE Clitheroe Age UK shop is appealing for volunteers and unwanted items.
A BIKER Brew and Breakfast event will be held on Saturday at Knowle Green Congregational Church from 9am to noon. All bikers are welcome to the free event.
A FUN day is being held at Blacko playing field to help raise money for the Sam Shaw Appeal. The event, on Friday at 3.15pm will feature face painting, a cake stall, hair braiding, bouncy castle, a balloon race and a tombola.
A VINTAGE, antiques and collectables fair is set to be held on Saturday at Downham village hall. The event, in aid of Cross Roads Care Ribble Valley, will take place from 10am to 4pm. Admission is £1 and includes a raffle ticket. For more information
READ Commercials gave this vintage double-decker Routemaster bus a warm ‘welcome home’ after discovering it was manufactured in Blackburn. The bus was built by Blackburn firm East Lancashire Coach Builders in the 1960s and has belonged to Warrington
MILL Hill Community Centre has launched a class that offers a novel way to get fit whilst having fun. The dance a size classes run every Wednesday at the centre on New Chapel Street from 6.30-7.30pm and is open to everyone of any ability to attend
LUKE Maher, 25, of Union Road, is facing trial on September 18, at Burnley Crown Court. He denied burglary at Dill Hall Lane, in January, and theft of a BMW. He was bailed on condition he does not contact his co-accused.
QASIM Dar has been given backdated permission by Blackburn with Darwen planning committee to continue to use his premises Chester Chicken at Copy Nook in Audley as a hot food takeaway. He was also allowed to provide a first floor seating area with
A NEW charity shop in Clitheroe is appealing for volunteers and donations. Clitheroe Mayor, Kevin Horkin, opened the shop in Swan Court on Wednesday as part of his drive to raise £100,000 for charity during his mayoral year. For more information
A NEW group to unite women of different faith communities could be coming to Lancashire. Anjum Anwar, dialogue development officer at Blackburn Cathedral, wants to replicate the Leicestershire based Muslim Christian Women's Network in the county
BLACKBURN with Darwen’s Older People’s Forum will be holding a public event to encourage better understanding of immigration in the area. They hope to breakdown barriers between different communities and remove myths that surround immigration and
AN event aimed at helping digital businesses in Lancashire understand how to find, attract and retain talent takes place tonight. Lack of digital skills is the number one obstacle to business growth in the North West, according to a recent survey
FAMILY and friends have paid tribute to a ‘tirelessly caring’ multiple sclerosis sufferer who did everything she could for others despite her illness. Carol Glover, 49, of Knowl Gap Avenue, Haslingden, became one of the founding members of Rossendale
A ‘HEARTLESS’ fraudster who conned two pensioners out of their life savings has been sent to prison. ‘Ruthless’ William Loveridge charged Vincent Cheetham, 78, £21,000 to build a conservatory and toilet in his back yard, which he left unfinished
ST Aidan’s Nursery children will join a sponsored ‘Taddle Waddle’ around Mill Hill on Friday, to raise funds for the Meningitis Trust.
THE Swing Commanders are set to perform at St Nicholas church hall, Sabden, on Thursday July 4. The gig will take place from 7.30pm, with tickets costing £10. For more details, call 01200 425629.
LONGRIDGE Band’s Midsummer proms Concert runs at the Civic Hall on Saturday, July 13, from 7.30pm. Tickets cost £8 and are available from the Post Office, Conservative Club and Ribble Valley Tyre and Auto Services.
THE ordination of the assistant curate of St Mary Magdalene, Clitheroe, Rev Andrew Whitehead, takes place on Monday, June 29. The service, to be held in the church, starts at 7pm and will last an hour.
THERE will be a short guided tour of Corporation Park, Blackburn, led by Emma Fielding on Sunday, July 7 at 2.30pm – meet at the main entrance on Preston New Road.
ORGANISERS at the Mill Hill Community Centre have put out a call for volunteers to run street dancing classes over summer for young people in the area. They are looking for people with dance experience to run a class at least once a week. Anyone
AEROSPACE giant BAE Systems is holding several events this weekend for Armed Forces Day. The company, which has around 175 reservists working across its national workforce, said the events will give staff the opportunity to think about their support
The next step towards making Darwen’s planned £12million village for older people a reality will take place in the next week. The application for planning permission for the 119-apartment complex will be made before the end of the month. Borough
DAVID Dunn believes lessons are finally starting to be learned at Blackburn Rovers – insisting there must be no return to the ‘tit for tat’ power struggles of last season. Dunn has put pen to paper on a new one-year contract at the club and says stability
HOPSTAR Brewery in Darwen will sell its Armed Forces Ale around the town on Saturday. This week is Armed Forces Week, and the national Armed Forces Day will take place on Saturday. Events are planned across the country to celebrate and honour
DARWEN Leisure Centre hosts a spinning class at 12.15pm today. Call 01254 874900 for details.
A NEW exhibition of natural history photographs has gone on display at Darwen Library until July 12.
ARTY retiree Gail Burdett is exhibiting some of her arts and crafts at Darwen Library, Knott Street. The display will run until August 2 and most items are up for sale. Everything is handmade by Ms Burdett who has also recently held an exhibition at
AVONDALE Primary School, Darwen, held its ‘Infant Sports’ event this week, when Blue team won with 402 points. Children from the school created posters advertising the event and these were posted on the school’s Twitter account.
DARWEN Spiritualist Church, in Hawkshaw Avenue, will welcome guest medium Val Cunningham on Saturday at 7.30pm. Entry is £2 and everybody is welcome.
PLANNERS at Blackburn with Darwen Council have been asked to discharge eight planning conditions relating to drainage and landscaping concerning land at Halley Road, in the Sunnyhurst area of Darwen, by applicants Hampshire Helmn.
MOTORISTS were left waiting on the M65 after a car crashed through the central reservation, and onto the other side of the road. The accident, which happened at 9.40am on Monday, involved a silver Volkswagen Polo which was heading east towards
MARTIN Paterson has been promised a central role at Huddersfield Town after confirming his Burnley exit. Paterson was speaking to six clubs to decide his future after returning from honeymoon, and has joined the Terriers on a two-year contract with an
EAST Lancashire journalist and broadcaster Tony Livesey has left his role as sports presenter on the BBC’s North West Tonight programme after seven years. He is to take up a new role as current affairs editor at BBC One’s The One Show. He blamed
A CHURCH in Tockholes which dates back to 1662 has completed a £12,000 renovation. Work at the Tockholes United Reformed Church, whose current building was constructed in the 1880s, began in February and saw four pews at the back of the chapel
PEOPLE braved the cold to enjoy the sights and sounds of the Proms in the Park in Great Harwood. More than 200 music lovers turned out to listen to the Slaidburn Silver Band play favourites including ‘Jerusalem’ and ‘Land of Hope and Glory’.
A FOOD van driven by the Healthy Living charity will be stopping at various locations in Darwen tomorrow today and tomorrow. The van aims to visit sheltered accommodation and community centres where residents struggle to access affordable fruit and
A MEMORIAL bench has been placed in the grounds of a high school to celebrate the life of a former pupil. Pupils in year 11 at St Augustine’s RC High School in Billington created a cafe in school and made cakes and biscuits which were sold to collect
FLAGS were raised in front of town halls across East Lancashire in the run-up to Armed Forces Day, this Saturday. Among those who marked the event, at 11am yesterday, were dignitaries and schoolchildren in Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, and Rawtenstall
