A RETIRED nursery nurse who was so touched by the plight of Romanian orphans that she started her own charity, has launched a new appeal for toys. Toby Lowery, of Blackpool Road, Ansdell, runs the organisation Romania Now and desperately wants people
HOW to create a continuous series of speculative failures (Africar, Crinkley Bottom, Lancaster Market etc.) resulting in a dying local economy lacking in quality economic opportunities for present and future generations: First obtain a majority of irresponsible
HUNDREDS of young roller-skaters could lose the only indoor arena on the Fylde Coast ... without a cash lifeline. Hangar 51, in Holly Close, Thornton, has appealed for financial support from councils and businesses, but so far without success. Run by
A MANCHESTER United fan who has already put the skids under City once this season could be all set to do it again in tomorrow's vital relegation six-pointer at Maine Road. Shakers striker Tony Ellis, Salford-born and a keen Reds supporter, fired home
HOPES of relocating Nightingale Hall Farm suffered a setback this week when a visiting Government minister said that there would be no cash to pay for the move. And agriculture minister Jeff Rooker added the Government were looking to site incinerators
St Helens Crusaders 60 Heyside Eagles 16 THE outcome of this game was never in doubt as a much-changed Crusaders side kept their promotion hopes alive. Format NDE man of the match Alan Whitrow grabbed three tries and six conversions, while other tries
POLICE in Leigh are stepping up their campaign to clamp down on under age drinking. And a task force is keeping close tabs on licensed premises to make sure they don't flout the law by selling liquor to those under 18 years of age. Speaking at rteh rtown's
UNFORGIVABLE - that is the only word a Fleetwood mother can use for the man who tried to cut her children's throats before killing himself. Tanya Osborne, 25, still has to face the ordeal of telling her children that their father died on the night he
PARK Products has celebrated the opening of its new 28,000 sq ft factory on the Greenbank Technology Park in Blackburn. The Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, Lord Shuttleworth, performed the opening ceremony in front of 130 guests made up of customers and
IT'S time to get those thinking caps on! Sports addicts are being given their chance to pit their wits against similarly afflicted individuals in a new sports quiz. It's being staged at Pilkington Recs' City Road HQ on Thursday, February 12. Open to teams
SOLICITORS Ramsbottom and Co are offering local businesses free advice on the complex area of commercial property leasing. The East Lancashire solicitors will be staging a free seminar at Ewood Park next Thursday. Joining them at the seminar will be representatives
LACK of support is blamed for the closure of two local institutions. Stalwarts of defunct Golborne Royal British Legion will shortly hand over the branch standard for safe keeping. And Leigh town centre hardware specialists Bradleys will close next month
QUIETER, safer shopping streets are on the way for pedestrians in Blackpool town centre. Blackpool Council next week starts a five-month £400,000 construction project to divert traffic, pave streets and ban cars from parts of Corporation Street and Market
A SECURITY firm established less than a year ago is expected to double its turnover in the coming months. Pentagon Security Services, based in the Kingfisher Business Centre, Hollymount, Rawtenstall, provides uniformed security officers for big distribution
LANCASHIRE and England batsman Neil Fairbrother has launched St Helens Council's new cricket development plan. The council is encouraging more cricket in schools and clubs and is establishing a development group to take the proposals forward. Neil opened
IDEAS are invited on where to plant trees as part of Preston Council's woodlands project. Funding has totted up thanks to efforts from the council and staff, UNISON and a mayoral donation, and the first site to receive the green treatment was on Preston
A LOWTON housewife has slammed a Leigh supermarket after its manager refused to let her two years old son use the store's toilet. Rachel Stead, 25, of Maple Avenue, left a pile of shopping in the store in protest and marched out with her son Ryan (pictured
CREMATORIUM facilities won't be allowed at a greenfield cemetery. Planners turned down a bid to install a crematorium at New Manchester Woodland Cemetery on the outskirts of Mosley Common. City residents, local councillors and neighbouring Salford City
LOTTO luck has smiled again on Leigh. Teachers Lee Johnson, 25, and Catherine Cheetham, 39, were in a school syndicate which scooped £1,579,211 in Saturday's National Lottery draw. They were among 19 staff from Swinton St Mary's RC Primary School who
LOCAL voluntary and community groups have been given council community chest grants. Nearly £48,000 has been shared by 100 organisations borough-wide. And the Mayor of Wigan, Cllr Ken Pye presented cheques to some of the successful groups on Wednesday
THIS defeat was a bad blow to supporters of Preston North End and finally killed off any lingering hopes of Preston figuring in the end of season play-offs. Preston boss David Moyes was obviously disappointed with the result and said: "For the second
PRESTON sports fans are clubbing together to campaign for a purpose built centre for indoor flat bowls. Named the Toucher Pressure Group after a bowling term, the campaign will lobby businessmen, top players and the council to get a centre set up in the
A PNE fan whose car was vandalised during a match was given the VIP treatment by security bosses. Stewards came to the rescue of the anonymous motorist who had to move his smashed up car from Deepdale Retail Park during the game against Burnley on Saturday
ARTISTS in Preston have welcomed plans for a modern new facility which could help them make a living from their craft. Lottery cash is being sought for an ambitious £100,000 project which would house units for craftspeople to use, at low rents. The centre
A COURAGEOUS Leyland schoolgirl determined to lead a normal life despite being born with only one normal limb, has received a prestigious prize. Brave Lucy Freeman, of Birchwood, went on a trip of a lifetime this week to pick up a Child of Achievement
