POLICE are hunting thugs who left an 84-year-old woman with a broken arm and dislocated shoulder in a vicious street robbery. The pensioner is being treated in Blackburn Infirmary after the attack in Scaitcliffe Street, Accrington, at 1.35pm yesterday
CAMPAIGNERS are still demanding a public inquiry into traffic calming measures in Hyndburn despite safety reassurances from a council chief. Council chief executive Mike Chambers has defended the scheme and dismissed claims that measures were "recklessly
MILLENNIUM celebrations in Clitheroe will be high on the agenda of the town's newly-elected mayor. Coun John McGowan, who was chosen for a second term at the mayor-making ceremony, outlined plans for the run-up to the millennium as he received his chain
STEVE WOODS, banned by Lancashire League side Colne, has been given the all-clear to resume his cricket career with Read and will be available for their Vaux Ramsbottom Cup tie this weekend. Woods was banned along with Darrell Halstead and given a one-year
HOME Secretary Jack Straw is to be asked to consider a wide-ranging inquiry into a series of hanging deaths involving men from East Lancashire at Preston Prison. Burnley MP Peter Pike is deeply concerned at the deaths of four men in the last year, including
I WAS sad and upset to read (LET, April 29) that Scottish and Newcastle are to phase out the name of Matthew Brown, the former Blackburn brewer. Before the S and N takeover, the company was very much a family-orientated business. My parents and relatives
MAY I thank all the individuals and church congregations who have posted to Kashmir the Bishop of Blackburn's appeal for news of hostage Paul Wells? Last week, we announced that people could collect posters from Immanuel Church, Feniscowles, but the demand
ALTHOUGH the 21st century is imminent, one notable feature of much of modern-day Britain is still stuck in the Victorian times - our licensing laws. Elsewhere in the world, people can enjoy a drink whenever they want. Here, the outdated ritual of closing
The Entertainers: The Hollies' Bobby Elliott IT could be the air that he breathes that has kept Hollies' drummer Bobby Elliott in his beloved Pendle throughout 36 years of rock stardom. While other band members needed "Just One Look" at the sunnier southern
A VIDEO aimed at booting racists out of professional football was shown at Ewood Park as part of a nationwide launch. The specially commissioned video is part of the national Show Racism the Red Card campaign. Gordon Taylor, the President of the English
TONY Parks was hoping to land a new contract offer today to round off a perfect week for the Burnley goalkeeper. Parks' 12-month deal expires this summer but the understudy to Chris Woods hopes to remain with the Clarets. And he proved his value to the
BILLY McKinlay has a fighting chance of making Blackburn Rovers' crucial finale to the season against Newcastle at Ewood on Sunday. The Scottish midfielder, who limped off at Coventry after taking a whack just above the ankle, is having intensive treatment
LONE parents are urged to claim extra benefit before it is abolished next month. Welfare rights experts in Lancashire estimate at least 25,000 families in the county are losing out on extra payments because they have not claimed. Under the current rules
A THREE-YEAR-OLD boy is "stable" in hospital today after setting fire to his bedroom with a cigarette lighter. Little Joshua Petrie started the blaze at his home in Mizpah Street, Burnley, last night. His mum, Joanne, was downstairs with 18-month-old
CLIMBER or lunatic? That's the question Alastair Lee has to ask himself when he scales the rocky ridges of some of the most remote mountains in the world. The 24-year-old from Holden Close, Barrowford, has had a book published about climbing in Australia
EAST Lancashire is leading the way in helping children caught up in the horrors of domestic violence. A pilot scheme set up in Blackburn just over two years ago has been hailed a huge success. The NSPCC's Starting Over Project now forms a blueprint for
LAST week, in our small shop, we accepted a cheque which was signed in front of us and guaranteed by a switchcard. This cheque has not been honoured by the bank as the cheque book and card had been stolen (it may be honoured at a later date). Most people
GLEN CHAPPLE has buried his injury nightmare - and he aims to make up for lost time after his remarkable 5-7 for Lancashire against the Minor Counties in the Benson and Hedges Cup yesterday. The 24-year-old Earby paceman was hoping to push for England
CAN readers help in my search for my ancestors? My grandmother, Mary Bannister (ne Grogan, ne Haworth) originally came from Blackburn. She married a William Bannister, who at the time resided at 20 Henrietta Street. William, the son of Joseph Bannister
AFTER the farce and foul-up - and selfish-favouritism - over the telephone sales of World Cup tickets, the French now have another problem. The tickets themselves, all 2.5million of them, are stuck in a huge aircraft hangar when they should be going out
IN Darwen, I fear the lunatics have taken over the asylum. The A666 main road near to the new M65 exit has now been narrowed to create car parking spaces. An extremely-busy trunk road, a major bus and heavy goods route, has recently become even more busy
Nature Watch, with Ron Freethy IT WAS obvious that Mother Nature was going to get her own back. After one of the warmest Marches on record, April struck back with low temperatures, snowstorms and the month has been the wettest since records began. Some
Valerie Cowan Surfs the Net A FEW years ago Martin Millar was THE author of the moment. His novels, including Milk, Sulphate and Alby Starvation and Lux the Poet, earned his the kind of respect Irvine Welsh enjoys today. But then something changed. Every
The John Blunt column IN JOINING the pious, politically-correct cry for a one-pint drink-drive limit, Lancashire Police say research shows drivers' judgment is impaired when they have more alcohol than this in their blood. Let us see, then, what havoc
Former Inter boss Roy Hodgson assesses the UEFA Cup Final ROY Hodgson feels tonight's all-Italian UEFA Cup final between Lazio and his former club Inter Milan is too close to call. But the Blackburn Rovers manager points to Brazil's Ronaldo as a possible
A FORMER brewery chief raised a toast to a name change. David Kay, retired general manager at Daniel Thwaites, was a guest at the Ewood Park ceremony to welcome Roscoes to the county's legal register. The company, which specialises in licensing matters
A JOB creation firm has announced a new chairman. Lancashire County Council's deputy leader Frank McKenna is to take over the reins at Lancashire County Enterprises from Jim Mason. "We have exciting and innovative plans to take this company forward,"
PROBLEMS faced by manufacturing firms in East Lancashire struggling to cope with the strength of the pound have been raised at the top. Pendle MP Gordon Prentice has highlighted business worries about the high value of the pound to Chancellor Gordon Brown
A GRUELLING 25-mile race through the desert has earned a soldier from Padiham a gold medal for Britain. Gunner Anthony Boyle 21, a member of the 47 Regiment Royal Artillery, took part in the race through the deserts of New Mexico in the USA. The event
HEALTH chiefs in Blackburn gave the thumbs-up to fluoridation of the area's water supply. Fluoride was set to go on tap in the district, providing the rest of the North West agreed to follow suit. A street survey of more than 1,500 people found that the
A MULTI-million pound leisure complex could be open in Accrington town centre by next spring. The proposed development on council-owned land at Moreton Street would boast a multi-screen cinema, 20-lane ten pin bowling alley and fast food restaurant. A
CARS belonging to supporters of a Burnley county council election candidate were damaged in what was believed to be a politically-motivated attack. Masood Ahmed Mirza, who was standing as an Independent candidate in Burnley Central East, was meeting supporters
