Archive

  • Facelift for Hounds Hill

    A MULTI-million pound refurbishment of Hounds Hill shopping centre is a step closer to becoming reality. The centre's landlord, Pearl Assurance, has submitted planning application for a £2.8m facelift. If given the go-ahead, they hope to start work on

  • Wembley dream is over

    THE Wembley dream is well and truly over for Blackpool fans. Their team's season of promise which crumbled in ruins in the past few weeks is now dead and buried. There will be NO promotion this side of the ocean and NO trip to Wembley this side of Christmas

  • Residents going up the wall

    ANGRY residents are still waiting for compensation almost a year after a council error robbed them of the view from the rear of their homes. The ten families of Avondale Road, Darwen, have accused Blackburn Borough Council of "dragging their feet" despite

  • Author slated for 'gormless' slur

    ANGRY Oswaldtwistle residents have hit back at the Lancashire author who has dubbed them 'gormless'. And the local MP has warned Bob Dobson to stay away from the town - or risk a frosty reception. Greg Pope, said: "It's ridiculous that my constituents

  • £28m new look

    A THREE-way partnership today announced plans for a £28m rebirth of Rawtenstall which could lead to the creation of more than 1,000 jobs. Proposals include a 58,000 sq ft food superstore, a daily train service to Manchester, developing derelict Ilex Mill

  • Sledge boy's thanks

    THE mother of teenage sledge crash victim Stephen Lightbown has praised the efforts of an army of fund-raisers who have rallied round to ease his pain. Susan Lightbown of Sough Road, Darwen, has been overwhelmed by the response of the community to 16-

  • Leave our village alone!

    HUNCOAT residents have slammed their local council, claiming it is intent on stripping the village of vital green space and turning residential areas into urban housing and industrial estates. The Friends of Huncoat Action Group says Hyndburn Council

  • Mel's killer tale from the inside

    WRITER Mel Shepherd has forged an unlikely alliance with a convicted killer. In his quest for new material, the former colliery shaft sinker is delving into the art of murder. And it has led to a link with Clare Barstow (pictured), who was languishing

  • Community care costs increase by over £5m

    PEOPLE in Lancashire paid out more than £5m more for community care services last year than they did the year before, according to figures released today by the Labour Party. Lancashire County Council increased their charges by 1.6 per cent during 1993

  • Clarets face ticket demand frenzy

    BURNLEY today pleaded for patience from their supporters over season tickets, with sales due to begin tomorrow morning and a big demand anticipated. "We have already had a lot of inquiries about season tickets," said a Turf Moor spokesman. "And, with

  • Estate leaders say 'control your kids'

    PEOPLE living on Leigh's biggest housing estate have had enough of teenage troublemakers. They are urging parents to control unruly youngsters who are making life a misery on Higher Folds estate. Vandalism, under-age drinking, and general rowdiness brought

  • Carnival time!

    THE CARIBBEAN Grand Carnival will take place once again in Preston on Spring Bank Holiday, Monday May 27. The procession of floats will start opposite Moor Park on Deepdale Road at noon. To end the day on a high note, organisers are holding a Grand Carnival

  • LETTER:Any connection with the Houlker family?

    I HAVE recently received a letter from Mr C Houlker, a retired architect who lives in New Zealand who is trying to trace his family ancestry. HIs father, William Houlker Jnr was born in 1881 at 23 Dukes Brow and his father William Snr had also lived on

  • PNE in the dock?

    FURIOUS Exeter City football club boss Ivor Doble has demanded an apology from PNE after hundreds of his club's supporters, who had travelled to see the match, were locked out. And he warned they 'could look at legal action very seriously' if a settlement

  • Bamber Bridge 1 Witton Albion 1

    BRIDGE managed only a draw in this final game of the season, but it was enough to secure the Unibond League Premier Division championship at the first time of asking. Mathematically, as the afternoon started, Boston had an outside chance of catching the

  • David beats all the odds

    BRAVE cancer patient David Liddell has won a competition set by Postman Pat at a recent visit to the hospital. David, aged ten, has undergone extensive brain surgery at the Royal Preston Hospital, and will continue his treatment at Manchester's Christie

  • Minister pulls out of presentation

    SCHOOLS Minister Robin Squire stepped in at the last minute to replace Gillian Shephard at the opening of the Lancashire Area West Training and Enterprise Council (LAWTEC). Education and Employment Secretary Mrs Shephard pulled out of the ceremony to

  • LETTER: Market will 'loos' out!