THE Broughton Players struggled with their production of Charles Dickens' classic Great Expectations. Not surprising really as it is such a difficult play. Using a script adapted by Alice Chadwick from the hefty novel, the actors had to cope with a very
A TRAGEDY-hit group of amateur actors are looking for a home - and hope Citizen readers can give their cloud a silver lining. The Oswaldtwistle Players, who were due to perform Charley's Aunt in March, were rocked by the death of their chairman Doris
NEIGHBOUR is up against neighbour as the tug-o'-war over the future of Bolton Road Sports Club took a new twist this week. Nearly 200 concerned residents packed into a meeting at Chantlers CP School in Bury on Wednesday evening to hear details of the
REGARDING the letter in last week's Journal headed 'Wild figures on homeless'. This is a blatant example of juggling figures. The councillor did not get the point at all, as the letter on the same page regarding Plank Lane confirms. The council is closing
A PROJECT targeting "secret" gay and bisexual men in Blackburn has been introduced by the town's community health care service. The CommuniCare HIV Prevention Team will focus on vulnerable males who may not use existing sexual health services or other
HERO policemen grabbed at a desperate woman's arms as she looked set to tumble off a motorway bridge on to the M6. The brave pair foiled the 18-year-old's suicide bid and snatched her to safety after calmly chatting to her, trying to get her to stand
AN adventurous dad-of-two won't be enjoying a romantic meal with his wife this Valentine's Day - he'll be leaping off a 160 feet building! Daring Philip Wilcock from Preston will jump to the task of raising charity cash with colleagues in a sponsored
A BLACKBURN and Darwen branch of Amnesty International is being launched with a public meeting at Blackburn Library tomorrow (Saturday). Brian Plant, North West Regional Representative for Amnesty, said: "We have many active individual members in Blackburn
PRESTON GRASSHOPPERS 23 ASPATRIA 10 HOPPERS gained revenge for October's defeat in Cumbria and in doing so consolidated their fifth position in Jewson League Two North. Stunned by a third minute try from Matthew Woodcock which Steven Wood converted, Hoppers
WORK has started on giving needy young people a home in the old Radcliffe Town Hall. The first tenants could be in their new homes by Christmas once the £634,000 renovation scheme is completed, scheduled for November. It finally gives the historic building
THERESA the TV turkey didn't give a stuff when she went roam alone on the Lancashire Moors. It had been feared that Theresa, who starred in Coronation Street over Christmas, would never be seen again after owner Kevin Horkin found his famous bird had
HYNDBURN Council is £200,000 down on its rent collections, according to a new Government league table for local authority housing. The borough came in the "top 30" showing the worst records of rent collection. But although it is 27th in the 308-name nationwide
A POSTCODE is a small six digit number after an address, but have you ever wondered if yours is right? Len Reid, of Priory Lane, Penwortham, believes his is wrong - and if it is, it means he's paying too much for home insurance and car insurance, and
RESIDENTS are drawing up battle plans to block a move to build homes next to Springvale Garden Village in Darwen. The proposed development of 21 detached houses has angered residents who have formed a 14-strong committee called the Springvale Residents
PNE 2 BURNLEY 3 FOR the second successive match Preston North End were mugged in injury time and now face a battle against the drop. With the score locked at 2-2 and three minutes of injury stoppage time played, Burnley got a corner on the right. Everyone
A CARE worker at a private nursing home in Radcliffe is fighting his sacking following an alleged "rough treatment" incident involving a patient. One of his relatives has told the Bury Times that there is a "cover-up" and that the young man was not even
FORMER North End manager Gary Peters this week got his feet under a different desk to become the club's Centre of Excellence Manager. After time out to consider his future Peters walked back into Deepdale and announced his plans for his new role. The
A POVERTY-STRICKEN Darwen man says he is "overwhelmed" by the support he has received from local people to help furnish his bare home. Two weeks ago, The Citizen reported how impoverished Dennis Robertson had been left with less than £4 a week after paying
PEOPLE with severe head injuries are often written off by the health services, according to Marie Creeney of Longton. She speaks from experience - for the past nine years Marie has worked ceaselessly trying to rehabilitate her husband Frank who suffered
MORE than 80 per cent of Bury outpatients were admitted to hospital within waiting time targets between October and December last year. Latest quarterly figures from Bury Health Care NHS Trust show that 82.1 per cent of new patients were admitted within
ANGRY residents have relaunched a campaign to banish juggernauts from their roads before a serious accident occurs. Homeowners in the Intack area of Blackburn have decided that enough is enough after they were told the lorries would disappear once the
CASUALTIES were evacuated from the battle zone and survivors rescued from a horrific car accident in Preston last week. But it wasn't the worst tragedy to hit the town in recent years - it was a simulated exercise, and a chance for troops to train in
THE little girl who won the heart of thousands of people in Bury is back home after undergoing a life-saving operation. Doctors say five-year-old Aimee Read is making good progress after having a bone marrow transplant last month. But it will be another
CLASS sizes are coming down for Bury's infant children thanks to a £1 million a year cash boost. Local education chiefs say the extra cash will mean that only five per cent of infant-age will be in classes of more than 30 in 1999. The figure is currently
A SAVINGS and loans group is celebrating a bumper year as it heads for another major milestone. Nelson Community Credit Union is about to reach its 1,000-member milestone within weeks of reporting record results. The 16th annual meeting heard membership
