IF you go down to the farm tonight - prepare to be absolutely terrified... Now I love scaring myself with a late night trip to the cinema to see the latest horror flick or checking myself into the London/York/Edinburgh dungeons - but this really
LAST season in the Championship we were absolutely tremendous defensively, but now we are in the Premier League each week we are playing against international stars and I feel we cannot compete to keep them under control for the 90 minutes. Against
A BLACKBURN charity that delivers hot meals to people in need is going from strength to strength. Shamim Patel, 28, was inspired to set up Food For Thought after ill health forced her to give up her job as an occupational therapist. MORE TOP
THREE 74-metre tall wind turbines could be erected on land near Hoddlesden after a planning application was submitted. Green energy firm Viridis has submitted the proposal to Blackburn with Darwen Council for Hoddlesden Moss. MORE TOP STORIES
HERE’S an advert from 1956 from one of East Lancashire’s highly flying manufacturers at the time. Burco in Rosegrove were showing off their latest washing machines to the housewife, with the news that there was a Burco to ease wash day toil for
PROPOSALS to introduce new laws meaning internet trolls will face up to two years in jail have been welcomed in East Lancashire. The previous maximum term of six months will be quadrupled under the plan to tackle the ‘cowards’ who post abusive
AN East Lancashire teaching union rep has criticised the government for spending £1m on proposals for free schools that never opened. Simon Jones, who represents the regions’ members of the National Union of Teachers, said the figure represented
A DUTCH theatre group is set to work with young people for a special one-off project in the Forest of Bowland. PeerGrouP will be in Newton in Bowland for the scheme called ‘Memories for the Future’, which will culminate in the creation of a time
THE cousin of a Great Harwood soldier, killed in WWI, was attending a military funeral in France today, in which 15 men were finally being laid to rest, 100 years on. Mrs Olive Shorrock, of Blackburn, has been invited to the ceremony by the Army
A LANCASHIRE lad, now living in Australia, is hoping to discover his father’s role at Mullard’s Blackburn during the Second World War. Peter Williams knows his dad Donald worked as a physicist, but has no specific details of his work. Now he
A DRAMATIC phone call led to the postponement of a twinning ceremony at Nelson, with the French town of Criel. A dispute involving the crew of the British Rail Sealink ship, on which the 270 strong French party would have travelled from Calais
BORN during the war, these 14 -year-olds lads were soon to swap the classroom of St Peter’s CE Secondary School, in Blackburn, for the world of work. Our photograph was taken in 1957 and has been sent to Bygones by Trevor Jepson, of Feniscowles
THE oldest Scout troop in Chorley started life in February, 1919 when it was known as Chorley Congregational Sunday School Scouts. It is now Chorley United Reformed Church Scouts and still meets every Friday in the school attached to the church
CHRISTIAN Dior made his name as an haute couture designer with the unveiling of his New Look fashions, directly after World War II. He revelled in the luxury of being able to use as much fabric as he wanted, now that it was no longer rationed.
A COLLECTION of autograph books, dating from the First World War and bought at auction, has prompted author Barbara Fox to delve more deeply. For two of them belonged to a Rawtenstall woman called Nellie Coates, and were signed by her friends and
A NEW primary school could be built in Longridge if a plan for 520 homes is approved at the same time. Barratt Homes has outlined its proposal for the Higgins Brook site off Chipping Lane which it resubmitted to Ribble Valley Council in August.
