FORMER Gigg Lane favourite Andy Gray faces an off-the-field fixture back in Bury. The 33-year-old, now playing with Millwall FC, has been charged with a speeding offence which is said to have taken place in Whitefield last September. While Gray is currently
STUDENTS at a Pendle high school took to the stage to highlight the plight of people thousands of miles away. Pupils at Edge End High, Nelson, took part in a drama entitled You, Me and Kashmir yesterday as part of a series of events across the borough
IT is all change for Heaton Park Post Office in Prestwich next week. The office will not only move, but change its name to the more apt Whittaker Lane Post Office. The new office in Whittaker Lane, formerly a baker's shop, has undergone a £50,000 overhaul
LOCAL people have helped plan a new community garden in the Stoneyholme area of Burnley. Work has started on land next to Burleigh Street and Gordon Street to provide the new open space which will include a small grassed area, paths, trees, shrubs and
CALLING all young entertainers! Zodiac Productions are holding auditions for the forthcoming Roy Castle Extravaganza 2 which will be staged at St Helens Theatre Royal on June 12 and are searching for any singers, dancers, magicians, choirs etc. under
Food News, with Christine Rutter BUDDING chefs are being challenged to use their cookery know-how to conjure up a futuristic dish which tickles the tastebuds - and marks Blackburn with Darwen Council's move to unitary status. We are looking for a truly
LOCAL thespian groups will be treading the boards to raise money for a Billinge charity with a special pantomime. The Young Ones theatre group will perform Dick Whittington with help from the Broomfield Singers at St Mary's Social Club in Birchley, Billinge
Wigan St Cuthberts 28 West Sutton 30 (after extra time) WEST Sutton produced a storming fightback to win this North Counties Challenge Cup fourth round tie after extra time. St Cuthberts started off strongly and raced into a 14-0 lead with three well-taken
ASSURANCES have been given to local patients after a hip replacement scare. The national scare was sparked off by a piece of faulty equipment.It was found that about 4,700 people have been fitted with Capital 3M false hips, made by 3M Health Care Limited
FOR the Love of Blackpool was the message from the Blackpool Independent Supporters Association on Valentine's Day as they marched to Whyndyke Farm. More than 300 people started the march from Bloomfield Road to lend their support to the group and to
WYRE MP Hilton Dawson could set up special "surgeries" for young people. The MP, whose regular surgeries to hear constituents' problems are attended almost exclusively by adults, is looking at ways to reach out to the younger members of his constituency
A LOCAL taxi driver is hopping mad after one of his beloved frogs was stolen. Keith Fairclough realised a thief had legged it with his green friend when he jumped into his Ford Orion to pick up a passenger on Monday. So far the thief has given the distraught
BURY College are resurrecting plans to develop their Peel Centre site. The college have re-submitted plans to extend the centre and build a new access road off Market Street. But they say that does not mean any work will start in the foreseeable future
CALLING all those who are looking for an incentive to get in shape! A one-off charity aerobics class is being held next month and organiser, Mary Yates, who runs MY Fitness, hopes to raise as much as possible for the Step Out for Starlight 98 charity,
WHERE would you rather be on Valentine's Day, Bury or Paris? Quite an easy decision to make isn't it? And 20-year-old Tina Ashburner had another easy decision to make when her fiance Barry Hilton popped the question in the French capital on Saturday.
Blackbrook 14 Thornhill 33 CONFERENCE First Division pacesetters Thornhill strengthened their promotion challenge at Blackbrook's expense on Saturday. Despite their solid defending Brook didn't help their cause with a low-key performance before the break
TWO leather riding saddles recovered in the St Helens area, and believed to have been stolen, will be on display at the first ever Bumblebee Roadshow to be held by Merseyside Police. The roadshow, designed to reunite stolen property with the rightful
Atherton Collieries 0 St Helens Town 3 Vauxhall GM 1 St Helens Town 4 BACK to their best, Town threatened a rout at lowly Atherton Collieries in Saturday's league game where the margin of victory could easily have been doubled. But it was at Ellesmere
A BLACKPOOL man who has not played soccer since his schooldays is preparing for a penalty shoot-out that could net him £100,000. Roger Buckley, 32, of Albany Avenue, simply entered a competition on a cereal packet and was astonished when his tie-breaker
SAINTS' record forward signing Paul Sculthorpe is set for a speedy reunion with his former Warrington team-mates after Monday's Challenge Cup fifth round draw. For, with just one senior game under his belt, Scully is poised to face the Wolves of Wilderspool
ROLLINGSTOCK, the factory outlet, which opened in November 1996 just off the East Lancs, will close on March 20 due to disappointing sales and the inability to fully let all the units. The centre was acquired by MEPC in September last year as part of
A NURSING sister has made drug awareness her top priority, amid rising concerns about drug use by Blackpool teenagers Chris Johnson has been employed by the Fylde Community Health Trust as a substance misuse adviser in schools. Her aim is to make sure
HERBALIST Charlie Abbott's name lives on. The late Mr Abbott's Leigh practice closed last September following the death of his widow. It is now owned by a Scottish natural medicine company, and has re-opened as Abbotts of Leigh in Railway Road. The dispensary
REPORT by Denis Whittle Featherstone Rovers 24 Saints 56 TIPPED as a tricky hurdle for Saints, this Silk Cut fourth round tie proved anything but for the 10-try Cup holders. They led 50-0 in as many minutes after a scoring spree against a Rovers side
A PAIR of big-hearted bobbies are set to put their fitness and stamina to the ultimate test in aid of charity. For PCs Mark Parker and Colin Lewison will be bidding to complete THREE gruelling triathlons in the coming months to raise money for various
SUNDAY'S victory was not as tough as expected but a good start to the season nonetheless, despite that late fade-out, said Shaun McRae. WHITTLE: Fifty minutes of fantastic football spelled 50 points, but what came after could cost Saints dearly against
A COWARDLY thief knocked an old lady to the ground before snatching her bag. The 74-year-old victim was walking along Peter Street, St Helens when the attack occurred at about 8.05pm on Friday, February 13. She was approached from behind by the robber
BURNLEY boss Chris Waddle is running the rule over Manchester United striker Graeme Tomlinson. Tomlinson has linked up with the Clarets for a fortnight's training and played in the reserves against Rochdale at Turf Moor last night. The 22-year-old was
NELSON Football Club has been rocked by the departure of chairman Ken Broom. Broom has been at the helm of the North West Counties League club for almost three years but has called it a day because of "a lack of help and support" in running the club.