DRAYMEN at Daniel Thwaites, Blackburn were picketing Star Brewery as their strike entered its second day. The 35 workers walked out after a dispute over productivity related pay, and deliveries to Thwaites pubs and free trade customers were hit. A Thwaites
A CONTROVERSIAL multi-million pound development, which Radcliffe residents claim will wreck their lives, is to go ahead. Despite massive opposition, town planners have granted outline permission for an expansion scheme at the East Lancashire Paper Mill
A SUSPECTED bomb was blown up beside the A59 at Mellor Brook, just nine hours after a fire bomb was found in a phone box at nearby Samlesbury. Twenty people sheltered in a pub while the package, which bore a Dublin postmark, was exploded by bomb experts
TOWN hall bosses have stepped up their crackdown against traders who are defying the controversial A-board ban. Five summonses have been sent out to Blackburn firms who have refused to remove their signs, which the council says are causing an obstruction
A £5 MILLION "washing machine" aimed at tackling pollution in Clitheroe has become tangled up in fresh controversy. Castle Cement was given the go-ahead to instal the wet scrubber on kiln seven at its Ribblesdale works in Clitheroe last year. It was one
A HEALTH supremo today revealed that the admission of patients to the Calderstones medium secure unit will be put on hold for the "immediate future". Christine Kirk, chairman of Calderstones NHS Trust, also moved to allay fears of villagers after concern
Special report by Paul Agnew WESLEY Fawthrop probably doesn't realise it yet - but the very future of ice hockey in Lancashire could well rest at his feet. The puck stops with 14-year-old netminder Wesley, along, of course, with the other emerging starlets
DAVID Bullen (Letters, February 10) hits the nail on the head. We have fluoride in toothpaste for the benefit of those who prefer to use it, so why fluoridate water? F C BILLINGTON (MR), East Crescent, Accrington. Previous news story Converted for the
SOME 27 teams will challenge for the Atherton Charity Cup this season. The competition kicks off early next month with five teams already through to Round 2 on a bye. The lucky handful in the draw made at Alder House were Daten, Leigh Phoenix A, Leigh
THE LONG-RUNNING row over the purge by councils of shopkeepers' A-board pavement signs was cranked up today as Blackburn with Darwen Council issued summonses against five businesses which refused to remove theirs. But while it is true that local government
LEIGH RU beat derby rivals Tyldesley to win the Sean Grainey Memorial Cup. The game, watched by Sean's parents, finished at 17-7 with both sides producing entertaining rugby. Chris Lee followed Ross Bullough's hoisted kick to make a clean catch and shoot
THE REALITIES of government come home to Tony Blair as, in sharp contrast to Labour's election pledge to cut hospital waiting lists by 100,000, a row breaks out over them rising by that much to record levels since the party came to power. But the patients
LEIGH MR, looking jaded after their Challenge Cup battering, bounced back to whack Wigan St Pat's. But their derby rivals refused to buckle until a last-quarter surge earned Miners the win at 20-6. In the early stages MR's flowing attacks came to nought
HAYDOCK Youth Band brought home the silver after storming to victory in the North West Brass Band Championships at the King George V Centre, Blackbrun. Cheers filled the auditorium as the result was announced and the audience rose to their feet to give
PICTURED: Marie McCourt with a treasured photo of murdered daughter Helen. FAMILY and friends of murder victim Helen McCourt attended an emotional 10th Anniversary Memorial Service for the 22-year-old Billinge insurance worker on Monday night. The service
LEIGH have run into one of the worst injury pile-ups for years - with the season less than two weeks old. Rising star Sfraz Patel and powerhouse forward Tau Liku will each miss HALF of the Division One campaign which opened with a 48-14 walloping at Hull
THERE'S just no stopping Higher Fold Village Inn. The unbeaten Division One leaders in the Leigh & District Amateur Football League go from strength to strength. On Saturday they extended their lead at the top with a comprehensive 3-0 win against
A BIT of a romantic feel to this week's column because of course Saturday is Valentines Day which usually means all the restaurants are fully booked, you can't get any flowers from anywhere, so you resort to buying underwear which is usually the wrong
WALLY ASHCROFT'S Wonder of Pets MANY people experience trouble when they are feeding their dogs. Confronted by a pet which apparently refuses to eat, they are completely at a loss as how to solve the problem. The 'Macho Man' will leave the food down,
ALAN WHALLEY'S WORLD THEY called it Black Friday. And no-one was more devastated by a tremendous gas blast which ripped apart a town-centre pub than barmaid Carol Johnson. It happened to be her 22nd birthday on that fateful Friday the 13th, and less than
A VISITOR to the East Lancashire Railway was King of the Castle in more ways than one. Generous Frank Rothwell parted with £1,500 for the privilege of riding up the line to Rawstentall and back on the footplate of the locomotive, Nunney Castle. Joining
A POLICE officer's fight against drug misuse among Bury's youth has been rewarded. As school's liaison officer, PC George Evans has trained 40 students and 20 teachers as part of a nationally-recognised scheme designed to educate the public on the dangers
Reporter Theresa Robson gets a taste for fine wine EVER looked nonplussed when the waiter in a posh restaurant asks you to taste the wine? Or are you a house plonk devotee and pupil of the "What the heck, as long as it does the job" school of wine-tasting
CHARGES are to be dropped against two of the defendants charged after a clash between Asian and white youths which ended with three people being stabbed. Crown Prosecutor Mrs Marion Nolan told magistrates in Bury that proceedings were to be discontinued
GIANT car boot sales are being planned for Blackburn market rooftop car park. Blackburn with Darwen Council is considering introducing the Sunday sales as a way of raising much needed cash. Moves to get the car boot sales off the ground are still at an