IN the mid 1880s, two of the best football teams in the world came from Blackburn. The Olympic club became the first northern team to win the FA Cup in 1883, and this was followed by three successive Blackburn Rovers’ victories in the same competition
ONE of the best strikers I listened to when I was a player was Gary Lineker. I remember watching one of his interviews and he said something along the lines of, ‘I’ll make 100 runs just to get one goal’. He was so right. MORE TOP STORIES
A RIBBLE Valley headteacher is taking a break from work due to illness. Janet Malone, of St Mary’s RC Primary School in Langho, has been off work since October 3. An associate headteacher has been appointed to lead the school alongside the
FABRIC poppies handmade by children to commemorate the centenary of the First World War have been flying off the shelves. The students at Waterfoot Primary School, aged seven to 11, have been learning about the conflict while sewing the Remembrance
COMMUNITY campaigners are celebrating a victory after convincing County Hall bosses to slash the speed limit on a ‘danger’ road. Residents in Wilton Street in Barrowford have been successful in their fight to get councillors to reduce the 30mph
OFFICERS in East Lancashire are reminding residents to be vigilant after a spate of break-ins and thefts from vehicles. Last weekend, 26 vehicle crimes were reported across the region after car windows were smashed and property stolen. MORE
AMBULANCE chiefs said there were no ‘adverse incidents’ in East Lancashire due to crews refusing to take on overtime shifts last week as part of a national pay dispute. There were significant delays for some patients, however, which has affected
STUDENTS in Blackburn have elected a full-time students’ union president for the first time in the university’s history. Mum-of-three Nicola Marsden-Clark, 31, was voted in by students at University Centre at Blackburn College. MORE TOP STORIES
A BLACKBURN restaurant is serving up a culinary treat for its customers after buying a 45kg halibut. The huge fish was bought by The Seafood Pub Company which owns the Oyster & Otter in Livesey Branch Road, Feniscowles. MORE TOP STORIES
WHEN David Lewis installed a bird feeder in his garden, an exotic Indian parakeet was the last thing he expected to see visiting it. Part-time van driver and retired bank manager David, from Brierfield, was called to the kitchen by his wife, Joyce
A 13-YEAR-OLD girl was sexually assaulted in Great Harwood. The incident took place at around 5pm on Saturday when the victim was approached by a man in Town Hall Street. MORE TOP STORIES: The attacker is believed to have started a conversation
A 22-YEAR-OLD man and a teenager have appeared before Blackburn magistrates charged in connection with an incident in July in which police vehicles were rammed several times during a pursuit which started in Burnley and ended in Clayton-le-Moors.
A 28-YEAR-OLD diabetic risked driving despite being banned when he ran out of insulin and needles. Blackburn magistrates heard Bernard Martin Holmes had not wanted to wake his partner who was entitled to drive the car. MORE TOP STORIES:
A PENSIONER terrorised his next-door-neighbours after waging a campaign of repeated death threats and abuse, a court heard. Alcoholic Joseph Davies, 67, shattered the quiet of Sagar Holme Terrace, Whitewell Bottom, when he started to make life
A HARD drugs dealer could end up behind bars after admitting a string of offences at Burnley Crown Court. Shane Bower, 23, pleaded guilty to supplying 0.33 grams of heroin last November 13, offering to supply cocaine last November 24 and offering
HAVING overseen an economic recovery that culminated in Burnley being named Britain’s most enterprising town last summer, Steve Rumbelow is a man in demand. The soon-to-be former Burnley Council chief executive has had a hand in projects including
A 59-year-old man has appeared before Burnley Crown Court, charged with a total of 20 historical sexual allegations against two girls. Donald Plumb is accused of 13 counts of indecent assault on a girl and seven allegations of inciting a girl to
A TEENAGER put a brick through the windscreen of a police car to get himself locked up. But Alexander John Jones immediately changed his mind and ran off before he could be arrested. Jones, 18, of Edmund Street, Darwen, pleaded guilty to causing
A CANNABIS dealer found to have £800 of drugs – much of it in 68 bags ready to sell – walked free from court. Damion Thornton, 27, of Newchurch Road, Stacksteads, who has a previous conviction for producing cannabis, was said to be supplying drugs
A FIREFIGHTER was astonished to find a training session turn into a surprise bash to mark his 30 years of service. Friends and family packed into The Swan and Royal Hotel in Clitheroe centre to mark the occasion for watch manager Dave McGrath.