    WHILE I have a high regard for our MP, Janet Anderson, I can not understand why she has chosen to criticise the public lavatories in Darwen Market Hall. There is nothing wrong with them at all as they are clean, well-equipped and very conveniently situated

  • County court threat a 'waste of time'

    LANCASHIRE County Council has threatened court action unless Environment Secretary John Gummer delays go-it-alone plans for Blackburn Council. The borough council wants to opt out of county control. But county leader Louise Ellman wants the government

  • Market traders unite in fight aginst new site

    TRADERS at the condemned Bow Lane, Preston, market say they will stay put until the council comes up with a viable alternative. The 40-year-old site, which is home to around ten businesses and 200 workers, was earmarked for closure last year because of

  • Sister Josefa 'council ally'

    I AM writing in response to The Journal's story 'Estate's hell-hole for sale?' (April 18 1996), which referred to a possible sell off of homes in Melrose Avenue and Whalley Grove area of Leigh. Sister Josefa professes to be an intelligent woman, but fails

  • Football for all

    BLIND supporters of Preston North End may not be able to watch the game but from next season they should be able to hear all the action. Thanks to the Disabled Supporters Association, a hi-tec audio system is to be set up with a running commentary of

  • Girls stand by for big day

    STANDING by with fingers crossed are four students from Bury Grammar School for Girls who came within a whisker of winning a north west competition to test their presentation skills. The girls, Lauren Edwards, Lindsey Childs, Emma Gillespie and Michelle

  • Old jobs, new titles, more pay

    I AM responding to the comments of the "fiery principal" of Wigan and Leigh College in The Journal (May 2). I am moved to write because it has been put to me that I might be the anonymous correspondent who seems to have provoked her outburst. I should

  • LETTER: Let's offend no one ...

    AS an old soldier of the 1939 war in the 51st Highland Division, I think what we need is a totally new crime definition for what I call 'unacceptable behaviour'. For example a 93-year-old is in hospital after a young burglar battered him, a VAT inspector

  • What is killing my children?

    DOCTORS are baffled by a mystery illness which has killed one child and paralysed another in a Preston family. Zakarya and Asma Gangat from Lowthorpe Road, Deepdale were both born healthy, normal children. But as each one reached 18 months old they suddenly

  • Mechanic's back-breaking problem

    CAR mechanic Peter Barnes is hitting the roof. His carefully-laid plans to build up a business in his garage mending black taxi-cabs fell at the first hurdle when he realised his garage was simply too small. For as soon as he lifts the cars up on a jack

  • Rugby club's £353,000 pitches grant

    BLACKBURN Rugby Club is one of eight projects across the North West to share in a £3 million handout from the National Lottery Sports Fund. The club, voted Sports Club of the Year by Blackburn's Sports Council, has been awarded £353,839 under the Priority

  • Debt answer in Islands

    TO eradicate poverty from a country such as ours whose national debt still includes repayment on loans to private bankers for the Napoleonic wars, we need look no further than the Channel Islands for the answer. The Channel Islands refused to relinquish

  • Card company grows among top hundred

    WHOLESALERS and retailers of greetings cards, stationery and fancy goods - Ron Wood Greetings Cards of Bury - are one of five North West companies who have won an award for being among the top 100 fastest-growing private companies in the country. They

  • Thanks a Lott!

    A FOOTBALL pitch in Leyland is to have a £1M revamp thanks to the National Lottery. The ground at the Leyland Motors Sports and Social Club, is set for a complete resurfacing with artificial turf, floodlights and changing rooms. It will be used by teams

  • Vaux League cricket

    LANCASTER are now two points clear at the top of the table because of their winning draw at Lune Road last Saturday against Chorley. Batting first, Lancaster's innings closed at 173-9. Ian Parkinson top scored with 40 and Chorley's professional, Ronnie

  • Patients get 24-hour ambulance service

    AMBULANCE services throughout Greater Manchester are to work a non-emergency service around the clock to transport patients to and from hospitals. The new system is believed to be the first in Britain. It will be provided by Greater Manchester Ambulance

  • Reflections on a PNE success story

    "THEY think it's all over ... it is now!" Immortal words, but for Preston fans all that remains on the football front is a relaxing break, a time to reflect on a glorious season and look forward to Division Two football. What a fantastic season it has

  • Civic reception for promoted Shakers

    IT was a day to celebrate as the jubilant promotion winning Shakers were feted in Bury last Sunday. To the cheers of fans the team and their connections travelled from the Gigg Lane ground through the centre of the town to Bury Town Hall for a grand civic

  • Health bosses rapped over secrecy

    PUBLIC Health bosses have been rapped for their "secrecy" in dealing with the latest meningitis case to afflict East Lancashire. A nine-month-old baby boy was today recovering in Burnley General Hospital. He was the second child in a month at the town"s

  • Hey, good looking!

    MODISH mum Eileen O'Neill got a chic new look today in a whirlwind TV make-over. Eileen, 28, of Baxenden, was volunteered by her twin sister Elaine for an on-camera top-to-toe transformation by leading make-up, hair and fashion stylists. And the transformation

  • Comment: A disgrace...

