OUTLYING areas and villages around East Lancashire are set to get a massive does of culture over the next few months. Spot On Lancashire has announced its new programme offering music, comedy and the arts at venues which are not on the mainstream
PETER Grant, the manager of Led Zeppelin, perhaps the most successful rock band of all time, was a towering personality whose dedication to Zeppelin helped make them seventies superstars. Now his son Warren, who manages Hats Off To Zeppelin, and
THIS week I feel it is most appropriate to preview one of the locality’s premier events. The Pendle Beer Festival is undoubtedly one of the finest beery celebrations in the north of England. Now in its eleventh year, the festival, superbly run
NEXT Saturday, Darwen Library Theatre hosts the first of its regular monthly comedy nights – and the man behind the event can’t wait. “The Library Theatre is the perfect venue for a comedy club.” said Rob Riley. “Theatres are great for comedy
VEHICLE owners are being urged to take extra care in Blackburn following an increase in break-ins. Police said they had seen a spate of vehicle crime at the DW gym, Soccerdome and store, in Haslingden Road. MORE TOP STORIES: PCSO Georgina
A MAN who punched his sister in the face in a pub has pleaded guilty to assault. Gavin Geoffrey Duckworth had previously been subject to a restraining order in relation to Amanda Shaw. MORE TOP STORIES: But he attacked her when they met
BLACKBURN-born actress Wendi Peters will star in a new touring production of the satirical musical Oh What A Lovely War which comes to Manchester Opera House in February. Best known for playing Cilla Battersby in the nation’s favourite soap Coronation
HAVE you heard the one about the stand-up comedian touring the country doing shows for nothing? No, it is not a joke - that is exactly what New York comedian Lewis Schaffer is doing with his Free Until Famous tour which comes to Burnley Mechanics
A LEARNER driver who crashed into another car ran off after checking the woman motorist was all right. Blackburn magistrates heard that provisional-licence holder Rizwan Khan Iqbal was eventually traced through DNA found on the airbag of the car
A CHARITY has drawn upon the artistic talents of East Lancashire celebrities for the launch of its latest fundraiser. Coronation Street stars Julie Hesmondhalgh, from Accrington, and Edenfield’s Antony Cotton are among those backing Epilepsy Action
PARENTS in East Lancashire are being ‘locked out’ of home ownership because it takes almost a decade to save for a deposit, a housing charity has warned. Research by Shelter said couples with one child in Blackburn with Darwen would need an average
A KIND-HEARTED Haslingden schoolgirl had a foot of her hair chopped off for charity. Amelia Hambleton, 12, donated her blonde donated her blonde ponytail to make a wig for a child fighting cancer. MORE TOP STORIES: The youngster has already
UK based Spiroflow Ltd, leading manufacturer of conveying and weighing systems for companies across the world, has celebrated the latest exciting stage of its expansion strategy with a launch event to mark the opening of its new state of the art Technology
A TEAM of swimmers are set to splash out in aid of hospice care when they cover the distance of English Channel. The Pendleside Paddlers, Chris Wallace, Paul Emmott, John Wri, Lauren Wilkinson, Jo Brown and Kristian Cavanagh are taking part in
RE: THE start of the general election campaign and David Cameron’s refusal to take part in a television debate unless the Green Party is also invited. I don’t trust Mr Cameron’s motive but I agree the Greens should take part. I want to hear all
RE: £5 MILLION Blackburn Muslim primary school plan to get go-ahead – despite dozens of objections (LT, January 21). As this proposed development is for Muslim girls only, does this herald the return to other ‘faith’ schools in Blackburn? Will
RE: LETTERS, Not enough hospital beds (LT, January 20). ME Bysh from Darwen writes Royal Blackburn Hospital was built by a private finance initiative costing £113 million. It will be repaid over 30 years and will cost near £800 million. Thanks to the
WHEREVER did Elaine Whalley get the idea that I said that doctors and nurses are idle and lazy? (Letters, January 19, The health staff are not lazy). I did not use those words or even imply them. My contention is that technology and paperwork have
RE: CLARETS star Danny Ings backs new scheme to raise awareness of dementia I am so pleased they are going to introduce the yellow butterfly for dementia patients (LT, January 16). It can’t come soon enough. My husband was diagnosed eight years
RE, £2 MILLION Blackburn Islamic girls boarding school gets go-ahead Religious schools are the path to social division. As the country overall thankfully turns away from traditional religion, becoming more secular, we have political leaders quoting