WE always knew our readers were kind hearted. But we were amazed at the response to our story last week about 93-year-old Mrs Daisy Rogers who was conned out of her heating bill money by a callous fraudster. Offers to pay Daisy's bill, as well as donations
COLIN Hendry today reflected on his own personal agony as Blackburn Rovers' FA Cup hopes were wrecked in a penalty shoot-out and admitted: "I wouldn't have wished it on anyone else." Hendry stood up to be counted by taking the crucial fifth penalty with
FA Cup 5th round replay: Blackburn Rovers 1 West Ham United 1 (West Ham win 5-4 on penalties) - Peter White's big match verdict WHENEVER FA Cup fifth round time comes around, Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Alan Fettis can be guaranteed to have nightmares
I would like to answer Jane Brown's pessimistic letter about Labour's welfare to work proposals. Britain has no hope as a low wage economy and if it remains so it will effect industry and business. Labour will sign the European Social Chapter which will
A dangerous precedent is being set by the National Trust in Heysham to agree to a housing development on land, at now, presently protected. In a laudable attempt to acquire a section of coastline, but being unable or unwilling to reach the 'asking' price
A BLACKPOOL hotel industry chief has warned a swift introduction of the minimum wage would "have a devastating effect". While welcoming the Government's new strategy to spotlight tourism as a valuable job-creating industry, Blackpool Hotel and Guest House
TOURISM and business bosses in Morecambe are meeting behind closed doors in a bid to raise enough cash to save this year's WOMAD festival. The City Council is set to scrap the popular summer festival after North West Water withdrew its sponsorship. But
POLICE are hoping to catch a knife-wielding robber who terrified a Lancaster woman after a television appeal tonight. The robber brandished a six inch blade at a lone female cashier at the Scotforth Road Filling Station near the A6. The woman handed over
MORECAMBE'S internationally renowned WOMAD festival is facing the axe after North West Water pulled the plug on its sponsorship deal. The flagship event, which is advertised in this summer's holiday brochure, is doomed unless another corporate sponsor
BLACKPOOL crashed out of the Auto Windscreens Shield to a Burnett goal for Grimsby in the 77th minute on Tuesday night (Feb 17). The Mariners kept a tight back four and often kept the visitors out of the game with frustrating tactics in the second half
Youngsters from Morecambe were taken to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary after being sold potentially lethal drugs at the weekend. Six boys and girls aged between 12 and 19 were later released from the hospital after imbibing the anti-depressant drug dothiepin
ST ANNES beach is along one of the most polluted shorelines in the country, according to a nationwide survey by Readers Digest. Researchers for Beachwatch '97 found a five per cent increase in litter on Britain's beaches, with beaches in the North West
Morecambe 3 Northwich Victoria 0 MORECAMBE have an excellent chance to reach the final of the Spalding Cup after winning this match with ease. Shrimps just need to hold their nerve in the second leg at Northwich Victoria on Monday, March 2 to be sure
Clock Face Miners 10 Spotland 18 TWO late tries, one well into injury time, robbed Clock Face of a well-deserved victory after they had lead throughout most of the game. Paul Cooney opened the scoring for Clock after 10 minutes when after a fine break
WANT to know the secret behind dancer Deborah Bull's fitness and energy? Then take heed of her own words of wisdom. The star of Dance Bites, the next production from the Royal Ballet being staged at Blackpool's Grand Theatre, has brought out her first
I am disturbed to read that the open land alongside Knowlys Rd, Heysham is once more being threatened with housing developments. I grew up in the area and know it well. The wonderful views out over the fields, across Morecambe Bay to the Lakeland Mountains
NEVER mind watching Titanic at the cinema, Cleveleys resident Winifred Holden can still remember hearing news of its sinking when it actually went down! Now celebrating her 105th birthday with friends, family and staff at Stafford House Rest Home on North
A WHACKING 13 per cent - that's how much Blackpool council tax bills will go down this April - with no cuts in services. The good news, exclusively forecast last month in the Citizen, is "a win, win situation for Blackpool, with better services and less
I have read your articles on the furore surrounding the possible purchase of a 14 acre field in Heysham by the National Trust at rock bottom cost, with the compromise that the local authority may agree that the current owners build 8 houses in one obscure
DRUG firm Seton Healthcare, which owns Cupal in Blackburn, has bought the 'Resolve' hangover remedy to add to its brand range. The Oldham-based firm has acquired the headache and gastric complaint treatment from SmithKline Beecham. It will continue to
LANCASHIRE Lynx further enhanced their reputation as promotion candidates when they signed two more players this week. Ex-Super League star Richard Henare has arrived from Warrington Wolves in a move that has made the rest of the second division stand
Anselmians 17 Ruskin Park 20 RUSKIN gained their third successive away win thanks to a fine all-round effort. The large crowd was treated to some good running rugby. And the first try came from a break from the lineout by Gary Pennington and Billy Parr