A SPECIAL meeting between care home owners and social services bosses is being held in Blackburn, following a row over cuts in payments. The Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Care Association accused the Blackburn with Darwen Council of failing to
AN armed robber fled a Prestwich post office empty handed when a quick-thinking cashier set alarm bells ringing. The masked raider walked into the Heaton Park post office in Bury Old Road on Wednesday (Feb 11) morning and, pulling a hand-gun from his
Rosslyn Park 36 Liverpool St Helens 24 A SLIGHT improvement in the Moss Laners' away form was insufficient to gain a win at Roehampton on Saturday. LSH played into a strong wind in the first half, and, despite conceding an early converted try, had the
RESIDENTS of a Darwen estate have hit out at the "mindless idiots" who vandalised a new community garden and play area. Hooligans caused serious damage to the garden at Ellerbeck Road, Ellenshaw, Darwen, just two days after work started on it. They ripped
A SEVEN-member works syndicate from St Helens is believed to have scooped more than £160,000 on the National Lottery. The lucky seven are thought to have matched five numbers plus the bonus ball in last Saturday's draw, to land £161,970, which works out
BLACKPOOL health chiefs have appointed a task force to tackle growing numbers of young people with mental problems. In one recent week 12 young people from north Blackpool alone - all separately at risk of harming themselves or someone else - were referred
Birkenhead Park 3 West Park 23 THE Chester supporters players on the touchline seeking a few pointers for this week's vital match at Vicars Cross could have learned little. For West Park hit their best form only in patches, just doing enough to make sure
ST HELENS Council has confirmed that the headteacher of a local primary school has been suspended after his pupils 'underachieved' in national assessment tests. A spokesman for St Helens Council said: "Following disappointing pupil attainment levels in
A CRACKDOWN on noise to protect people's hearing is being planned by health bosses. Everything from noisy workplaces to children using portable cassette players will come under the decibel meter. Doctors say that a fifth of people in Bury suffer from
CHAMPION fund-raiser Michelle Lewis from Rainhill is inviting talented youngsters to audition for the spectacular Michelle and Friends Show to be staged at Liverpool Empire on Sunday, May 10. Auditions will be held at the Liverpool Moat House, Paradise
A CLEVELEYS youngster is celebrating after winning a top line dancing award at international championships held in the United States. Aiden Montgomery, of Beach Road, Cleveleys, and a student a Blackpool Sixth Form College, took away the world junior
BURY South MP Ivan Lewis is backing Government moves to make streets safer. The Government has promised to introduce powers for local authorities to bring in 20mph zones to help make streets safer for children and pedestrians. Mr Lewis explained that
St Helens Town 3 Warrington Town 1 (Liverpool Senior Cup) St Helens Town 2 Nantwich Town 3 (NWCL One) IT was a 'curate's egg' of a week for St Helens Town. They marched into the quarter-finals of the Liverpool Senior Cup with a sound display against Warrington
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an incident which left an 18-year-old man with a broken jaw. The victim was waiting in the queue of The Captain's Table chip shop in Warrington Road, Rainhill, at about 11.30pm on Thursday, February 5, when he was
AFTER 21 years on the bench at Leigh Magistrates' Court, Arthur Johnson retired this week in the presence of almost 30 colleagues when he reached the magistrates age limit. Tributes were paid by court staff, the Crown Prosecution Service, local solicitors
SAINTS 'new look' squad is expected to include at least four close-season captures for the fourth round Challenge Cup tie at Featherstone on Sunday, kick-off 1.45pm. They are world record forward signing Paul Sculthorpe, Brett Goldspink, Paul Atcheson
ALAN WHALLEY'S WORLD SLURPERS - especially those of Irish descent - please take note. If your forebears had a passion for the black stuff, then a film company would like to hear from you. Hilary O'Hara, from Testimony Films, Bristol, is researching a
ALAN WHALLEY'S WORLD THE rugby mascot puzzle has finally been put to bed! Over the past few weeks, opinion has been divided over the identity of a schoolboy mascot pictured in my page with the victorious Saints team of 1926, posing with the Lancashire
JUST what the doctor ordered - a custom-built health centre to treat patients when surgeries are closed. The £400,000 centre on the former site of Layton Clinic, due to open by the end of the year, will provide an ultra-modern service for 125 Blackpool
RECORDED burglary figures in Merseyside are at their lowest since 1980 and are half the levels of a decade ago. Figures published in Merseyside by the Audit Commission reveal that the risk of being a victim of burglary in Merseyside is lower, while the
A TEAM of women from Newton have been busy interviewing friends, neighbours and colleagues to get an 'inside' view of the health issues which concern local people. The interviews are part of a project supported by St Helens and Knowsley Health Authority
Blackburn Rovers Reserves 1 Sheffield Wednesday Reserves 0 A BRILLIANT goal from Anders Andersson strengthened Blackburn Rovers Reserves' hopes of claiming the Pontin's League Premier Division title. But it was out of keeping with a disappointing game
STEPHANE Henchoz has come back from the brink of a ban - by turning out for Blackburn Rovers' reserve team at Ewood last night! The Swiss international had four yellow cards to his name, just one more away from a two-match suspension. But, by playing
LIKE S Williams, I too have felt ashamed of the recent series of attacks on democratically elected local politicians by people too cowardly to sign their names. I am proud to live in a democratic society where I can state my views without fear - but I