HYNDBURN MP Graham Jones has slammed phone charges to the police non-emergency number. The 101 number costs 15p per call, which the Home Office previously said would ‘reduce the likelihood of it being used inappropriately.’ MORE TOP STORIES
A CYCLING parts manufacturer with plans to build a £2.5million velodrome has announced it will now be Olympic sized. Hope Technologies in Calf Hall Road, Barnoldswick, unveiled its plans for the facility last year, aimed at helping them research
A DRIVER who crashed into three cars while suffering a ‘psychotic episode’ left his van door on the bonnet of another after it was ripped off with the ferocity of the impact. Burnley Magistrates’ Court heard how Steven Anthony McDonnell, 22, who
TRIBUTES have been paid to a former Burnley councillor and well-known community figure after she lost a courageous battle with cancer at the age of 58. Mother-of-three Lynne Briggs represented the Rosegrove with Lowerhouse ward on the borough council
TIMELESS magic is being sprinkled over Colne, as the Muni presents The Sleeping Beauty pantomime. Shorelle Hepkin, from CBBC’s ‘Wolfblood’, takes on the role of Fairy Liquid, Hollyoaks’ Darren John Langford returns to the Muni, this time to play
A 44-year-old man appeared at Burnley Crown Court, accused of historical sexual allegations. Steven Mills, of Belgrave Street, Nelson, is charged with raping a girl under 16 and two counts of indecent assault on a girl under the age of 14 against
BEN Mee believes Burnley have come through their period of Premier League adjustment, and will get better. The Clarets have yet to taste victory after eight games this season, picking up four points from a possible 32 courtesy of draws with Manchester
BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer praised his players for responding positively to his half-time dressing down in last night’s 1-0 home win over 10-man and managerless Birmingham City. Bowyer made it clear before clear kick-off that he wanted Rovers
FORMER England fast bowler Kabir Ali has been released by Lancashire. The Birmingham-born seamer picked up a shoulder injury during the second half of the 2014 season which has limited his action for the Red Rose, and it has now been revealed that
BLACKBURN Rovers moved within three points of the play-offs last night after they ended their four-match winless run by beating 10-man and managerless Birmingham City 1-0 at Ewood Park. A goal, six minutes after half-time, from the in-form Ben
IF John Coleman was looking for a reaction after Stanley’s 2-1 defeat to Stevenage at the weekend then he certainly got it on a cold night at the Store First Stadium. The manager revealed that he had to tell his players a few home truths after
As of 1st October 2014, the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for adults (workers aged 21 and over) will rise to £6.50 per hour – a 19 pence increase on the previous rate set by the Government and the biggest rise since 2008. The new rates of pay for all
ONE in three youngsters in Blackburn and Burnley are living in poverty, according to new research. Almost 35 per cent of children make up families in the two towns living below the poverty line once housing costs are taken into account, it was
AN ex-nurse who looked at internet child porn for 18 months, blamed his perverted behaviour on drink, a court was told. Edward Allen, 47, who had previously worked in the profession for 20 years, was found to be in possession of almost 250 disgusting
A TV entrepreneur has confirmed he is taking back the reins of a £494m East Lancashire private sector business. Matthew Riley, who heads up the Daisy Group, is leading a consortium to buy the company’s remaining 48.5 per cent private shareholding
TABLOID rumours that Reece Bibby could be axed from eight-member boy band Stereo Kicks have been branded ‘utter rubbish’. An article in a national newspaper yesterday said X Factor judge and the band’s mentor, Louis Walsh, was considering chopping
BLACKBURN’S roadworks misery is set to ease before the Christmas shopping rush. Borough highways boss Maureen Bateson hopes traffic chaos will take a seasonal holiday as gift hunters pack the town centre. MORE TOP STORIES: Three key bottlenecks
A TEENAGER who left a university student seriously injured after headbutting him outside an Accrington takeaway, could be facing jail. Oscar Connolly, 19, attacked Ben Clifton in the early hours, after he was said to have held out his hand as if
NATHANIEL Chalobah is eager to impress with Burnley and retain his place in the England under 21 team ahead of next summer’s European Championships. Clarets trio Chalobah, Danny Ings and Michael Keane are all expected to be in the England under
A BLACKBURN man has become an internet sensation after his creative Snapchat drawings gained him hundreds of followers from all over the world. Sajjad Riaz started sending pictures on Snapchat in April and soon realised he had a talent for creating
A NEW Clarets Fanzone proved so popular with matchday punters it sold out of beer in just two-and- a-half hours. More than 500 people visited Turf Moor’s new watering hole in the run-up to Burnley FC’s game against West Ham United on Saturday.
THE East Lancashire mother of Reeva Steenkamp, who was shot dead by paralympic athlete Oscar Pistorius, has said his five-year jail sentence represents justice. June Steenkamp, who was born in Blackburn, spoke briefly to reporters as she left the
ROVERS returned to winning ways last night thanks to man-of-the-moment Ben Marshall’s fifth goal of the season. But Gary Bowyer’s boys made hard work of it against a managerless Birmingham side who played the final half-an-hour with 10 men after
AN East Lancashire woman who won a ‘bonny baby’ competition as a toddler is now hoping to become Miss England. Sharni D’Souza is hoping to shine after reaching the semi-finals of the country’s top beauty competition. She will now compete against
A FORMER police inspector who was cleared of a string of sexual assault allegations has vowed to take legal action against the police and Crown Prosecution Service. Mustaq Patala, 37, said he was determined to highlight what he called ‘institutional