THE vast majority of East Lancashire firms have still got their heads in the sand over European Monetary Union, a shock survey has revealed. With just 10 months to go before the introduction of a single European currency, more than two thirds of manufacturing
Saddleworth 23 Haresfinch 10 AN under-strength Finch team produced a below-par display and were deservedly beaten by an eager young Saddleworth outfit. After the heroics of the previous week's effort against National Conference outfit Eastmoor in the
CABLE makers BICC are slashing-out millions in a power switch which will boost its Leigh business. A BICC Group spokesman said the transfer deal with another major cable manufacturer - Delta plc - would consolidate the Leigh factory's position as the
BUDDING Richard Bransons from Preston schools are putting the final touches to their mini-companies ready for a prestigious competition. Pupils from ten high schools taking part in the Young Enterprise awards showed off their work to shoppers in supermarkets
A POTENT pong which has lingered over the Earcroft area of Darwen for months has been flushed out. North West Water has come up with a new way of treating sewage at its Earcroft works, after residents of nearby Anchor Estate complained of an incessant
THE changing face of Accrington town centre is welcoming a range of top class stores. As work on a three-unit extension to the town's Arndale Centre continues, four new lettings have been secured. PillarCaisse, the joint venture between Pillar Property
BUDGET blues vanished as councillors celebrated topping the national league. Relaxation of the Government stranglehold on borough finances mean jobs and services stay and the 1998/9 Council Tax rate will rise no more than inflation. And the outlook is
A BAND manager from Preston has called on football supporters to get in a singing mood to help one of his groups record a CD to be sold worldwide. Avid North End fan David Bury, who used to live in the town but now runs bands and a London record company
JOBMAKERS are seeking Euro funding to boost Romanian fortunes. Alan Evans, local manager for Wigan Metropolitan Development Company with responsibility for Hope and Higher Fold Enterprise Centres, is preparing to advise Romanian businesses. And the Development
SADDLE-SORE Peter Galloway came out of the desert with a huge smile of satisfaction creasing his bronzed face. A job well done! The computer consultant has been putting pedal power to good use, earning much-needed cash for the National Deaf Children's
HOPPERS failed to halt Manchester's promotion drive in Saturday's match which finished Manchester 23 Grasshoppers 18, but few would have bet against them at the interval. An early Swindells penalty had given the home side the lead but Hoppers forwards
WHEN summer comes will we be able to have our doors open for a bit of fresh air? Oh no, because we are afraid of intruders. We have too keep our doors locked, even when we are at home. I, and lots of others, have been victims of these cowards who attack
CARING Rebecca Houghton is her mother's little angel and now she has been rewarded for putting other people's needs before her own. For despite Rebecca being diagnosed as a diabetic 18 months ago, she has put her own problems to one side to care for her
A PERVERT stalker followed a woman from the Tesco Metro store in Preston town centre to the bottom of Theatre Street, then exposed himself to her. The flasher struck on February 5 at around 8.45pm. He was 6ft 2ins tall, of medium build, had a bad complexion
DARWEN manager Steve Wilkes is looking for his troops to put together another unbeaten run after losing against Burscough 1-0 last weekend. The Anchor Ground side's battling four-match run came to an end but Wilkes is looking for a quick response in the
HISTORIANS are urging leaders at St George's Church in Preston to preserve a burial ground on the site despite development plans. Proposals for the town centre church include constructing a new entrance on what is now the back of the building, and extending
A SCHEME launched to combat the problems of juvenile crime has won a prestigious international award. The top honour for the Youth Works initiative in Blackburn was announced at the International Society of Crime Prevention Practioners conference in Edmonton
A £100,000 grant to ease the problem of crowded classrooms in Blackburn and Darwen schools has been welcomed as "brilliant news" by the borough education chief. Around 800 pupils, aged between five and seven, will now be kept out of classes of 30 or more
Salem Hornets 38 Warriors U10s 18 IN a home match at Moss Side, the Leyland team had a disappointing time when their defence let them down, but continued to attack the opponents whose defence was the stronger. Tries were from Jonathan Walker, man of the
AN angry soccer league organiser has slammed a decision which could put pay to a popular competition in which 250 local footballers play. Concerned Renie Goddard of the Whitlock 7-a-side league claimed a council noise abatement order placed on Preston
THE body of a 32-year-old caretaker was found by his partner of nine years hanging in the bedroom of his home in Bury. Mrs Sandra Brown found Raymond John Falcus hanging by a dressing-gown cord in the bedroom of his home in Marquis Avenue, on Wednesday
DRIVERS in the Blackburn borough could soon find themselves being stopped by police - for a drugs test. For the Lancashire force is one of just four in the country to trial the new drug screening tests. Officers will be investigating the practicality
BY day joiner George Strass fixes houses. But by night people come to him for an alternative way of fixing their minds, bodies and emotions. For George has just gained a diploma in acupuncture and Oriental medicine and is treating people of all ages.
