SCHOOL pupils have stopped writing to a convicted killer on death row. The controversial scheme at The Hollins County High School, Accrington, involved 13-year-olds sending letters to Virgil Brownlee, who was sentenced to die in the electric chair. He
FIONA Sharples, a 23-year-old French teacher at Witton Park, Blackburn, plunged into the freezing sea at Blackpool to rescue Christopher Forshaw, 15, who had dived into the water himself to help his sister's dog Rocky. The modest heroine said: "I threw
BURGLARS defied the security cameras at a high school and stole... a security camera! The incident at Moorland High School, Darwen, is the latest in a spate of thefts in and around Darwen. Now police in the town are urging firms and organisations to step
A LAST-DITCH bid to save Hartley Hospital has been launched by a group of Colne councillors. Copies of a petition against the demolition of the landmark building are being circulated to all the houses in Colne and Foulridge to stir up public opinion against
HOME Secretary Jack Straw today recalled his terror on the tube when he was caught up in running battles between rival England and Scotland fans as he urged people to shop thugs before the World Cup in France. The Blackburn MP launched a special hooligan
THANKS for being on the Internet. After living in the USA for almost 30 years, it is really great to be able to read a newspaper from 'home' that is not 14 days old. I print Saturday's paper for my parents who get a big kick out of it and see some old
TOWN hall bosses in Blackburn were attacked today for raising council tax after Labour leaders of Lancashire's other new unitary authority said going-it-alone was helping them to cut bills by 13 per cent. Labour-run Blackpool council is set to cut council
THE GOVERNMENT is heading for a revved-up rural row over windfarms, according to a report today. For, says the Council for the Protection of Rural England, meeting its targets for increasing use of renewable energy would mean a big boost in wind turbine
I READ with interest your item (LET, February 17) 'On This Day - 5 Years Ago' as it recalled my grave concerns about vandalism and highly unsavoury rubbish on the site of my school. I am sure you will be pleased to learn of the latest developments. The
THE TICKET allocations for English and other foreign fans for this summer's World Cup finals in France are mean and unfair. But, worse, they are a dangerous recipe for disaster. England supporters will get fewer than 10,000 tickets for the three opening
Drive and Stroll, with Ron Freethy - Leeds and Liverpool Canal WHEN people write about the glories of old England, poor old Lancashire hardly gets a look in. Hundreds of pictures grace publications and show Morris Dancing usually in the Cotswolds or Kent
OYEZ! Clitheroe is to host this year's National Town Criers' Competition. A charter to host the event has been presented to Clitheroe Town Council and Ribble Valley Council by the Ancient and Honorable Guild of Town Criers. The top competition will be
BURNLEY have opened contract talks with Gerry Harrison, writes PETE OLIVER. But the outcome could depend on the impact of the Bosman ruling. Out of contract players over the age of 24 will be able to move for nothing for the first time this summer and
DARWEN manager Steve Wilkes must do without leading scorer Denny Khan for the testing trip against Prescot Cables at St Helens' Hoghton Road ground tomorrow. Khan, who has hit the net 13 times this season, has been sidelined after pulling a thigh muscle
BUDDING boffins from around the country will be eavesdropping on the latest technology being used in the aerospace industry next month. As part of BBC Radio Two's annual Science Week reporter Ruth Prince interviewed John Eastham from the manufacturing
A £500,000 investment has launched an engineering firm into a new market - and the sky's the limit! Raven Manufacturing has invested in tooling for a new range of satellite dishes aimed at the European market in a move which could create up to 30 new
A PROFITS warning knocked tens of millions of pounds off the stock market value of one East Lancashire's biggest employers this morning. Scapa Group plc warned that the strong pound and the cost of a shake-up in some its businesses could reduce profits
A SCHOOLGIRL and a young woman have been indecently assaulted in two separate incidents. Detectives today said they could not rule out the possibility that one man was responsible for both of the Blackburn attacks. In the most recent incident, a 13-year-old
AN ANGRY and disillusioned magistrate resigned from the bench after claiming the law had gone soft on criminals. Hyndburn magistrate Brian Rutter quit in protest at new rules contained in the Criminal Justice Act, which set penalties according to what
TWO young musicians at Ivy Bank High School, Burnley, will be taking the stage with two professional pianists. Gemma Latham, 16, and Charlotte Binns, 12, members of the Ivy Bank swing band and youth orchestra, will be performing with famous piano duo
LANCASHIRE Hawks will be going for a "double" number of points this weekend - even though they only have one scheduled fixture. That strange situation comes about because the ice-hockey play-off clash with Cardiff Rage at the Arena on Sunday (face off
A DISABLED woman said to be trapped by killer tornadoes in Florida has rung home to say: "Reports about me have all been a storm in a teacup." Margaret Howe, 67, of Alma Place, Clitheroe, was staying in the St Petersburg resort, 70 miles south of Tampa
POLICE were put on alert following allegations that a schoolgirl had been abducted by the driver of a double-decker bus. But today the driver was being hailed a hero after it emerged that he had rescued the 13-year-old from a gang of teenagers and driven
AS a resident taxpayer and voter of Blackburn, I ask its councillors to stop harassing and persecuting shopkeepers who use A-boards or pavement displays. This, they are doing in my name, but I, and I think many other residents of Blackburn, want an end
I THINK it is unfair of J E Shackleton, B J Booth and Christina Taylor (Letters, February 23) to criticise Coun Sue Reid over her recent actions regarding the Mayor's ball. Having known Coun Reid for some years, I know that she is a hard-working councillor
AS many people in this area supported UNICEF's appeal for North Korea recently, I thought they might be interested to hear how our work to save the lives of children suffering from malnutrition is progressing. I recently returned from two months in North
SOMETHING that needs dropping from hospital lingo is 'NBM' - Nil By Mouth. For after being rushed to Blackburn Infirmary a fortnight ago, I spent most of the night on drips and the following morning inquired after some breakfast. I was told in no uncertain
Political Focus with Bill Jacobs TONY Blair this week tied his political reputation to the success or failure of the Millennium Dome. The Prime Minister promised the extravaganza at Greenwich - the home of Time - would be "the most fantastic day out in
Friday Folk BRIDEGROOM Ian Parker's best mates are so determined to get him to the church on time they are flying thousands of miles to make sure. Ian is marrying American fiancee Dorie in Detroit, Michigan, the motor capital of the USA and his three
RESIDENTS in Padiham were cheering after a planned nightclub was refused a liquor licence. They turned out in force for the all-day hearing at Reedley magistrates to decide on the licence application for Le Grand Nightclub, Station Road. Businessman John
IT would be easy to mistake one of Brent Peters' most recent captures at Bacup Borough Football Club for a strapping rugby player, writes ANDY NEILD. But then Emon Ratu - who weighs in at nearly 15st and tops six feet - IS a strapping rugby player. Ratu
KEVIN Gallacher revealed today that he had stood up to be counted - and possibly saved Eyal Berkovic from being sensationally sent off in Blackburn Rovers' FA Cup replay against West Ham, writes PETER WHITE. The Rovers striker, who seems to have failed
BURNLEY'S relegation showdown at Carlisle tomorrow is a massive game for all involved, writes PETE OLIVER. But one player in particular has special reason to mark it down as a crucial day in his career. Richard Liburd launches a bid to resurrect his playing
DESPITE a famous surname, Neil Lennon is not a player that would spring readily to many minds when discussing the merits of the Premiership's top midfield marauders, writes PETER WHITE. Yet the ginger-topped 26-year-old Northern Ireland stalwart has proved