    PEOPLE flocked into Bury over the May holiday to celebrate its Streets Ahead 'entertainment' which the crowds apparently loved. I thank the Lord that I am not one of the crowd! While some of the entertainment was entertaining, other sections were coarse

  • 5 YEARS AGO: Have ticket will travel

    FANS without tickets were facing a night in the cells if they tried to get into Torquay's ground for Burnley's promotion play-off match. The warning came from the Devon and Cornwall police, who were launching a large-scale operation to stop an invasion

  • Brox hold on against rivals Bury

    It was derby day for Bury and Brooksbottoms in the Manchester Association but the local cricket rivals didn't really resolve anything. David Leach (54) led his hosts Bury to 153 as Mark Chilton took 5 for 51, but Brox held on doggedly to be 138 for 9

  • 10 YEARS AGO: Violent drinkers warned

    ANGRY landlords served a warning on violent drinkers who assault bar staff - "We'll hound you to the limits of the law to see justice done." The warning followed the case of a Darwen man who punched the landlord of the Millstone Hotel in the face. Mr

  • A chuckle a day keeps business gloom away!

    COMPANY bosses have been told to have at least one good laugh a day at work if they want to be good employers. Business guru Dr Mortimer Feinberg offered the advice when he spoke at a dinner organised by the East Lancashire Training and Enterprise Council

  • CRICKET: BRAMWELL SPEAKS OUT: WHat the El' is going on?

    DAVID Lloyd has many admirable attributes. But one stands out as a key factor which will help make his appointment as England coach a success - the ability to be in the right place at the right time. In most cases this has resulted in Lloyd skipping merrily

  • Major puts Sinn Fein-IRA on the spot

    IF EVER there was an olive branch, it has to be Prime Minister John Major's announcement today that he is not going to allow decommissioning of arms to stand in the way of peace talks in Northern Ireland. Writing in the Dublin-based Irish Times, he makes

  • Anger boils in school kitchen

    ANGRY dinner ladies at a Blackburn primary school have slammed catering company BET for cutting their hours. Mrs Yvette Natha and Mrs Lynn Pickup, who work in the kitchen at St Anne's RC Primary on Fielden Street, say they are having to do the same work

  • Blaze after petrol poured through letterbox

    POLICE are searching for witnesses following a fire in an empty house in Edgerton Street, Sutton, in which petrol was poured through the letter box. The flames activated the fire alarm but not before an estimated £500 worth of damage had been caused to

  • 'No future for these churches'

    A VICAR has predicted a bleak outlook for struggling Church of England parishes in the Blackburn Deanery. The Rev Brian Stevenson, of St Silas church, Blackburn, has revealed his agony at attempting to keep his own parish afloat while others "clearly

  • Man jailed for 'prolonged violence'

    ANTHONY Canning (41) of Windermere Avenue, Clinkham Wood, has been jailed for four years after pleading guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to wounding his live-in girlfriend. The court heard that Canning had subjected the woman, who is the mother of his

  • Silver Jubilee RL celebrations hit Leigh

    THE great day dawned cherry-and-white. Few people in the Ghost Town cared for anything other than the clock as the minutes ticked inexorably by, ever closer to 3-o-clock and a sporting date with destiny 200 miles away on the hallowed turf of Wembley.

  • Looking back with Alan Whalley

    WHEN Doreen Friar wrote from Australia, seeking help from our readers in researching her British family roots, she received a quick answer. Not from the St Helens area - but from 'up the road' in Queensland! Which certainly gives an international flavour

  • Dig deep plea

    HELP the Aged in Bury are appealing for local people to dig deep into their pockets for their door-to door-collection which starts this weekend. Local volunteer collectors will be delivering and collecting donation envelopes from households in Moorside

  • Teen bride in hiding

    A TEENAGE bride-to-be fled from an airport terminal after discovering a plot to fly her to Pakistan for an arranged marriage. Naheeda Begum, 19, of Brownlow Street, Clitheroe, believed she was travelling to Islamabad to marry her long-term boyfriend.

  • 'Poverty tap' water meters condemned

    WATER pre-payment meters would increase hardship and expose communities to public health hazards, says Burnley anti-poverty campaigner Councillor Alice Thornber. She condemned North West Water's plans to install the "smart card" system which will automatically

  • Cemetery's appearance to be improved

    Work will start later this month to improve the appearance of Bury's main cemetery. The operation will. start with the levelling of the surface of graves in a large section of Plot L, but leisure services staff say the operation will not involve the major

  • John wins top apprentice award

    FORMER pupil of Woodhey High School,19-year-old John Morton from Holcombe Brook, Bury, has won the Apprentice Of The Year Award from Salford Technical College. John, who joined Bury based construction firm Senior Hargreaves on a placement from the Radcliffe

  • Ex-housing boss quits health post

    FORMER County Palatine housing boss Barry Neill has quit from the local health authority. The announcement was made to the Wigan and Bolton Health Authority, where he had been vice-chairman since April 1. Mrs Jane Monk is the new vice chairman. Mr Neill

  • Joanne's a model schoolgirl

    CATWALK kitten Joanne Estelle Gillespie is being tipped for the top. She may be just a schoolgirl but Joanne had the judges wowing her style as she took top marks in a star-studded modelling graduation show at Wigan Pier. At 13 and 5' 8" Joanne is heading