ALEXANDER and Conal Hill are severely autistic; they don't speak, have little eye contact, and a very short attention span. When they are tired, the twins sit in a corner rocking back and forth, but when they aren't, they run up and down in hyperactive
OWNERS of hostels for people with learning disabilities say local schoolchildren are harassing the people in their care. Youngsters hurl abuse at the residents on an almost daily basis. Some have been attacked them with lighted cigarettes and fireworks
A PENSIONER was thrown to the floor by a young thug who sneaked into her Preston home and stole a handbag. The 68-year-old woman, who does not want to be named, was watching TV when she heard the doorbell ring. She went to the door and noticed someone
THE parents of a little girl who is terminally ill have named a star after her - so her name will live on forever. Four-year-old Amy Rhianne Allen suffers from the incurable Battens Disease, a rare genetic disorder. And her parents Debbie and Stephen,
SCHOOLBOY rock group Al!ve have hit the Lottery jackpot - and won a date with megastar Madonna. The Bury boys are booked to appear with Madonna on tomorrow night's live Lottery draw in front of 15 million viewers. It's the biggest test yet for the boys
RED-HEAD Tricia Wadman is preparing to make the ultimate sacrifice to raise cash for a charity close to her heart. After learning her older brother Clive was suffering from cancer Tricia came up with the idea of having her curly locks shaved off. The
A CHALLENGE to "put up or shut up" has been issued by Radcliffe Renewal Advisory Committee chairman Councillor Kevin Scarlett. The backlash comes after what he describes as weeks of constant sniping against the town. "No one can deny that Radcliffe has
DEAF people in East Lancashire are made to feel like second class citizens because of the way they are treated by others. The claim was made in a report from The Royal National Institute for Deaf People which outlined the feelings and frustrations felt
PUBS are being recruited to wage war against the illegal sale and use of recreational drugs. A new scheme set up by Bury Police Division's drugs liaison unit has already been adopted by 15 public houses in the town centre of Bury. And the "Turning a Blind
TALENTED young blues bands could win the chance to perform alongside their heroes at a prestigious East Lancashire festival - and then record an album! Organisers of the Great British Rhythm and Blues Festival, Colne, have teamed up with the Burnley-based
THE country which gave the world martial arts action hero Jean-Claude Van Damme is importing its Ju Jitsu training - from Accrington! Black belt Martin Dixon will be training members of Belgium's police and armed forces in the art. But he will not be
NEIGHBOURS and sports fans have kicked off a campaign to save a popular leisure centre amid fears that it is to close. Petitions are circulating for Shadsworth sports centre, Blackburn, and the Shadsworth residents' association has called a public meeting
ONE of the most dastardly crimes today is the attacking and robbing of taxi drivers. Taxi drivers perform a service of immense value to the public; they are called upon at whatever time of day or night and for a fare will take the hirer anywhere he reasonably
IN CHOOSING the voluntary way over giving people the right of access to the countryside, the government is putting the onus on landowners to allow it or face laws that will compel them to. This threat ought to be sufficient to ensure that landowners come
REGARDING your reader's experience in 'Fear for benefits' (Letters, February 10), after 30 years full-time employment with the GPO, I suffered a stroke, ending what I thought was my job for life. For the last nine years I have constantly seen doctors,
ST HELENS Council has released a list of authorised charity street collections for this year in a bid to stamp out bogus street collectors. The council has issued 40 permits for street collections throughout the borough from March to December, 1998, but
ALAN WHALLEY'S WORLD TONY KEARNS has a confession to make - after a lapse of 20 years! He was, he at last reveals, an under-age boozer on the fateful night when a pub he had sneaked into was blasted apart by a major gas leak. Tony, now 36 and living at
ALAN WHALLEY'S WORLD FOR Sculley, read Friar! Puzzled? Well, so was I until I dug deeper into a fascinating letter from a pensioner reader who was brought up in the rough-and-tumble Donkey Common area of pre-war times. His name-switch information comes
COUNCIL leader Stanley Henig is set to receive a massive £10,000 in allowances, making him the highest paid council boss in the county. An independent review of councillors allowances has decided Mr Henig's special responsibility allowance should be doubled
Manchester City 0, Bury 1 YOU couldn't have scripted it better if you'd tried! This Valentine's Day derby victory contained more romance than a barrowload of sugary greeting cards as the battling Shakers stunned their big money Manchester rivals on their
Portico Panthers 52 Shevington nil PANTHERS maintained their North West Counties League Division Three title bid with this easy victory. With man-of-the-match Andy Mercer leading the way, Portico had too much firepower. Craig Peel (5) Mike Hobin (2),
THE traffic chaos between Lancaster and Morecambe was highlighted in the House of Commons last week after Geraldine Smith won a ballot to hold an adjournment debate. The Morecambe MP was joined by Hilton Dawson in calling on the Government to make the
CONTROVERSIAL proposals to use part of Ashton Gardens for a supermarket have sparked a resignation by the chairman of St Annes Chamber of Trade. Arnold Sumner, who is wholeheartedly against any loss of Ashton Gardens, stepped down from his job this week
Bury 0, Stoke City 0. "LITTLE by little, bit by bit, I'm going crazy and you're causing it" - Dusty Springfield's 1966 chart hit could be Bury's signature tune at the moment! Stan Ternent's side seem determined to inch their way to his safety target after