FARMERS turned up in numbers for a head-to-head with visiting Agricultural Minister Jeff Rooker this week. The Minister was in Lancaster to discuss agriculture and food safety with representatives of Pye Farm Feeds in Caton Road. But scorers of hard-up
WHEN Burnley's third choice keeper Tony Parks went on loan to Doncaster last week, he didn't realise he would be playing in one the struggling club's most important games ever. Pete Oliver asked him how it went. THEY may be bottom of the Nationwide League
IT WAS the unlamented Dr Goebbels who coined the phrase "lies often repeated ultimately win belief". As editor of the Citizen you have to accept some responsibility for lies being peddled in your paper by anonymous writers. One of these writers is using
BLACKPOOL actor Stephen Tompkinson's first show at the Grand is a comic tale of hypocrisy, greed and lust that succeeds on every level. Stephen, who has never toured with a theatre company before, plays a preacher who appears to be a saint, but conceals
LICENSEES in Morecambe are calling time on extended pub opening hours in a bid to reduce violence in the resort. Around 70 landlords have joined forces and signed a petition calling for stricter guidelines governing late night opening. The move comes
THE British entry in this year's Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, skippered by Bury's Lawrie Smith, suffered serious damage this week on stage five of its encounter. The Silk Cut vessel reported the accident on Tuesday morning, around 2,000 nautical
YOUR anonymous correspondent, who accuses the council of "telling anything bar the truth" has got his or her own facts wrong. We do put our and your house in order! Most of our tenants look after their homes and pay their rent on time. A minority abscond
A CALLOUS con man tricked 93-year-old Daisy Rogers out of her heating bill savings this week Daisy, who lives on the top floor Bridge House block of flats in Skerton, had just come out of hospital after treatment to her legs, before the con man, who posed
DESPITE being on the defensive for most of the first half, Blackpool played well enough to deserve the three points from their away trip to Oldham on Saturday (Feb 7). The match looked difficult on paper, with Oldham unbeaten at home this season and the
As chairman of the City council's Budgetary Control Committee, a post I have held since May 1991, I write to correct serious inaccuracies in a letter which appeared in the Citizen signed by Nemesis. The council's investment with Chancery Bank was made
MORECAMBE'S tourism community has spoken of its "outrage" and "disgust" at the treatment of sacked tourism boss David Christley. The long-serving officer was summarily dismissed this week after a disciplinary hearing found him guilty of gross misconduct
Sedgley Park RFC 30, Manchester RFC 23 THIS game was billed as the highlight of the season and so it turned out. With 14 scores, 53 points and a see-saw game which was tied until the last minute, this was first rate entertainment. In many ways, the contest
I AM writing to express my absolute astonishment at the recent destruction of perfectly healthy mature trees to the rear of my property. The trees were approximately 60 to 70 years old and are now no more! This outrage was perpetrated not by some developer
IT'S the big one for footy fans in Lancaster and Morecambe. Old sporting rivals Morecambe FC and Lancaster City have been drawn together in the semi-final of the ATS Trophy on Tuesday week at Christie Park. The draw was made after Lancaster beat Chorley
CIVIC Society leaders are to oppose plans to put an art gallery on historic Lytham Green. An application from Lytham-based developers Britannic International has been made for a two-storey building and car park on the site of the former Scruples night
BLACKPOOL schools are being given an extra £1million this year to help the drive for top class education. As Blackpool Council takes control of education from Lancashire County Council this April, an extra 5.7 per cent is being pumped into the schools
THE Blackburn branch of the British Junior Chamber will be holding a 'meal meeting' at the Millstone in Mellor on Monday. The BJC is open to any professional people under 40. New members are welcome to attend the meeting, which starts at 8pm. Anyone wanting
Morecambe 1 Woking 2 - MORECAMBE manager Jim Harvey refused to discuss this match after another disappointing home defeat. Morecambe missed the chance to close the gap on leaders Halifax Town the week after crashing out of the FA Trophy and the Shrimps
ROCK FM presenter Glen Hunt became rather hungry while doing his breakfast show on Saturday morning - so he decided to ring for a pizza in New York! The American who answered the phone read a list of fillings out and was then asked by prankster Glen to
A HIT and run driver left a 52-year-old woman with serious injuries in Morecambe on Monday. The force of the car's collision with the woman was so great that part of the driver's bumper broke off before they sped off. The woman was taken to the Royal
LIVING in a council house is to cost more from April. Council chiefs have increased the average weekly rent of a council house by £1.12 a week. This will bring the average rent of a council house in the area to £35.54 - still one of the lowest in the
WHAT romantic readers you are. The Citizen was swamped with poems for our Valentine's competition but best of the bunch had to be the entry from Sharon Goldsmith. Love really has conquered all for her and husband Paul who have made the dark journey through
PREMIERSHIP football ace Gary Pallister scored a hit with youngsters when he visited a Preston sports store to sign autographs. The popular Manchester United defender called in at Sports Max on Queens Retail Park to see hundreds of expectant fans on Thursday
Squires Gate 1 Garswood United 1 GARSWOOD recovered from the shock of conceding a fourth-minute goal to earn a share of the spoils. They were behind for only five minutes before Barry Edwardson broke down the right and crossed for Simon Corns to fire
A BAND formed in Preston is set for a homecoming after going down a storm on tour in America with top rockers Oasis. Cornershop, who are touted to go all the way to the top by many in the record industry, play the University of Central Lancashire on February