  • Council spreading word about Burnley

    EFFORTS to attract more investment cash to Burnley will receive a boost next week. The council will be exhibiting at Cities 96, a prestigious showcase exhibition in Sheffield for everyone involved in revitalising Britain's towns and cities. It's a chance

  • County says thanks to loyal Tom

    RETIRED farmer Tom Swales has been honoured for a lifetime's service to village life. Mr Swales, 79, has served on Roughlee Parish Council for 50 years and at the recent elections had twice as many votes as some other candidates. His service to the community

  • Cameras to combat bus vandals

    CHILDREN travelling on school buses will be videoed with spy cameras from September in an attempt to combat vandalism. Bus operators who want to instal hidden cameras on the top deck of buses will get half the cost from the County Council. A comprehensive

  • Award-winning milkie is town's new Mayor

    AWARD-winning milkman Peter Swainston is the new Mayor of Burnley. A councillor for 20 years, he was elected at the annual meeting at Burnley Town Hall. His sister-in-law, Sheila, is his Mayoress. A local milkman, Coun Swainston is a former North West

  • Man found hanged

    POLICE are investigating the death of a 62-year-old Lancaster man. John Francis Wilson, was found hanging from a beam at his home on Borrowdale Road by his wife Nancy at about 4.30pm on Tuesday. North Lancashire coroner George Howson has been informed

  • Council teams handed tough new targets

    THE government has set tough new efficiency targets for Burnley council after massive losses were made last year by in-house contractors. Council work on highways, street lighting, housing maintenance and catering lost the council £600,000. Now the government

  • Plan hatched to beat egg thieves

    POLICE are asking for the public's help with a spring campaign to cut cruelty to birds and animals. Wildlife experts say crimes against wild animals reach a peak in May and June, with offences ranging from illegal poisoning and stealing chicks to egg

  • Search for cabbie after girl attacked

    A TAXI driver could hold the vital clue to the brutal beating of a 21-year-old Lancaster woman. Susan Capstick, of West Street, is recovering in hospital with a broken jaw and severe facial injuries after being attacked at her home in the early hours

  • Jailed pair miss last chance

    TWO prisoners fighting convictions for their part in robberies at Little Chef restaurants have been denied legal aid for a judicial review of their case. Robert McEwen and Eon Kennedy, both currently languishing in Risley Prison in Cheshire, were told

  • Unfilled jobs on increase

    THERE were more than 1,700 unfilled vacancies at job centres in East Lancashire last month. Blackburn had the highest number at 745, a fall of 19 on March. Burnley saw 31 extra vacancies, taking the total to 449, while Accrington and Rossendale's total

  • Needled!

    THE dangers of children finding potentially fatal discarded needles in Morecambe and Lancaster is getting out of hand according to councillors in the area. Now they are seeking urgent talks with the police, environmental health officials and drug advisors

  • Giant Axe swings into action

    Bosses at Lancaster City Football Club unveiled the ambitious blueprint for their West Road complex this week. Now they want to hear your opinions. Under the first phase of the proposals, a junior football school of excellence, community five-a-side pitches

  • Richard batters the lot!

    A CLEVELEYS chip shop has beaten stiff competition to win the Citizen Chip Shop of the Year award - and it has yet to celebrate its first birthday! Victoria Fish and Chips, Victoria Road West, has proved to the Fylde that it serves great food - and with

  • Banded together!

    TROMBONE players Steven Lord and Louise Howarth tied the knot in style at the weekend. The happy couple both play the instrument for rival bands in the Fylde - Steven has played with Blackpool Brass for the past 15 years, while Louise plays with Thornton

  • 'Safe houses' to beat bullying

    A SAFE house scheme offering sanctuary to threatened people could be coming to Leigh. Following similar leads nationwide to combat bullying Westleigh could follow suit. Kerry Reynolds of Westleigh Community Partnership is gathering information from other

  • Great town centre show

    BLACKPOOL town centre is getting ready to take on a whole new identity this month - as two of the resort's streets go carnival style. Artists, street entertainers, dance troupes and more, are set to gather in abundance for the Arts and Crafts Festival

  • Le c-r-r-r-runch!

    GOBSTOPPERS and jammy dodgers will NOT be on the menu of Meadowbank CP School in Atherton or St Luke's in Lowton this week as both schools take part in National Smile Week. For they have both agreed to become "Healthy Tuck Shop' schools along with a number

  • Hot Ice - the greatest

    ASPIRING young blades seeking a career with Amanda Thompson's Hot Ice show should walk on a bed of hot coals, swim the Channel upright and slay a dragon single-handed. It would be easier! Such is the standard that would now be demanded of them. We have

  • Thanks for the charity donations

    ON behalf of the committee, I would like to thank all those who contributed to the success of the Dunblane Charity Concert held at the ICI Social Club, Darwen, on April 25 - those who attended and all who bought raffle tickets and gave prizes. To date

  • 'Village green' goes yellow

    RESIDENTS in Pennington are still collecting evidence to strengthen their fight to save Wesley Guild playing fields from the developers and to give it Village Green status. More than 100 people supported a meeting at the local cricket club and more than

  • Brewery cash help saves day

    FIRST aiders at Accrington's division of the St John's Ambulance Brigade are raising their glasses to local brewers Thwaites - who stepped in with a cash donation to save their operation from closure. The first aid group relies on donations and money

  • Ian's answer to field sell-off

    A PENNINGTON architect has come up with what he sees as a unique compromise solution in the 'Battle of Wesley Guild'. Ian Chapman of Chestnut Drive, says he has observed the battle lines between councillors and locals but now believes he has the great

  • Wakey Wakey it's Mr 'Orne!