Some memories are certainly short and it is all too easy to forget just what Lancaster was like before Labour took control of our council. I can certainly remember what it was like before. I remember the disastrous plan produced by the Conservatives to
Blackpool Stanley 36 Parr Hare & Hounds nil A WEAKENED Hounds side went down to a second league defeat of the season at the hands of a strong, well-organised Blackpool outfit. There was little to choose between the sides in the opening quarter but
I AM writing to say that I enjoy the diversity of opinion expressed on your letters page with the exception of Mr Henig. Although I believe that anonymity devalues content it is also ludicrous of Mr Henig to infer that the Citizen is thus "responsible
Grappenhall Griffins 4 St Helens Crusaders 19 CRUSADERS took a step closer to promotion with this hard-fought victory. Up against a much bigger side, they took the lead after only five minutes, when Daz Lee went in under the posts. Crusaders then found
ATHERTON folk hope they've heard the last of things that go bump in the night. After nine crashes in the space of seven weeks at the High Street/Alder Street junction locals sent a 100 name petition calling for a sign and renewed road markings. Angry
AN expanding furniture firm has made a number of changes at the top. Brian Murphy has been appointed to the post of group sales director at Altham-based Senator International, Roger McGrory to sales director, Robert Mustoe to marketing director and Nick
Waterhead 40 Pilkington Recs 12 THE scoreline was a cruel reflection of the effort Recs put into this game. They trailed only 12-6 against the table-toppers at the break. But tries in 15 minutes after the interval put paid to their hopes. On a heavy pitch
AN EXPERIMENTAL roundabout isn't the answer to Astley road junction bedlam. Chaotic Cross Hillock needs traffic signals say campaigners who don't accept a roundabout as a solution to snarl-up safety problems. Local authority highways engineers came-up
CHRIS Malkin ran his old Millwall team-mates ragged, Andy Preece continued to be on top form and Pool's defensive line were in perfect order for this impressive 3-0 win over the Lions on Saturday (Feb 14). Anyone who saw the match witnessed one of the
A 12-MONTH-OLD baby has died from the most deadly form of meningitis. Chloe Melissa Jackson, from Atherton, died on Sunday shortly after being admitted to the Royal Bolton Hospital. She was taken there after her mother became concerned about a rash on
COMPENSATION of £76 - just 4p a day - for years of suffering by former prisoners of war has split the ranks of Fylde's old soldiers. It's not enough, says Fylde councillor Eric Bamber, whose Japanese Labour Camp Survivors' Association wants to use the
A DISABLED woman is determined to pursue a claim for Motability cash to buy a car despite months of setbacks. Elizabeth Bower, 56, has fought with authorities to get the cash she reckons she is entitled to. She has been told by doctors not to carry anything
WORK has begun on Tyldesley's new church primary school. As the demolition gang moved in to flatten the old Mission school hall, infants moved into a nearby warehouse! By this time next year a new St George's Central CE Primary School will have been completed
A YOUNG boy who battled against serious illness has his future sewn up after deciding to follow his mum's footsteps and stitch curtains - at the age of eight! Robert Hill from Penwortham near Preston, was struck down with pneumonia and while in hospital
A FOOTBALL-MAD Leyland schoolboy had the trip of a lifetime when he travelled to Wembley to lead his England heroes out onto the pitch. Over-the-moon 12-year-old Adrian Ward landed the honour after winning a competition in a national newspaper. He travelled
A TOP national award has been won by Accrington and Rossendale College. The National Beacon Award for Health and Community Care - sponsored by healthcare firm Burke Ford - was awarded to the college for its unique "tutor training for deaf people" initiative
BABY Conor Taylor is the toast of regulars at an Astley village pub. Five-and-a-half months old Conor, from Tyldesley, has the rare condition phenylketonuria (PKU), which would have caused brain-damage if it hadn't been discovered at an early stage. Thankfully
CLUBSHOP manager Steve Hobin was being tracked down by Southampton scouts when a terrible injury ended his promising playing career. The 21-year-old was captain of his university team and set for great things when he snapped his achilles tendon 14 months
SADDENED tiny tots have joined a road safety battle following the tragic death of a three-year-old playmate. Chloe Rigby (pictured) died after a road accident near her home on Tyldesley's Shakerley estate. Her funeral was on Tuesday afternoon Now tearful
BRITISH Transport Police are set to draft in squads of special constables to help reduce crime on the nation's railways, following a successful pilot scheme in Preston. The 18-month trial, which was brought in to cope with Euro 96 crowds, involved 13
WITH all the publicity surrounding the Battle of the Tables recently with the Darwen trader who simply wants to provide tables for the use of the public, doesn't it show just how much notice the council takes of what the public want. This is just a typical
IT could have been part of a Wallace and Gromit movie - a seven-year-old boy sleepwalks out of his house and goes missing for over an hour in the dark. But this was real life when Preston animator Nick Park's young nephew got out of bed and made off into
PLANS are under way to drive South Ribble teenagers away from crime by training them up in motor mechanics. A pilot scheme involving the borough council and a whole host of partners will target 16 to 24-year-olds who have no direction in life and can
LANCASHIRE police officers spend more time on the beat than behind their desks, according to figures released by the Audit Commission. The report, on Police Performance Indicators, reveals that the county's law enforcers spend 59 per cent of their duty
