BLACKBURN Rovers have made two changes for tonight’s Championship clash at home to managerless Birmingham City. One is enforced as centre back Alex Baptiste replaces the suspended Matt Kilgallon who was controversially sent off in Saturday’s 1-
WE should now be seeing the celebrities dividing into two groups, the Strictly Ballroom leapers and the Ballroom Blitz blunderers, the male celebrities are very strong this year, do you think we could end up with an all male final? Frankie &
Blackburn 100 Furness 0 BLACKBURN did their points difference the world of good as they went try crazy against a depleted Furness side on Saturday and racked up a century of points at Ramsgreave Drive. Dino Radice’s side scored a total of 16
AARON Harrison was a knockout success at an East Lancashire bowling club’s annual tournament. Harrison proved to be just too good for his rivals as he took the honours in the in the final of Briercliffe Memorial Bowling Club’s annual knockout members-only
THE REDEEMER showed a touch of class to be crowned champions in a record-breaking Blackburn and Darwen Primary Schools Tag Rugby competition. A total of 21 schools – the best ever turnout – took part in the day-long tournament held at Blackburn
THE Ivy made the most of Rimington’s lack of action to jump back to the top of Division One with a morale-boosting 8-0 victory over Rock Rovers. The Blackburn side were knocked off top spot last week by a rampant Rimington side who ran out 6-3
VETERAN footballers have long been able to talk the talk now they have the chance to walk the walk. A pilot Walking Football scheme for the over 50s in coming to East Lancashire and should it be successful, a permanent league could be launched.
DAVID Lloyd Chorley 1 extended their lead at the top of North West Squash League Division One to 20 points after an emphatic 20-1 victory over Welsh team Saints. The win was all the more impressive as they did it without two of their star players
A YOUTH rugby team has started the season in style after a leading firm of accountants and business advisers agreed to sponsor their new kit. Rossendale Rugby Club’s under 15s team were given the new strip by Haslingden-based Cassons, who already
HUNCOAT ‘A’ will battle it out with Mellor to find out the best school team in Hyndburn and Ribble Valley. Huncoat were crowned Hyndburn champions and will now represent the borough in the Danone Cup run by the English Schools FA. And they
Todmorden table tennis player Megan Shackleton will be hoping to finish the international season on a high next week when she will be one of ten young GB athletes competing in the Cote d’Azure 2014 International Para table tennis tournament in Hyères
IT WAS billed as a man against boy contest and it was the youngster from Burnley who came out on top. What 19-year-old Aaron Hayden lacked in experience, he more than made up for in ring craft and power as he proved to be just too good for 34-year-old
MOST footballers dream of playing for Manchester United – Naomi Hartley has already got there! The 13-year-old Blessed Trinity student has been snapped up by the Red Devils and now aspires to make the next step and play for England. “It is
OCTOBER 11, 2003 ONE year after winning the 1999 National Hill Climb Team Championship on The Rake in Ramsbottom, Blackburn CTC gained another team success on the same hill. Dave Ebbrell, Ian Stott and Carl Helliwell made up the winning Blackburn
COMEDIAN and TV presenter Jason Manford has praised staff at the Civic Arts Centre in Oswaldtwistle. The centre, in Union Road, regularly hosts Manford’s Comedy Club, launched by Jason and his brother Colin to showcase up-and-coming stand-up talent
THE family of a Blackburn man who spent his final days fundraising for a cure for motor neurone disease has vowed to carry on the fight in his memory. Alan Hedges, 67, set himself the target of raising as much money as possible for the Motor Neurone
I’m all for anything that make me feel younger (I’m 46 you know is my catch phrase) so the latest craze to hit East Lancashire is making me feel pretty happy indeed. So while I am thrilled to see Walking Football coming to East Lancashire, I am
A DAD-of-two from Darwen who thought he had missed out at school was singled out for his achievements at a lavish graduation ceremony. Ben Armstrong, 33, received the Ede and Ravenscroft Award for Outstanding Achievement as he graduated from University
A COUNCILLOR will stand down from her position having been elected MP of Heywood and Middleton. Longholme Labour ward coun Liz McInnes is due to resign from Rossendale Council after winning the seat in a by-election on Thursday, October 9. Coun
A TOP government adviser has drawn on RE lessons at an East Lancashire secondary school to help shape the way the subject is taught across the UK. Department for Education policy adviser Lyndsay Walsh visited Haslingden High School and sat in on
CARL Froch says he has ‘big hopes’ for East Lancashire fighter Luke Blackledge after meeting up with his former sparring partner in Gisburn. Froch was at Stirk House as guest of honour for a dinner hosted by Kevin Maree, popping into the hotel’s boxing
A FOREST pre-school available to families in Rawtenstall is in need of £18,000 in order to keep serving the community. Wonderful Little Things, an outdoors activities group run from St Mary’s CE Primary School, can no longer continue providing
LANCASHIRE County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport has defended the council’s decision to work on Pendle’s roads in the winter months. The decision was criticised by Barnoldswick councillor David Whipp, who said that the plans