    WHEN, around 2pm on a Sunday afternoon, the wireless crackled in the corner you just knew it was 'Beyond Our Ken.' Or, as it was later to be dubbed, 'Round the Horne.' You remember...it always followed 'Two-Way Family Favourites' and 'The Billy Cotton

  • Use us - don't lose us say shopkeepers

    SHOPKEEPERS have expressed concern following news that big-name traders are shutting up shop in Accrington town centre - in favour of out-of-town retail parks. Norweb, Dixons and Gilbraith Cars have all announced plans to move out of town in the last

  • Hold very tight please!

    LIFE on the buses has been been a family affair for retired driver Jack Wilson. His connections with Howe Bridge bus depot go back to the turn of the century. Father Tom carried ashes on which the LUT company's tramlines were laid. Jack, now 84, started

  • Yobs killing corner shops

    VILLAGE shops could close unless locals back Westleigh businesses. Community leaders fear dwindling trade could soon kill off the corner shop - because the sight of loitering teenagers persuades shoppers to go elsewhere. Now they are urging the authorities

  • Gill has special qualities

    GILL Lowe has the world at her feet. For Gill, 27, of Charles Street, Leigh, is jetting out to Cincinatti, Ohio, to receive a special award from her company Senco Fasteners. Gill, who works in the Warrington customer services department, admitted to being

  • Students make a record

    A GROUP of 24 students are hoping to 'sync or swim' when they leave college this year and go for jobs in the music industry. The students are currently studying for a BTEC National Diploma in Music Technology at Preston College and as part of the course

  • Sick mum says thank you through the Citizen

    WHEN Lillian Warburton suffered a brain haemorrhage at the age of 43 she thought her life would be in tatters. But thanks to the amazing support she has received from friends, family and neighbours - including more than 100 cards from well-wishers - she

  • Boyzone come to town

    TEENAGE hearthrobs and so-called successors to Take That, Boyzone were given a roaring welcome when they played in Preston as part of their national tour. Nearly 2,000 teenage girls packed into the Guild Hall to be serenaded by the five Irish youths,

  • Charity worker scales heights to raise funds

    THERE ain't no mountain high enough for Martin Douglas and Citizen readers when it comes to fund-raising! For the general manager of Blackburn Church Action is to climb 12 mountains in a week to raise vital cash for the charity. And he is calling on generous

  • LETTER:Speak out against noisy neighbours

    WE have read the letter from Barry Graham, "Say goodbye to noisy neighbours" in last week's Citizen and agree with everything he said. We are people who enjoy our own home. We both had to work hard for many years in order to bring up our family in a place

  • No pay deal here

    THROUGH The Journal, Wigan and Leigh lecturers union NATFHE wishes to make clear that at no point during the negotiations with the college management did NATFHE consider agreeing to reductions in salary. This claim was suggested in the comment "Salaries

  • Bury Metro's new first citizens

    AFTER 13 years representing East Ward Councillor Trevor Holt swopped his postal deliver bag on Wednesday, for Bury Metro's top job as Mayor. His wife Evelyn will be his Mayoress. Councillor Holt - a postman and former newspaper compositor - follows in

  • Baby lends her name to a new heather

    PROUD grandad Stan Crabtree thought his baby granddaughter was as pretty as a flower - so he named one after her. Rachel Patricia Crabtree is a bouncing 18 month-old baby, but when she was born she weighed just 2lbs. Just after her birth on October 31

  • LETTER: Be a humane owner

    PLEASE may I appeal to the owners of cats and dogs to have them neutered. Not only will this help to reduce the mountain of unwanted kittens and puppies, it will give your pet a much a happier life. If they are neutered it not only stops them wanting

  • Citizen helps to unite old friends

    YOUR favourite community paper has spanned the Atlantic to help reunite long lost friends. The Citizen was quick to answer an SOS from the Big Apple which proved more than fruitful for one local lady. Els Moran, of Shear Brow, Blackburn, was the latest

  • Woman police chief's top award

    LANCASHIRE Chief Constable Pauline Clare (pictured) has been voted the North West's top woman. Mrs Clare - the first and only woman Chief Constable in the Country - has been presented with the North West Woman of Achievement Award at apsecial recpetion