HOME SECRETARY and Blackburn MP Jack Straw has launched a moral crusade to create a new generation of "good citizens." Mr Straw has told schools they must not neglect the need to teach children to be good people in their quest to achieve better exam results
WHEN the clock strikes midnight on December 31 1999 it will signify the arrival of the new century and the start of possibly the most serious problem facing British business ever. Many date-dependent systems could fail to recognise the year 2000 causing
A FANATICAL follower of Preston North End is heartbroken after his wife persuaded him to move over 300 miles from his beloved Deepdale - after ten years of trying. Super supporter Dean Harrison finally gave in to wife Mandy a decade after she first asked
THE skies in Bury will be lit up next Thursday (February 26) as part of a national protest by farmers to highlight what they claim is the desperate state of the agriculture industry. Beacons and bonfires will be ablaze just days before local country folk
A GROUP of Blackburn animal lovers are preparing to protest at the controversial Waterloo Cup. The members of the newly-formed Blackburn branch of the League against Cruel Sports, are planning to travel en-masse to the three-day hare coursing event in
CASH-strapped teenagers could miss out on the chance of further education if Lancashire County Council abolishes free travel passes for students. Education chiefs were due to decide last night (Thursday, February 19) whether-or-not to scrap the free bus
SCHOOL'S out for a Preston teacher who is leaving her Longton home to renovate an old farmhouse in France's Loire valley. Andrea Gibson will swap mounds of marking homework for months of DIY in a 15th century building after 24 years as a French teacher
LANCASHIRE Hawks' walking wounded are to undergo late fitness tests before Saturday's clash against Murrayfield at the Arena. Jeff Daniels, Neil Abel and Colin Downey are all struggling with injuries as the Hawks look to end their run of 19 consecutive
WHEN it comes to planning my summer holidays, I never go much further than browsing a brochure or stocking up on the sun tan cream. But there is a club which is about to hold a course so that you can make the most of your annual vacation - whether it's
WITH the crucial FA Cup tie against Arsenal coming up, PNE rested Jimmy Milne and Bobbie Beattie for the league game away at Birmingham. Bob Batey stood in for Milne with 18-year-old Archie Garrett making his league debut at inside left. North End treated
A PUBLIC inquiry at Bury next week will decide if a number of homes in Prestwich can keep their gardens. The hearing is being held because an official of the Open Space Society is objecting to what he claims is a "land grab". Mr Don Lee says the former
A PRESTON man claims to have been waiting for over a year for a new heating system promised by his landlord. Steve Rolfe, of The Paddock, received a letter from North British Housing Association (NBHA) in November last year telling him he would have central
A weekend of classics culminated in a romantic Valentine's Day ballet when the Charter Theatre in Preston presented a hat trick of classics. It featured operas from the Music Theatre London (MTL) on Thursday and Friday, and a ballet by Adonais Ballet
A HUSBAND who admitted indecently assaulting his wife was jailed for 15 months yesterday (February 19). Mr Julian Taylor, prosecuting, said the assault took place on Thursday, November 27 last year when the couple were separated with the husband living
PRESTON North End's Wembley dream is over, blown away in a supercharged Turf Moor atmosphere by an inability to put away any of the goalscoring chances that came their way. The final score was Burnley 1 PNE 0 but it all started to go wrong early on as
ROVERS go to the home of the Premiership wheelers and dealers on Saturday knowing that the Dell boys have already pulled a few fast ones over their fellow championship chasers. For Southampton, filled with lower league hopefuls and Premiership cast offs
THIS week I decided to surf the world-wide web and tell you about some of the most unusual web sites there is to offer. I have looked at pages from the world of music, sport and media so sit back and enjoy. From baby spice to Hulk Hogan and Lou Reed I
THE future of one of Bury's oldest Anglican places of worship has come under the political spotlight. Keen historian and local MP David Chaytor still hopes that St Paul's CE Church in Parsonage Street can have a bright future. Mr Chaytor joined the vicar
ANYONE who was not at Saturday's (February 14) match and saw the scoreline: Brentford 0 PNE 0, could be forgiven for thinking that it was a drab affair. It was never that, it could have been 4-4. Preston gave a debut appearance to on-loan signing John
CAMPAIGNING MP Gordon Prentice is challenging East Lancashire landowners to open up their land to ramblers to see if the Government's proposed voluntary right to roam will work. The Pendle Labour backbencher is leading protests against the Government's
INSPECTORS have been sent in to a private nursing home after two more care workers were suspended. Social services investigators are taking a look round Rose Court Nursing and Residential Home in Radcliffe after the latest staff upheaval. Two women were
A MAJOR terrorist hunt was under way in the North West after a policeman was shot, a car was hijacked at gunpoint and a bomb blast destroyed a gasometer. A policeman who stopped a van in the centre of Warrington was shot twice. Police held two men after
FIREFIGHTERS prevented a fire from engulfing a mill in Accrington town centre and causing thousands pounds worth of damage. Arsonists broke in to the empty, former Accrington Timber and Building Supplies premises in Ormerod Street and started fires yesterday
COUNCIL sentries were put on round-the-clock duty in a Blackburn park after the second arms discovery within three days. A schoolboy sparked a major security alert when he found a live hand grenade in Corporation Park and took it home. Blackburn Council
HEALTH Trust middle managers were accused of trying to restrict patients' watchdogs as a row erupted over hospital inspections. Community Health Council chairman Frank Clifford cancelled an informal meeting with trust chiefs after accusing them of again