YOUNG people from around Leigh are to be given their own voice. For after a survey showed that 70% of youngsters in the borough didn't have a clue on who to get to listen to their opinions, Young Peoples Councils are being set up. Organised by Wigan Youth
DELIGHTED football great Sir Tom Finney is looking forward to a slap-up meal at a Preston pub named in his honour. In the latest tribute, the former Tavern Fayre at Broughton will be called Tom Cobleigh's Phantom Winger - the North End legend's nickname
EX-PRESTON North End gaffer Gary Peters has delighted club bosses by deciding to stay and take on a unique new role. The 43-year-old becomes Deepdale's new Centre of Excellence Manager with responsibility for developing the youth side of the game. His
A TOWN councillor is calling for Preston to clean up its act. Councillor Jennifer Greenhalgh reckons the borough is a grot spot and has singled out the Royal Mail sorting office in Fulwood for criticism. She said: "The whole town is full of mess. It's
ATHERTON couple Stanley and Barbara Hall were staggered when a plumber charged them nearly £300 for unblocking a drain. Trouble began when the Halls realised the toilet was blocked at their Tyldesley Old Road home. So around lunchtime on Friday the couple
TOP scout James Durkin could barely believe his own eyes. There he was . . . standing proudly on the old Trafford soccer stage surrounded by a golden group of soccer legends. Bobby Charlton, Nat Lofthouse: they were all there, still in sombre silence
A LEGENDARY childrens' tale was given a thoroughly modern make over by pupils at Walton-le-Dale High School. Staff and children have been working hard, rehearsing since last September and this week, they put the finishing touches to their musical production
DARWEN workers are giving Japanese aircrew the chance to take to the skies - while keeping their feet firmly on the ground. Brookhouse Ltd, based at India Mill, are the specialists behind an observation cabin simulator for the Raytheon U-125A, a search-and-rescue
A GRATEFUL mum has nominated Great Harwood Health Centre near Blackburn for a top public service accolade. For Karen Coupe, of Grimshaw Street, Great Harwood, and her young daughter, Sarah, have spent plenty of time at the health centre over the years
WORRIED residents on a Preston housing estate claim drugs and vandalism have turned part of their neighbourhood into a no-go area. Families living near a children's play area on Sylvancroft in Tanterton have demanded action after claiming junkies there
TRADERS at Accrington's market hall hit back this week at a suggestion that it should be knocked down to make way for a smaller, purpose-built market. The idea to pull the building down was made by a trader whose comments were reported in last week's
TO put pressure on league leaders Brentford, Preston North End knew that they had to start putting a run of wins together - but January 1938 went out as it began, with yet another 1-1 draw. It was an unchanged team that took on bogey team West Bromwich
AS THE bricks stack up at the St Catherine's Hospice development, staff are looking forward to more space and equipment to help make patients' lives better. Physiotherapist Ruth Livesey, from Bamber Bridge, has been working at the Lostock Hall hospice
FRIDAY the 13th is an unlucky day - for bosses who exploit children. Local MP David Chaytor is today backing a Parliamentary Bill to protect the two million youngsters who work in Britain. Mr Chaytor, who represents Bury North, said most adults are unaware
THIS week I noticed the new bus shelters to the rear of the recently built retail complex on Atherleigh Way had been yet again mindlessly vandalised. This is the third or fourth time it has happened. Nearly every night gangs of yobbos congregate round
A GROUP of Blackburn artists have been left 'homeless' by plans to refurbish the town's Lewis Textile Museum. Blackburn Artists' Society, which has 144 members, has used the museum for its twice-yearly exhibitions since 1946. But now they have been told
A FORMER Preston magician wants to make a mountain of cash appear to help two Fleetwood children whose father slashed their throats then killed himself. Joe Riding is urging local landlords and club owners to let him perform and raise £1,000 for young
Looking for a new home? Well put your feet up and let your computer do the walking. Once again I have been surfing our fantastic Newsquest Lancashire site and this week I've had a detailed look at the property pages. At the touch of a button you can search
A 71-YEAR-old have-a-go hero, who helped foil an armed robbery, has vowed he would do it again if he came across a similar incident. Mr Derrick Whalley was shot in his right shoulder at point-blank range when he twice tried to foil armed thugs after a
WEEKDAY chemist rotas are to be scrapped across East Lancashire from April 1 for a year's trial. The shake-up, agreed by health bosses and pharmacists, could mean fewer pharmacies opening after 5.30pm between Monday and Saturday for patients to pick up
BURY people will finally have their say over plans to shut Bury General Hospital and move services to Fairfield. Public consultation over the much-debated proposals will start at the end of February and continue for three months. Three public meetings
BRITISH Aerospace today revealed record order books and profits up by 30 per cent to more than £11 million a week. The figures are great news for the company's 12,000 employees in Lancashire, and many thousands more in other aerospace-related companies
THE North-West is close to fulfilling the Government's promise to end the misery of patients who wait more than 18 months for treatment, although the total number on hospital waiting lists rose by 3,870. In the region as a whole the number of people waiting
THE widower of Gwen Mayor, the heroic teacher who grew up in Great Harwood and died in the Dunblane massacre, is to marry her sister. Rod Mayor, who lives near Stirling, said he and his bride-to-be Joan Bedford were "very pleased". Mr Mayor, 54, refused
CONSERVATIVES at Blackburn town hall have come up with a series of hard hitting budget plans for the coming year - including the closure of an old people's home and the sale of all council houses in the borough. They claim their plans would see council