  • BAe answer school's SOS

    BIG-HEARTED aircraft workers had their wings clipped when they answered an SOS to help create a school's nature trail. For the team of green-fingered engineers from British Aerospace's, Samlesbury plant will give up their bank holiday for St Mary's Primary

  • Charity gains Investors award

    PROVIDING a relief service for carers in the community the Bury Crossroads Care scheme has become the first charity to be awarded the title Investors in People by the Bury Bolton Training and Enterprise Council. Bury Crossroads, which is affiliated to

  • Scouts and Guides need cash aid

    ONE of Blackburn's oldest Scout and Guide groups is in danger of closing down if funds for repairs are not found. St James' Scout and Guide group, which has been running since the 1930s, needs £15,000 for repairs on its run-down hut. The hut, on Northfield

  • Villagers lose county councillor's support

    CAMPAIGNERS have sworn to continue fighting against plans to build a bypass through their village - despite the revelation that they don't have the support of their county councillor. Members of Link Action hope they can still brow beat Lancashire County

  • Break will help ease strain

    THE Chorley, Preston and South Ribble Diabetics Support Group wants to send children packing - to specialised holiday resorts. And it needs your fund-raising efforts to make life easier for the 40 to 50 diabetic children in the area. Diabetic specialist

  • Sponsorship cash needed to beat burglars

    BLACKBURN Safer Cities is today (Thursday, May 16) holding a high-profile seminar in a bid to attract funding for its Homesafe scheme. Direct Line Insurance pumped £28,000 into the pilot project - which offers burglary victims free security - to temporarily

  • Darren travels five miles for a bath

    SCHOOLBOY Darren Fisher has to travel across town to his grandparents' house to have a bath because his council house has no hot water. His parents' hot water boiler was condemned two weeks ago, and there is no sign of it being fixed. And this is only

  • Police inquiry into death crash

    FOLLOWING the death on Monday of a 91 year old Bury man in a road traffic accident involving a marked police car and a Renault, the Independent Police Complaints Authority is to supervise an inquiry. The accident happened at Rufford near Ormskirk on the

  • Shearer's waiting game

    ALAN Shearer is out of England's last Wembley warm up game before the European Championships. The ace marksman was believed to be making his comeback against Hungary on Saturday - just four weeks after undergoing surgery on a groin injury. But England

  • Wagon crash gums up town

    DRIVERS were 'stuck' in a traffic jam today when a tanker spilled three tons of glue on to a busy road. Traffic on New Church Road, Waterfoot, ground to a halt following the spillage at 9.20am. The water-based adhesive was five inches deep in places as

  • Pavilions' last stand?

    PLANNERS are bracing themselves for a report recommending the demolition of three historic town centre buildings - despite efforts by a businessman to save and restore them. The grade two listed pavilion buildings in Church Street, which stand empty and

  • Woodbank clinch double chance

    TWO fine victories over clubs who have run them neck and neck all season clinched the League championship for Woodbank and set them up for a possible league and cup double in next Sunday's final against Ashton United at Glossop. Wednesday evening's visitors

  • CRICKET: Complaint over ton-up Tariq

    A COMPLAINT has been lodged with Lancashire League officials over the eligibility of batting and bowling sensation Tariq Habib. The Burnley second team player smashed 192 not out against Bacup seconds last weekend and also claimed one wicket for 10 runs

  • Clarets announce ticket prices

    THE upper tier of Burnley FC's new East Stand will be the stadium's new non-smoking family area. Next season's ticket prices range from £9 in the lower tier of the East Stand (season ticket £153 or £170 after June 8) to £14 in the upper tier of the North

  • ATHLETICS: She's a Modahl and she' s looking good!

    DIANE Modahl is back in the groove and hammering on the Atlanta selectors' doors. The middle distance star showed no sign of the drug-allegation problems she faced as she strode to a comfortable win at Witton Park. Running her favourite 800m in a special

  • Big thinking town deserves support

    IT MAY be a small sized town, but Rawtenstall is thinking big with plans for a £28 million rebirth leading to the creation of more than 1,000 jobs. The largest redevelopment in Rossendale's history would include a massive superstore, drive-through restaurant

  • Targets need careful selection

    A SHOCK report today reveals benefit fraud reaches a staggering £2 billion a year. In a long overdue move an all-party committee of MPs is demanding the setting up of a central benefits fraud squad and an immediate investigation of private landlords who

  • Frank is Pendle's first citizen

    PENDLE councillor Frank Clifford becomes the borough's first citizen today (Thursday, May 16). Mr Clifford, of Hazelwood Road, Nelson, is one of our longest serving councillors. For the last 40 years he has devoted much of his life to local issues and

  • Peter's fund-raiser wins by a head

    WHEN hairdresser Peter Armfield offered customers and friends the chance to shave his head they beat a path to the salon door. Peter, whose salon is in Cross Street, Nelson, came up with the idea to raise money for his church - but he had not counted