THINGS are getting better in Burnley - but it could cost the town millions. The latest "poverty league" tables show the borough climbing out of the mire of deprivation. Burnley, which was the 57th most deprived area in the country has improved 20 places
HOME Secretary Jack Straw today revealed that a major conference in Blackburn could hold the key to a successful English bid to host the 2006 World Cup. The eyes of the world will focus on Ewood Park tomorrow when the fight against football hooliganism
THANK you, Benjamin Cannon, for your lovely dissertation about 'Tottie' Road, Lower Darwen (Letters, February 20). I was fortunate enough to spend the first 24 years of my life in Tottenham Road with those who were brought up there in the 1930s. We had
THE planting of Leylandii hedgerows must surely rate as one of the biggest scourges to blight the urban landscape. Fast-growing and dense, they attract the gardener to plant them in an attempt to gain privacy. Unfortunately, the end result is that unless
And just as the town comes knocking for access on the door of the countryside, rural Britain prepares to march to town in protest "to save its way of life." For tonight, as a curtain-raiser to the giant Countryside March expected to attract 250,000 people
REGARDING the council's action in prosecuting five traders in Blackburn for placing displays and A-boards promoting their business on the pavements, I spoke to Mr David Wilson, who runs a craft shop in Lower Cockcroft, and he told me that he placed his
COMMUNITY bobby Charmaine Smith is back on homeground after requesting a transfer to her old stomping ground in Haydock East. Charmaine (33) was born and raised in Haydock and when she learned there was a vacancy for a community beat officer in the area
PICTURED: SIX of the seven St Helens Glass workers who have just scooped an amazing £161,970 on the National Lottery, crack open the champagne. A SEVEN strong group of workers from St Helens Glass was in sparkling form to receive their bumper cheque for
OFFICERS at St Helens Sea Cadets who feared they might be forced to abandon ship have earned a reprieve. The mounting cost of vandalism attacks at the cadets' headquarters, TS Scimitar in Volunteer Street, had put the future of the unit in doubt. Now
GOLDENHEART Joe Griffiths pictured here with Ryan and big sister Kimberley. (Ref. 78/33). WHEN Joe Griffiths lines up for the start of the London Marathon in April he will have another very special target in mind other than his finishing time. For Joe
THANKS for all the Valentines cards - I got the grand total of one and that was from my mother. Anyway - such is life. So I hear that it's the warmest February for 300 years. A couple of days ago everyone was walking around the office in t-shirt. You
Wally Ashcroft's Wonder of Pets IF I remember my Cowley School history lessons correctly, it was Sir Robert Walpole who said: "Let sleeping dogs lie". Sir Robert was referring to the French, of course. I am more interested in the canine variety. I am
ALAN WHALLEY'S WORLD IT must have been the most extraordinary landmark of all time - an archway formed from two huge jawbones of a whale. And this amazing feature gave rise to a little settlement becoming known, perhaps not unsurprisingly, as the Jaw
A MAN has been charged with assault after a 15-year-old boy allegedly received an electric shock from a garden gate. The youngster is thought to to have received the shock when he tried to open the gate to retrieve a football which had been kicked into
ST HELENS Council has successfully prosecuted a local licensee, who despite a written warning, continued to provide entertainment after his Public Entertainment Licence had expired. At St Helens Magistrates Court the licensee pleaded guilty to two offences
LEE Carter of Gray Avenue, Haydock, has pleaded not guilty at Liverpool Crown Court to the murder of 19-month-old Nicole Goodwin. Carter (23) also denied causing grievous bodily harm to the baby, but pleaded guilty to two charges of perverting the course
SEVEN children from Rainford High School were taken to Whiston Hospital after their school bus was involved in a collision with a motorcyclist. The accident happened on Rookery Lane, Rainford at 3.30pm on Thursday, February 12 as the pupils were on their
ANXIOUS parents of Aimee Read are keeping a close on her as she begins to experience the side-effects of her bone marrow transplant. Weeks of radiotherapy and treatment have taken their toll on the five-year-old who has captured the hearts of thousands
BUS and coach firms who fail to meet safety standards are to be targeted with a set of tough new regulations. Lancashire County Council is worried about the number of companies whose vehicles fail safety standards and are issued with warnings. They have
LOCAL MP David Chaytor has warmly welcomed the Government's plans to combat drink-driving. "Too many people are killed and too many lives are ruined," said Mr Chaytor. "While drink-policy has been successful in reducing the number of deaths and injuries
VANDALS throwing stones and bolts from a 100ft viaduct have been warned: "This will end in death.'' High profile police patrols are being sent to the trouble spot in an attempt to stop a spate of vandal attacks. Youths have been seen throwing stones and
PERKY centenarian Annie Bedford had one special guest missing at her 100th birthday party this week . . . her big sister! Sadly 102-year-old Alice Wild was too unwell to attend her younger sister's celebrations along with five generations of their family
MAJOR decisions affecting the future of shopping in Rossendale have been put back two months amid fears that the council's own redevelopment plans may not go ahead. Rawtenstall traders have been told it will now be May at the earliest before the council
Haydock 30 Simms Cross 12 THE Yickers collected two valuable points to improve their standing in the North West Counties League Premier Division. But Simms Cross took the lead after five minutes with a penalty goal. Ireland brought Haydock level with