TALL Barbadian fast-bowler Vasbert Drakes will be Todmorden's professional in 1998. Drakes played Sussex in the County Championship in 1996 and 1997. "We are delighted to sign someone of Vasbert's stature," said Todmorden chairman Malcolm Heywood. "We
THE boss of a Burnley footwear firm today vowed to rebuild his business after it was ravaged by a mystery fire last night. Fire chiefs and police were today investigating the cause of the blaze at Liftstep ladies' shoe manufacturers, Brun Terrace, Worsthorne
SWIM trio Khalid Jhugroo and sisters Stephanie and Samantha Thompson have that La-La-Lancashire feeling. The Tyldesley SC won their county colours when they were selected for Sunday's inter-county match at Stoke-on-Trent. And their county debut came in
LEIGH face the toughest challenge of all this weekend. Not Wigan, not St Helens - but bogey club Sheffield Eagles. The Eagles journey to Hilton Park on Sunday for their Challenge Cup 4th round clash on the back of an impressive cup record in recent times
YOUR report 'Water watchdog raps move to trim rebate' (LET, February 12) omitted a number of facts which might be of interest to your readers. North West Water led the industry in introducing the idea of giving rebates to customers and is one of only
READERS may have seen reports that the Chatburn air monitor has shown nothing untoward. In fact, I seem to recall the air quality described as 'excellent'" by Ribble Valley's spokesman. It will be interesting to see what the monitor recorded for the week
LEIGH RMI found out on Saturday that unbeaten runs don't go on forever. They slumped 3-1 to their bogey team as Bishop Auckland notched up the first double of the season against the Unibond Premier Division title hopefuls. RMI's last league defeat was
ALAN WHALLEY'S WORLD HE'S been familiar with the term since his boyhood carol-singing days. But, asks reader Ernie Graham, what exactly is myrrh - famously listed as one of the gifts brought for the Holy Infant by the three Kings of the Orient? Ernie,
LEIGH won't be giving John Kear too many sleepless nights this week. The Sheffield Eagles boss probably felt he had wasted his time on Sunday's spying mission. All he discovered was when Leigh decide to have an off-day, they really have an off-day! Nothing
ALAN WHALLEY'S WORLD AMAZINGLY, two St Helens pubs bearing the title of Railway Hotel suffered the same fate, in being blasted out of existence. But the explosions which wrecked them came 79 years apart and under totally different circumstances. The Railway
LEIGH ATHLETIC extended their league winning sequence with a 3-1 win against rock bottom Moston. But the victory was unenterprising and uninspiring. Athletic never settled into their rhythm. But still the goals came. Richard Wilson cut through to slot
SAINTS have declared an annual profit of £293,000 from a turnover of nearly £3.5 million, both record figures... and with club merchandising injecting a healthy chunk of those figures. The cupwinning club's accounts for the year ending Oct 31, 1997 show
ST HELENS Council has welcomed the government's move to outlaw 'gas cowboys' who charge consumers to switch to a new supplier. The ruling will also make it illegal for gas companies to accept anyone who has been forced by high-pressure sales techniques
PICTURED: BABY Martin Stott was just five weeks old when he was struck down by encephalitis. THE death of little Lee Deakin from the brain infection encephalitis brought back painful memories for Phil Stott. Phil's own five week old son, Martin, died
SWIMMERS and councillors have been assured there is no public risk from asbestos at Padiham Pool. A report to the recreation and leisure services committee said Padiham pool and health studios would need to be closed for seven days because asbestos needed
PARENTS are being warned to keep matches and lighters out of children's reach after a five-year-old boy set fire to his bedroom. Joshua Ashton got hold of his mother's cigarette lighter at their terraced home in Queen Street, Clayton-le-Moors, yesterday
FAMILY documents charting a distraught couple's entire life together have been taken by burglars who also escaped with £4,000 worth of jewellery. Today police urged anyone who is offered the haul or discovers the deed box containing the documents to come
HODGSON High School is one of a few schools in the county which offers GNVQs as well as GCSEs. The school offers a GNVQ in leisure and tourism which prepares students for careers in the Blackpool area and afield. As part of this course students have to
Food News, with Christine Rutter WANT to lose weight? Then have a bag of chips, say the scientists. The creation of low-fat chips could revolutionise the diet of millions of people in Britain. The introduction of the chip without the calories could be
A MAJOR shake-up of home helps and care homes for the elderly in Lancashire is set to take place next year. Lancashire County Council is planning a wide-ranging review of both services following the shake-up in local government and recent changes to the
TRAIN lover Ernest Mann was certainly on the right track when he celebrated his 90th birthday. For not only did his friends turn out in force for his big day, they also named a model train after him. Ernest is a long-standing member of the Fylde Society
TWO Bury detectives, who helped recover £110,000 of stolen property and arrested nearly 200 people in six months, have been awarded the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester's Citation of Merit. Detective Constables Stephen Haslam, 35, who joined the
Haydock 6 Waterhead 16 IT was back to earth with a bump for Haydock after their heroics at Workington the previous week. But even so they still produced a valiant effort against the North West Counties League Premier Division pace-setters, Both sides
A WEALTH of world-class line dancing talent is descending on Blackpool this month for the international Line Dance and Music Awards. A three-day event, packed with top names from the line dancing world, will culminate in a prestigious gala dinner and
BLACKPOOL health chiefs have appointed a task force to tackle growing numbers of young people with mental problems. In one recent week 12 young people from north Blackpool alone - all separately at risk of harming themselves or someone else - were referred