WHEN the trust which runs Blackburn and Burnley’s hospitals plunged into special measures in 2013, inspectors said a shortage of doctors and nurses was a major worry. They pointed to the deficit leading to a ‘poor standard of care’. The trust
A FLEET of far out camper vans are set to become the latest groovy additions to the Rossendale 60s Festival. The inaugural Rally In The Valley will feature in this year’s festival alongside a hippy fancy dress night and a film exhibition at The
ALMOST 30 jobs could be created in Rossendale after housing group Calico unveiled plans for a specialist dementia care home. The Burnley-based organisation has earmarked land off Market Street, Shawforth, for a 28-bed home to replace its existing
BURNLEY MP Gordon Birtwistle is hopeful that the latest phase of the town’s renaissance will bloom after plans for the new Vision Park were approved. Proposals to bring 12,000 square metres-worth of manufacturing and office space to land behind
GIANT ‘human body parts’ will fill Towneley Hall in an exciting new family exhibition. The Generation AIR exhibition has been inspired by human biology and the inflatable cells and organisms that depict the human body will be arriving in Burnley
IF you would like to see your pictures featured in the Lancashire Telegraph, email them as jpegs to: neil.johnson@nqnw.co.uk PICTURESQUE: John Mullen took this picture at Foxhill Bank Nature Reserve, Oswaldtwistle END OF DAYS: Nigel Cowking
A GLUTEN free food fair will be staged in the Ribble Valley this weekend, as the East Lancashire Coeliac Group stages its first event in seven years. Organisers are hoping hundreds will turn out to Billington & Whalley Brass Band Club on Saturday
SAMUEL Cunningham, 19, of Havelock Close, St Helens, was remanded on bail until March 4 by Blackburn magistrates after pleading not guilty to assaulting Tiffany Davies.
A PLOT of land earmarked for a new superstore has been cleared ahead of construction. The land, in Whalley Road, Clitheroe, is due to be the site of a new Aldi store after permission was granted by Ribble Valley Borough Council last year. It
BLOOD donors are being urgently sought in Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley after health chiefs found stocks diminished after the festive period. East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has joined forces with NHS Blood and Transplant to support
YOUTHS have been causing a nuisance for people living in the Little Harwood area of Blackburn, police said. They have received complaints about the disruption from residents in Laburnum Road and Providence Street. Anybody with information should
MINHAZ Patel, 21, of Revidge Road, Blackburn, was remanded on bail by Blackburn magistrates after pleading not guilty to driving while disqualified and without insurance.
SCHOOL children are being given the chance to run Blackburn’s The Mall shopping centre next month. It is part of a nationwide initiative that is being supported by the Office of the Children’s Commissioner. MORE TOP STORIES: The Mall Takeover
WHEN Betty Boothroyd became the first-ever woman Speaker of the House of Commons in 1992, it was a foolish MP who tried to cross her. She’d been toughened up to survive in the male world of British politics by our own, equally formidable, Barbara
THE Lancashire Council of Mosques has condemned the Paris killings over satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo’s publication of pictures of the prophet Mohammed. Three Islamic militants murdered 17 people, including eight journalists, in a killing spree
THE Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals have boosted the number of doctors on their wards by 25 since being placed in special measures, although health bosses are concerned about the high numbers being employed through agencies. In April
MORE apprenticeship fairs at Accrington Town Hall are planned by Hyndburn Council after more than 300 young people attended the latest event. The next one could be during the school Easter holidays followed by another in the summer. MORE TOP
HYNDBURN dog owners will get an opportunity to get your dogs micro-chipped for free next month before it becomes compulsory next year. From April 6, 2016 micro chipping will be compulsory for all canines in England. The borough council’s dog warden
TWO Hyndburn shops have applied to erect new signage. Lidl, in Hyndburn Road, Church, wants to put up three illuminated and three non-illuminated signs bearing the store’s name. Meanwhile Canary Divers has submitted proposals to Hyndburn Council
THE owner of a Grade II listed building in Accrington has applied to make alterations and build an extension. Joe Boyd, of High Riley Cottages in Sandy Lane, wants to replace a conservatory with an extension. He is also seeking consent to make