TWO teenagers had a lucky escape when fire ripped through an upstairs bedroom as they watched television in the lounge last night. Thirteen-year-old Christopher Pickard and his sister, Jodie, 16, heard an explosion upstairs in the house in Canal Street
A THIEF who broke into the presbytery of Corpus Christi church in Rainford, managed to gain entry to the living quarters of 82-year-old Father McKenna and stole £30. The clergyman was confronted by the thief, but there were no threats of violence and
SWISS man Alexander Choremi is clearly loco about steam trains. He travelled all the way to Bury to fulfil his steam dream by forking out £1,500 to hire the East Lancashire Railway for the day! It is the fourth time this year the 37-year-old railway engine
Liverpool St Helens 39 Otley 16 LSH continued their fine home form with a superb display against Otley . . . if only they could reproduce this self-confidence on their travels. Despite lacking the services of inspirational skipper Brian Wellens and industrious
A MAN driving a stolen car caused a four-car collision on the East Lancashire Road on Saturday, February 14. The accident happened at Haydock Island at about 4.55pm when the stolen vehicle drove through, causing other cars to collide while trying to avoid
Chester 18 West Park 5 PARK were left in the starting blocks in what had been billed the Division North West One title decider. After 20 minutes they had hardly touched the ball and Chester were 10 points up from a try from right wing Roger Hughes converted
ST HELENS Council are trying to allay fears of savers over Newton-le-Willows Credit Union. A spokesman for the council was keen to dispel anxieties, but admitted that the credit union was suffering some financial difficulties. The Newton-le-Willows Credit
BLACKPOOL Zoo would have nothing to fear from any beastly directives from the European Union. Fylde Euro-MP Mark Hendrick is pushing for compulsory standards for zoos to be set out in a legally-binding EU directive. Blackpool Zoo boss Iain Valentine,
SAINTS have launched a revolutionary scheme to guarantee a flow of local talent to Knowsley Road. A comprehensive document detailing a venture dubbed 'Continuous Improvement Programme' (CIP), has been prepared by development executive and Academy coach
A ROMANTIC couple tied the knot at historic Lytham Hall at the weekend after deciding Valentine's Day was a perfect wedding date. Victoria Harrison, 39, of Keasden Avenue, Blackpool, and Noureddine Darkouche, 35, from Casablanca, Morocco, dated on Majorca
COUNCIL chiefs want to help businesses stay on the right road while parts of Blackpool town centre are pedestrianised. Bosses hope that the street improvement scheme, due to begin on February 23, will turn the area into a jewel in Blackpool's crown when
AN intruder who burst into a pensioner's home threatened her with a hammer and a knife before escaping with about £20 in cash. The victim, who is in her 60s, was sitting in the living room of her house in Crown Street, Newton-le-Willows, when the man
HUNDREDS of floating cucumbers have excused Fylde sheep from polluting Blackpool beach. The Environment Agency launched the brightly-painted cucumbers last autumn to try to track down the source of sheep droppings which sometimes wash up on Fylde's holiday
WORK is underway on six purpose-designed bungalows adapted for people with severe disabilities. The homes, at Dorothy Street in Thatto Heath, are expected to be completed in August this year and Grosvenor Housing Association, who are behind the project
Neil Bramwell Speaks Out THE drama at Ewood Park provided a revealing insight into one particular footballer's character. Not Colin Hendry, again bravely putting his head above the parapet when others scuttle into shadows. But the sulky and spoilt antics
Hereford United 1 Morecambe 0 THIS defeat means Morecambe are down to sixth place and 13 points behind leaders Halifax. But they should have had a draw. Referee Ray Oliver admitted a Morecambe goal from Andy Milner in the dying minutes should have stood
TIME is running out for a Turf Moor takeover to help Burnley's fight against relegation. Manager Chris Waddle believes his current squad is capable of avoiding the drop to Division Three. But with the transfer deadline approaching on March 26, it is increasingly
STUDENTS at Lancaster University burnt their degrees in protest at the introduction of tuition fees on Friday. The students originally planned to hold a funeral procession to mark the death of further eduction - but changed their plans after a student's
POLICE simulated a major riot on the site of the planned prison at Middleton last night. Special Police Officers acted as rioters and 150 police from across Lancashire - from constables to senior officers - quelled the pretend fray. But police insisted
With reference to Mr Henig's letter on the 12 February, I can find no reference to Dr Goebbels in the concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. However, Adolf Hitler is quoted: "The broad mass of a nation will more easily fall victim to a big lie than
North Lancashire Friends of the Earth welcomes the city council's announcement that more money is to be invested in bringing run-down properties in Poulton back into use. At last count there were over 200 empty houses in Poulton Ward, not to mention many
Lancaster City 3 Guiseley 2 LANCASTER City threw away their two goal lead in first half injury time but triumphed with a goal in the 90th minute. For the second time since his arrival new boy Tony McDonald scored the winning goal in the dying moments
RESIDENTS who have nicknamed a Thornton road the "Valley of Death" have renewed their calls for a proposed link road to be built before there is a fatal accident. The road would link Briar Road with Rossendale Avenue South through the controversial low-cost
BURY ever-present Lennie Johnrose is battling to be fit in time for tomorrow's trip to West Brom. The midfield maestro is struggling with a hamstring strain suffered in Tuesday's goalless draw with Stoke City. He has missed just one game for the Shakers