PATRICK McKinley, cleared at the Old Bailey on Tuesday of involvement in the 1996 IRA London Docklands bombing , had been living in Bury for several months before his trial. A garage owner from Newry in County Down, Northern Ireland, Mr McKinley (34)
West Sutton 32 Latchford 20 WEST Sutton overcame Latchford to record their 11th straight win. They started well and after only five minutes opened the scoring with a well worked try under the posts by Craig Jones, converted by Ste Barr. Any thoughts that
LOCAL education chiefs have dismissed government figures on red tape taking up cash meant for schools. This week schools standards minister Stephen Byers criticised local education authorities for the amount they spend on administration rather than putting
A ST ANNES magician wants to make a mountain of cash appear to help two Fleetwood children whose father slashed their throats then killed himself. Joe Riding is urging local pub landlords and club owners to let him perform and raise £1,000 for young Matthew
Haresfinch 18 Eastmoor Dragons 32 FINCH bowed out of the National Cup at the hands of National Conference outfit Eastmoor Dragons but not without a great fight. The final scoreline flattered the Yorkshire visitors, a fact acknowledged by their coach Peter
THE sporting scene has suffered a tragic loss with the sudden death of a man who made a major contribution to the worlds of boxing and football. George 'Bold' Thomas, aged 85, was found dead at his home in Carnegie Crescent, Sutton, on Sunday, after failing
A FATHER is appealing for generous local firms to help his daughter achieve her dream of travelling to Copenhagen to take part in the World Kickboxing Championships. Lorraine Hughes, originally from Rainhill, is just 16 but is already the world champion
SLEEPLESS residents appealed for their MP's help over late-night drivers using a car park as a noisy racetrack. Blackpool South MP Gordon Marsden is urging action to bar the hooligan-drivers from the Apollo 2000 car park in Talbot Road. Edwina Toner,
SLEEPLESS residents appealed for their MP's help over late-night drivers using a car park as a noisy racetrack. Blackpool South MP Gordon Marsden is urging action to bar the hooligan-drivers from the Apollo 2000 car park in Talbot Road. Edwina Toner,
BEER-lovers will have the chance to sink a few Titanics next week at the 16th annual Fylde Beer Festival. Two of the star brews on offer come from the Titanic Brewery in Stoke on Trent, birthplace of Edward Smith, captain of the ill-fated vessel, which
STREET traders in Leigh, Tyldesley and Atherton are being warned to make sure they have a licence. For time is running out on them, and they risk prosecution. That is the warning from the council's Environmental Health and Consumer Protection Department
SHAUN McRae has been reflecting on the wind of change that has blown through Knowsley Road since last season. WHITTLE: With six players coming and seven going over the past few months, do you believe these moves are a case of change for the sake of change
Blackbrook 32 Milford nil BROOK threw the form book out of the window to pull off a great BARLA BNFL National Cup victory. And for the second successive week they stunned higher-ranked rivals from the Conference first division The visitors were taken
Burnley Reserves 1 Sheffield United Reserves 3 BURNLEY's hopes of a promotion place in the Pontin's League took a sharp dent last night at the hands of a strong Sheffield United outfit at Turf Moor. Sheffield took the game to a young Clarets line-up right
THE Poulton area of Morecambe is set for a multi-million pound makeover. The ambitious regeneration scheme will include measures to tackle poor housing and unemployment in an area with some of the worst social problems in Lancashire. Poulton ward is to
FREEHOLD residents have tentatively welcomed plans to introduce a 20mph speed limit on the area's streets. Despite a major programme of traffic calming measures, residents claim that cars are still speeding along Derwent Road and that Ullswater Road often
CHRISTIE Park is the scene for the semi finals on Tuesday 24th February after Lancaster got the win that they should have had last week. The local derby against Morecambe will no doubt bring huge crowds for the match that decides who will go to Preston
Peter White speaks to an Ewood Park stalwart JIM Furnell has finally rung down the curtain on his 17-year stint at Ewood Park and admitted - the timing of the change is probably right. Furnell, who turned 60 last year, has now agreed an early retirement
BURNLEY boss Chris Waddle has won his fight to get Andy Cooke's booking in the Derby clash with Preston wiped out. The verdict could now help Burnley's bid to pull away from the relegation zone with Cooke no longer walking a disciplinary tightrope. The
Labour's recently launched Welfare to Work proposals sound strange coming from a party whose other policies will mean the destruction of jobs. Plans to introduce a national minimum wage will mean the loss of jobs all over the country and signing up to
Knife-wielding robbers terrified individuals in three separate attacks this week. One man and two women fell victims to two attacks in Lancaster and one in Morecambe. A teenage girl was attacked by a knife-wielding robber in Morecambe last Thursday but
I AM delighted to read Nemesis' description of my reply to him as knee jerk. Clearly I've landed a blow to a vulnerable spot. I am not at all impressed by his so-called 'facts.' My father could prove that Shakespeare wrote the bible by using snippets
HOUSEHOLDERS in Lancaster and Morecambe face rises in their council tax bills for next year it was confirmed this week. In what has become a depressingly familiar routine for many, tax payers will once again be asked to pay more while receiving less in
AN EXTRAVAGANZA of music, dance, comedy and song is being staged at Lytham's Lowther Pavilion by Fylde's Mayor, Dawn Prestwich, to raise money for her chosen mayoral charities. The Variety Command Performance, which is being produced by June Bell and
GIGG Lane plays host to more top class Rugby League action on Sunday (Feb 15) as Swinton Lions bid to end their hoodoo in the Silk Cut Challenge Cup. It is 15 years since the Lions last won through to the last 16 of the showpiece competition and they