A SPECIALIST prom event is set for next month at a Hyndburn hotel designed for teenagers gearing up for glamorous functions later in the year. The Prom Fayre events will be taking place from 11am – 4pm on Sunday, February 8 at the Mercure Dunkenhalgh
SARAH Swindley may be a staunch champion for women’s rights at work, but when she goes home to her all-male family, she only has Jess, her pet Jack Russell, as an ally. She admits her work with abused and troubled women could make some a tad anti-men
MEMBERS are being sought wanted to join the Civic Arts Centre’s Scrabble Club. The group will next meet at 1pm on Thursday, February 12. The monthly club meets at the centre, in Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, with members treated to tea and coffee
THE Official Accrington Stanley Supporters’ Club has elected Nick Westwell as its new chairman. The club, which has 62 members, will launch an initiative to bring that number closer to 100 in the coming weeks. The next meeting will take place
PLANS to upgrade the definitive byways map, by upgrading a footpath in School Lane, Edgworth, to a bridleway, and including a stretch in Church Meadows, Belmont, after thought by North Turton Parish Council, will be considered by the authority at Blackburn
THIS evening Darwen Music Projects welcome Mat Walklate and Paulo Fuschi to Number 39 Hopstar Brewery Tap, Bridge Street, from 9pm. Mat Walklate is one of the UK’s finest harmonica players and Paulo Fuschi is an acclaimed Manchester-based guitarist
BOARD members at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust haeld an executive “away day” in Darwen. The trust spent £100 to hire a room at the ELFS Shared Services office, off Mary Leaver Way,. They discussed committee structure, directors’ portfolios
A LETTER from the town of Darwen expressing sadness and outrage at the assassination of Abraham Lincoln will feature in an exhibition marking the 150th anniversary of the US Civil War President’s death. Town Mayor Trevor Maxfield was amazed to
A MUSIC quiz is to be held at a pub in Worsthorne on Sunday. Prizes for those taking part in the brainteaser at the Crooked Billet include a gallon of ale. Chilli and sandwiches will also be served. The quiz will start at 6pm. The venue
LANCASHIRE Police has promised to continue to tackle drink-driving in East Lancashire. It comes as statistics reveal almost 1,500 breath tests were carried out across the region throughout December 2014, as part of their annual crackdown on people
PENSIONERS Eileen Greenhalgh and Alan Hawthornthwaite prove that you are never too old to dance — or find love. The couple, 82 and 78 respectively, are engaged to be married. But before they discuss any wedding plans they are aiming to dance their
A £95,000 grant will give Blackburn College’s new £5 million motor vehicle centre students key experience to pursue successful careers in the automotive industry. The cash came from educational charity the Edge Foundation. The college’s Regional
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PACEMAN Kyle Jarvis says rediscovering his confidence will help him make a better impression with Lancashire. The Zimbabwe star has struggled for form and fitness since moving to Old Trafford in August 2013. MORE TOP STORIES: But the 25
FORMER Blackburn Rovers striker DJ Campbell admits he was pushed to the brink of retirement as he fought to clear his name. Campbell was arrested in December 2013 as part of a National Crime Agency probe into alleged spot-fixing in football and
EAST Lancashire co-driver Daniel Barritt aims to steer Welsh ace Elfyn Evans towards a podium finish this year as the dynamic duo gear up for the 2015 World Rally Championships. The clock is already ticking towards the opening leg – at the Rallye
JAMES Anderson believes talk of a sledging epidemic in cricket is being overplayed, with the problem no worse than it has ever been in the game. England’s Burnley-born seamer also played down talk of introducing a card system, something his England
ONE of the biggest events in the Rossendale sporting calendar will take place on Sunday, May 24 – the Rossendale Triathlon. This year will be the 10th anniversary of the popular race which consists of a 400m swim in Marl Pits Pool, a 21km cycle
BLACKBURN Harriers starlet Morgan Angland had a brilliant outing at the Northern Athletics Championships in Sheffield. Her time of 8.99 seconds in the U17s women’s 60m hurdles was not only a personal best but it also broke a club record and earned
BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche says Stephen Ward and Matt Taylor will not be ready to return from injury in time to face Sunderland next weekend. Ward had been a regular at left back before fracturing his ankle at the start of December, while Taylor has not