  • Dunblane heroine Gwen's poignant tribute

    SCHOOLTEACHER Gwen Mayor who died in the Dunblane massacre protecting the children she loved has been shortlisted for a Scotswoman of The Year award. Mrs Mayor, who grew up in Great Harwood, is among twelve heroines shortlisted for the top honour by the

  • Lowerhouse out of Jennings Worsley Cup

    LOWERHOUSE were knocked out of the Jennings Worsley Cup by Rawtenstall on Sunday after extending their perfect start to the season on Saturday. Their two-wicket win against Ramsbottom saw them gain another five points and extend their lead at the top

  • Tasteful trio's recipe for success

    THREE cooks from local schools have dished up winning recipes in a competition run by the Meat Marketing Board. Sharing joint first prize and £100 in Marks and Spencer vouchers are Linda Hill, cook at De La Salle School and Anne Stroud of Rainford CE

  • Plea for return of terrier Billy

    A HEARTBROKEN bride-to-be is offering a reward for information leading to the return of her beloved pet which was snatched from the back garden of her home. Catherine Barrow, of Grafton Street, Newtown, had popped into the town centre with her parents

  • Smiles better for coach Hughes

    SEVEN days after being jeered off Hilton Park following a miserable defeat by South Wales, Leigh were given a standing ovation. And Sunday's remarkable 42-16 thrashing of York almost brought a smile from hard-to-please coach Eric Hughes! "Far, far, better

  • No days off for brave Daniel

    WHEN Daniel Winrow was born 10 weeks prematurely and suffering from breathing problems, his parents were warned to prepare for the worst. But not only did the little battler win his fight for life, now 16 years later he is due to leave school boasting

  • Another big lottery win for town

    WORKERS at a Whiston factory were celebrating this week after striking it lucky in the National Lottery. An 11-strong syndicate from industrial laundry firm Spring Grove Services, based in Stoney Lane, scooped a total of £171,567 after correctly matching

  • Success by degrees

    SANDRA Grandfield has landed a job thanks to a scheme to help graduates. Sandra, 23, who took business studies at Teesside University, has been taken on as a sales and marketing assistant by Barnoldswick-based Carlson Filtration. Sandra, from Nelson,

  • Mystery of the Provvy prop deepens

    THE mystery of the Provvy propellers thickens. It appears that the final destination of the magnificent, highly-polished wooden aeroplane props from the 1914-18 war is a complete mystery. They adorned the entrance corridors of the much-lamented Providence

  • 2,000 jobs go on hold

    PLANS to transform a derelict zone of land into a major retail park, creating up to 2,000 jobs, have been halted in a surprise move by the Government Office on Merseyside. An application to St Helens Council to turn the Ravenhead site into shops, multiplex

  • Gulf veteran found hanging in cell

    DEMAND is growing for a public inquiry after Gulf War veteran John Callaghan was found dead, hanging by his trainer laces in a cell at Strangeways Prison hospital wing. John (27) was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Gulf War Syndrome.

  • Hands off our post

    HANDS off our postal service was the message local Euro MP Gary Titley issued in Brussels last week to the European Commission and the governments of the EU's 15 member states. He voted against Commission plans to open the Royal Mail and other national

  • Learn all about it

    MANY readers will know that this is Adult Learners Week. The Esperanto language offers the unique opportunity of "learning with an international flavour." For this week, the Esperanto Association has a new, entirely-free introductory course for anyone

  • Knife thug takes cash

    WEARING a stocking over his head a youth entered a mini market in Tottington Road last Friday brandishing a knife. He threatened a 34 year old female shopkeeper and demanded cash. She put £90 in a plastic bag which the youth stole before making his escape

  • Surprise Kenya trip for school charity team

    INTREPID members of Bury Church of England High School's wildlife group are to jet off on a trip of a lifetime in July when they will travel to Kenya to deliver a desperately needed lorry to Daphne Shedrick's orphan elephant and rhino project in Tsavo

  • Green Challenge on Krypton Factor course

    YOUNG members of the Lancashire Wildlife Trust are hoping to badger local teams into joining them in the Green Challenge. It will take them on the renowned Krypton Factor course on June 15 and 16, to raise cash for wild life habitats which include two

  • Prestwich venue for art exhibition

    WHEN illness stopped him working in the 70s Ron Thorpe turned to art for consolation and that proved a blessing in disguise for a talented man who is now a professional painter. Ron of Scholes Walk, Prestwich, has a following and several exhibitions under

  • We all pay for 'Chasing Charlie'

    THE other day I had a most disturbing conversation - disturbing for me, that is - on the subject of drugs with a young man well known to me and my family. He is in his early 20s, well educated, from a highly respectable and relatively successful middle

  • Tree wardens branch out

    VOLUNTEER tree wardens in Bury are to branch out on next Thursday when they will be staging their first Tree Advice Evening. It's a night for them to give members of the public a chance to find our more about trees and how the warden scheme works. Designed

  • Skeleton to be re-interred

    HUMAN remains unearthed last week by contractors working on the Clerke Street car park site next to the Flying Shuttle pub in Bury, will be re-interred by Bury Social Services. According to a police spokesman there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding

  • Carnival's South American theme

    SOUTH American style is the theme for this year's Bury Lions Carnival and Gala to be staged on June 8. The parade will start from Bury Football Club car park at noon and wind its way through the town centre along the new, extended route used last year

  • Bridging the generation gap

    MEDIATORS are being appointed to help smooth generation gap problems. A Police led initiative should hit the streets next month aimed at liaising constructively between young and old. Greater Manchester Police hope this ground-breaking interaction between

  • Walk on ... with miles of smiles

    GET set SuperWalkers - the big day is almost upon us. If you have not yet registered for the SuperScan grand charity walk then now is the time for action. More than a thousand people in East Lancashire will be pulling on firm footwear at 9am this Sunday

  • Carnival capers make comeback

    A CARNIVAL fun day could result in the revival of Tyldesley's festival frolics. Tyldesley Rugby Club's Well Street ground is the venue for the May 25 event with features including tug-o-war, quad racing, a funfair, morris dancing, a car boot sale, sideshows

  • Selection headache for high-flying Saints

    UNBEATEN Super League leaders Saints are facing a threequarter crisis as they bid to maintain their 100 per cent record with a daunting trip to Warrington tomorrow, Friday, kick-off 7.30pm. For Welsh centre Scott Gibbs will miss the game because of a

  • Denis Whittle talks with Shaun McRae

    RESPECT ball possession! That was the lesson to be learned by Saints according to team boss Shaun McRae after the below-par performance against London Broncos. WHITTLE: What nearly went wrong? So said the fans as they reached for the tranquilisers after

  • Milkman Peter is cream of the crop

    MILKMAN Peter Swainston was yesterday (Wednesday, May 15) installed as the new mayor of Burnley. A Labour councillor since 1976, he takes over from Councillor Arthur Park, who now becomes deputy mayor. Mr Swainston's sister-in-law, Sheila, becomes mayoress

  • State of cemetery shocker

    ON Mothering Sunday, I made a journey to visit my parents' grave in Blackburn Cemetery. Friends have told me that Blackburn Cemetery is not the place for an elderly lady to visit alone, so my visits have been sparse, but I felt content in the knowledge

  • Civil disorder at Towneley Hall!

    TOWNELEY Hall in Burnley is now the peaceful Sunday afternoon venue for many a family outing, but the house once figured prominently in the English civil war. And a major part of Burnley's pre-industrial history will come alive next week when local re-enactment

  • Firms offered easy road to recruitment

    COMPANIES in Hyndburn are being offered an easy and free way to find their new recruits. With more than a thousand 16-year-olds about to leave school in the area, staff from East Lancashire Careers Services Accrington office are asking employers to come

  • How does his garden grow?

    A BURNLEY man who has spent 20 years turning wasteland outside his home into a wildlife garden and woodland is in the running for a top environmental award. James Howlett, of Chislehurst Grove, started planting trees on disused land behind his council

  • Doc blasts water meter plan

    PLANS to install pre-payment water meters at homes in Burnley and Pendle are meeting growing opposition. Health chiefs, MPs and councillors claim the so-called smart-card system - which automatically disconnects customers who fall behind with payments

  • Comment by Peter White

    PROVIDING he is fit, I firmly believe that Alan Shearer will be lining up in a Blackburn Rovers shirt when the 1996-97 Premiership season kicks off in August. That is contrary to the recent crop of reports in the national Press - described as "frivolous

  • Horses need a band of angels

    ANIMAL lovers are being urged to adopt a pony and help an animal sanctuary survive! The Only Foals and Horses Sanctuary, Oswaldtwistle, is facing the mammoth task of trying to raise £200,000 to buy the premises. They have been renting the plot since February

  • Welcome back Janet!

    COUNCILLOR Janet Horner tried her new outfit for size yesterday (Wednesday) when she was elected as the city's new Mayor. The Labour councillor was sworn in at the city council's annual meeting and will serve in the role for the next 12 months replacing

  • Eastern promise

    JASON Wilcox had to cancel his summer holidays today, after being named in England's squad for next week's tour of China and Hong Kong. And the Blackburn Rovers winger is "chuffed to bits" that the door to a place in Terry Venables' plans for the European

  • Lightening the load

    STAFF at Sainsbury's could end up delivering more than the weekly groceries following the introduction of a new scheme to help mums-to-be! For the company is to offer a wide range of services for pregnant women and have even pledged to give a full year's

  • Report makes rotten reading

    A SHOCK report in National Smile Week has revealed the rotten truth about teenagers in Burnley and Pendle - they have the worst teeth in the country. Our 14-year-olds are rock bottom of the tooth-decay league with an average of almost four bad teeth in

  • Call in the Gnome Office!

    A SPAM butty and a packet of crisps could be the vital clues which identify the unknown source of a plethora of garden gnomes mysteriously sent to the home of a Lancaster woman. During the last few weeks Linda Turner, of Ryelands Road, has become the