RESIDENTS who don’t make efforts to recycle will be targeted in a new enforcement drive by Pendle Council. From November 3, the Council’s Environmental Crime team will start visiting areas identified as ‘hot spots’ where extra bags of rubbish are
AROUND 150 people packed the Brierfield Community Centre to hear six young visitors to Pendle give their accounts of growing up in Palestine. Their country is occupied by the Israeli army and this summer, the latest in a string of conflicts between
COUNCILLORS have approved plans to knock down the Edinburgh House YMCA in Clarence Street, Shear Brow. Concerned neighbours are now demanding to know what will be built on the site, once earmarked for the Tauheedul Trust’s Islamic boys’ school
HEALTH chiefs have urgent parents to be vigilant for the symptoms of meningitis after two Blackburn nursery children were taken to hospital with signs of the infection. Both children have since been treated and discharged, but the cases have prompted
FORMER boxer Cornel Sampson entertained members of Business League Network Rossendale with his varied career including working in Prague. Cornel, whose merchant services business provides portable chip and pin devices, discussed the popularity of card
A POINT at Ipswich must not be sniffed at and I certainly would have taken that before the game. And to say that we fought back from a goal down with 10 men does go to show the character and determination the squad now possesses. MORE TOP STORIES
IT would be something of a stretch to describe the weather conditions at Turf Moor last Saturday as balmy, but from somewhere October had contrived to conjure the kind of afternoon which made a mockery of the fact that winter is lurking in the shadows
A DRUGS’ charity said there is ‘no need’ to increase support for drug addicts in East Lancashire, despite official statistics showing death rates for the misuse of drugs have doubled in Burnley and Hyndburn since 2005. As previously revealed by
NHS chiefs will look to roll out the use of video technology to treat more patients at home, after hailing the success of a project in Chorley. Lancashire Teaching Hos-pitals NHS Foundation Trust said their new ‘telemedicine’ service has enabled
IT may not be light years but people travelled from across the UK to hear a former policeman reveal his close encounter with a UFO. Alan Godfrey, 67, is considered to be one of Britain’s most famous witnesses and has appeared in several TV documentaries
A LANCASHIRE health chief has welcomed extra funding for mental health services, saying it recognises the challenges faced by NHS Trusts. The NHS plans to invest a further £120million over the next two years in England, and has announced a five-year
CROSS words. No, not rows and arguments, but I’ve become somewhat of a crossword addict — well maybe addict is too a strong a word. But I find myself looking for the crossword page even before I have read the news. And though there is nobody
A “FIGHTING dog” seen by police being walked unmuzzled by a convicted Burnley drug dealer has escaped a death sentence after its owner, his sister, promised to leave the house they shared. The town's magistrates court heard how Chico, a five-year-old
PEOPLE in East Lancashire planning to enjoy a bonfire this Guy Fawkes Night have been urged to look after their eyes. Opticians said about 300 people a year suffer eye injuries due to carelessness with fireworks with 81 per cent of those injuries
OLDER people from across East Lancashire have been invited to have their say on how the recession has affected their lives at a meeting in Lancaster. The meeting will take place between 9.30am and 12.40pm tomorrow at Lancaster Library in Market
A TWO-day ‘karaoke extravaganza’ has been held in memory of murder victim Jane Clough. The event, at Brierfield Liberal Club on Saturday and Sunday, was to raise cash for abused people via the Pendle Domestic Violence Initiative (PDVI). Jane
PEOPLE in East Lancashire have been urged to recognise health professionals who have made a real difference. Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, the county’s mental health trust, has called for nominations for its annual People’s Choice Award
A STRING of ‘obscene and offensive’ social media messages were sent to students at a Ramsbottom high school – allegedly by a fellow pupil. Police began an investigation after Year 11 pupils at Woodhey High School, in Bolton Road West, were abused
NEW research has suggested that more than half of people in the North West are failing to get their eyes tested regularly. Brian Little, of sight-saving charity Orbis, which conducted the study, said people should be getting their eyes tested at
AN East Lancashire MP has welcomed record adoption figures which have revealed that more children in the region are getting a secure and loving start in life. New figures have shown that more than 5,000 children have been placed in loving, stable
VERSATILE young Blackburn Rovers defender Darragh Lenihan has joined Burton Albion on a month's loan. The Republic of Ireland U21s international, 20, who impressed in a midfield holding role for Rovers in their U21s Premier League draw with Arsenal
A PROLIFIC crook who went on a car raiding spree to fund his amphetamine and alcohol addictions has been jailed for 18 weeks. Burnley Magistrates Court heard how Wesley Andrew, 37, who has 80 offences on his criminal record, helped himself to other
THE shattered family of tragic Oswaldtwistle baby Ava-Jai McInerney said their final farewells yesterday. The ‘constantly smiling’ 14-month-old died of a mystery illness after bravely beating leukaemia. MORE TOP STORIES: Her tiny coffin
A CROOK selling a haul of stolen power tools on eBay was caught after the victim bought some of them and turned up at his door to collect them – with the police. Jonathan Shaw had work equipment worth more than £2,600 taken when his Ford Transit
BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer has called on the football authorities to change the rule that prevents clubs from appealing against sending offs for two bookings. Bowyer thinks it ‘beggars belief’ that Rovers are unable to take their case to
STARGAZERS in East Lancashire are due to be in for an astronomical treat tonight and tomorrow as the Orionid meteor shower is set to light up the sky. Halley’s comet, which perhaps the most famous comet of all, hasn't been seen since the mid-1980s
A CAR is reported to be on its roof following an incident on the M65. The crash happened between junction eight for Accrington and nine for Burnley on the westbound carriageway. MORE TOP STORIES: The accident has now been cleared and lanes
AS Gary Bowyer was addressing the media yesterday afternoon he had no idea of the events taking place 100 miles down the M6. Lee Clark, the then-boss of Birmingham City, tonight’s visitors to Ewood Park, was about to become the ninth Championship
WE had a good start against Manchester Phoenix in the cup on Sunday, but in the end it was a tough one and we lost 12-5. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy because they are an EPL side. We started very well, we had a lucky goal to kick us off
TAKE away the nature of the goals conceded and Burnley played quite well against West Ham United on Saturday. But I’m afraid to say the same old cliches still apply. MORE TOP STORIES: It was certainly ‘a game of two halves’ with Burnley
DEAN Marney is set for a return to the Clarets side next weekend after narrowly missing out on Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to West Ham. While Danny Ings and David Jones returned to face the Hammers after spells on the sidelines, Marney was deemed not
KAL Naismith has been told to take as much time off as he needs by Accrington Stanley after the death of his girlfriend last week. Ashley Dickson, 22, died in Glasgow on Thursday after a battle with a long-term illness. MORE TOP STORIES:
CAMPAIGNERS have called for increased safety measures to curb a steep increase in the number of injuries suffered by cyclists in Lancashire. New data released by Lancashire Police showed there were 127 ‘fatal or serious injury’ collisions in 2013
GYPSY travellers have descended on Colne Sports Centre car park and set up camp. When staff turned up for work at the Crown Way leisure facility yesterday (MONDAY) morning they found twelve caravans and arround twenty cars and vans were found parked
THE dad of Accrington’s X Factor hopeful has called for more people to show their support for a local lad. Sixteen-year-old Reece Bibby’s band, Stereo Kicks, had their fate decided by the judges on Sunday after failing to impress the voting public
TURF Moor will play host to the England Under 21 side in November as they continue their preparations for the European Championships next summer. Gareth Southgate’s young Lions face fellow finalists Portugal in a friendly on Thursday, November
A WOMAN’S beloved pet turtles may have been stolen due to a surge in their popularity caused by the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, an expert has claimed. Samantha Collier, 23, found her unlocked front door partially open on Saturday night,
Devastated family and friends gathered to say their last goodbyes to tragic Olivia Diamond yesterday. The 12-year-old, who lived with her family in Moss Hall Road, Accrington, died of acute myocarditis on Thursday, October 8, four days after falling
HIGH winds this morning caused a fault on overhead power lines leading to a large powercut in the Whalley area. An Electricity North West spokeswoman said 562 homes were left without power for a few minutes at 10am. For information, call 0800
TOP scorer Rudy Gestede admits Blackburn Rovers must start backing up their words with actions. Gestede and his team-mates fully believe Rovers can improve on last season’s eighth place finish and make the play-offs. MORE TOP STORIES: But
OSCAR Pistorius has been jailed for five years for shooting his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp dead on Valentine's Day last year. The amputee athlete, known as the Blade Runner, stood staring straight ahead as Judge Thokozile Masipa announced his sentence
A MAN challenged while trying to steal booze from a supermarket brandished a knife. The incident happened at Tesco in Hill Street, Blackburn, where the man, thought to be in his 20s, took two bottles of alcohol and tried to leave without paying
DOG owners could be fined up to £20,000 if they fail to take action to prevent an attack under new rules. It means that if a complaint about a dog is made to the police or a local authority, owners could be made to carry out safety precautions
EAST Lancashire is expected to be battered by the remnants of Hurricane Gonzalo over the next two days. A weather warning has been issued by the Met Office and motorists have been warned to take extra care as gale force winds arrive from across
Pollution of both the Chor and Yarrow rivers will be investigated after a cash grant was agreed. The rivers will be targeted after conservationists won a grant from United Utilities’ Catchment Wise intervention fund. Groundwork Lancashire West
BURGLARS armed with a wrench smashed their way into a jewellery shop before making off with designer watches. The attackers struck the glass seven times to shatter the display window before reaching through and grabbing the ‘high value’ jewellery
ASHLEY Barnes believes he has proved he can be a goal threat at Premier League level – as he aims to force himself back into the Burnley starting line-up. Barnes was the man to make way for the returning Danny Ings in Saturday’s 3-1 home loss against