ORGANISERS of the only 10k race in Blackburn are expecting a record entry. This year’s Winter Warmer 10k, which is preceded by a 2k junior race, takes place at Witton Park on Sunday, February 9. Registration takes place from 9am at the Pavilion
Mike Delap I’D be open to the possibility of playing Jordan Rhodes up front on his lonesome because it would present an opportunity for players like David Dunn and, in particular, Tom Cairney to influence a game more centrally. It could also
After twice seeing a two-goal lead slip last week, should Sean Dyche make any changes to his Burnley side for the trip to Sunderland? Andrew Greenwood No. What we’ve been doing in recent weeks has, in the main, been working. Why go back
PROUD Eric Kinder praised his Blackburn Rovers side after they sealed their place in the semi finals of the U21s Premier League Cup with a 1-0 win over Newcastle United at St James’ Park. Newcastle had lost only one game all season prior to Tuesday
PERFORMING at the Albert Hall and being awarded a top music qualification has formed the backdrop to a Clitheroe student’s last 12 months. Ben Fourie, 16, is looking forward to a jam-packed 2015 after taking to the stage alongside TV choirmaster
POLICE are seeking a man with links to Blackburn who is sought for recall to prison, and on suspicion of theft offences. 43-year-old David Kean, also known as Cochrane, is wanted for failing to comply with the terms of prison release licence.
IT has been a fantastic January so far for the theory of the ‘new manager effect’, although the changes haven’t exactly been kind to the Clarets. Tony Pulis and Alan Pardew were appointed within a day of each other at the start of 2015 and their
YOUNG Blackburn Rovers midfielder Darragh Lenihan wants to remain on loan at Burton Albion after scoring the first senior goal of his career. The Republic of Ireland Under-21 international earned Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink’s team a late 1-1 draw in
BALACLAVA-CLAD robbers burst into a Blackburn home before demanding cash and gold, police said. Officers said the 40-year-old victim was punched and kicked in the stomach by the attackers who threatened him with a crowbar after pushing their way
A SCHOOL has recruited a trio of inspirational teachers as it bids to turn around its fortunes after a disappointing inspection by education watchdogs. Head Teacher Ruth England, who arrived at Shuttleworth College in Padiham just as the Burnley
EAST Lancashire anti-fracking campaigners have warned the battle to stop the controversial process is not over, despite Lancashire county councillors being urged to block two bids to drill for shale gas on the Fylde Coast. Yesterday planners recommended
BEN Mee is determined to add more goals to his game after netting for just the second time in his professional career at the weekend. The 25-year-old nodded in Kieran Trippier’s far-post corner to give Burnley the lead against Crystal Palace, although
RUDY Gestede has done much to establish himself as a bona fide fans’ favourite over these past 12 months. There have been the goals by the bucket load, most of them unstoppable headers, thrilling in their power and accuracy. MORE TOP STORIES
LANCASHIRE residents were able to enjoy some winter snow yesterday, as much of the county was briefly carpeted in white. Snow fell in the morning and although much of it had melted away by the time darkness fell, many still found time to enjoy
A CARE home is set to be closed after police launched an investigation into allegations of abuse against a resident. The probe centres on film footage understood to have been recorded on a hidden camera in one of the rooms at Lake View Nursing
A MAN has admitted causing unnecessary suffering to pigs and chickens found in ‘appalling squalor’. Magistrates heard how Rory Warwick, 22, kept the livestock in an outbuilding at the end of a residential street. MORE TOP STORIES: An animal
THE first stage of a £3.5million community redevelopment on Blackburn’s Shadsworth Estate is set for the green light tonight. Twin Valley Homes has ambitious plans for a new community hub, retail shopping area and 14 new homes around Ballantrae
MUM-OF-THREE Joanne Walker will represent Lancashire in a national beauty pageant. The 33-year-old is set to compete at the Mrs Galaxy UK finals after winning the regional title in September, and will be up against 21 married women on February
BLACKBURN Rovers boss Gary Bowyer would have ‘no problem whatsoever’ in selecting want-away top-scorer Rudy Gestede for Saturday’s FA Cup clash with Swansea City. Gestede’s agent claimed on Tuesday that his client ‘really wants’ to sign for Crystal
