LANCASHIRE Ambulance Service has appointed Dr Richard Fairhurst its clinical director. He will advise the service part time, in addition to his current role as a consultant in the accident and emergency department at Chorley and South Ribble district
TELEVISION motorbike ace Steve Berry likened the Rossendale Valley Motorbike Show to the Isle of Man TT - but he said it was better! Steve, a presenter on BBC2's Top Gear, was guest of honour at the presentation evening at Rawtenstall Cricket Club when
A CORONER has ordered police to re-investigate the death of a 24-year-old Blackburn woman after reading expert fire reports into the incident which left her engulfed in flames. Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Coroner Andre Rebello took the unusual
JIMMY Robson has been honoured by Ex-Clarets in Sport to mark the goal he scored for Burnley in the 1962 FA Cup Final. Robson's equaliser in a 3-1 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur was the 100th Cup Final goal beneath the Twin Towers. And the former Clarets
A LIBERAL Democrat councillor branded a "Trotskyite" by a Labour counterpart in a row over the closure of homes for the elderly is demanding an apology. Coun Karimeh Foster and the three other Liberal Democrat councillors in Blackburn and Darwen have
STEPHANE Henchoz could give Blackburn Rovers boss Brian Kidd a timely boost by returning to the squad for tonight's game against title-chasing Chelsea. But it might also cause the manager something of a dilemma, after Marlon Broomes and Darren Peacock
THE senior representative of a Lancashire family law firm dating back several centuries has died suddenly, aged 80. Thomas Woodcock, of Hurst Green, enjoyed a distinguished legal career and was senior partner of Woodcock and Sons, Haslingden. When attorneys
Valerie Cowan surfs the net THOUSANDS of music fans will be getting the blues in Burnley this Easter. The 11th National Burnley Blues Festival runs from April 2 to 5 and is set to attract some of the biggest names in blues. The line-up includes James
IF at first you don't succeed - keep on throwing. A Clitheroe-based darts team has just recorded a bullseye for persistence - and they ain't finished yet. The team, currently in Division Three of the GMC Lancashire Superleague, have lost every single
ST THEODORES clinched the league and cup double in dramatic style as they hung on to beat closest rivals Towneley High by just five points. The Saints, who had already won the round robin cup competition earlier in the season, appeared to have the game
EAST Lancashire Football League is sending out an SOS for new clubs to join as dwindling numbers is causing concern. Only four clubs from the 14 founder members now remain in the league and Rimington were the latest team to drop out at the start of the
QASIM Ali has got the world at his feet - but not his head in the clouds. For the Edge End High School, Nelson, pupil has emerged as one of East Lancashire's brightest footballing talents and has already been snapped up by Bury where he attends the club's
SO, the War of the Succession, it seems, is over - and the England soccer coach's crown passes to Kevin Keegan. He is the people's choice. And it is one blessed by much of the media. But, for all that, King Kev should watch his back for the Fleet Street
THEY may be best of mates away from the table but there was nothing friendly about the Lancashire Schools Table Tennis under 19s final. For both Simon Ledwick and Dave Pilkington compete to win and on this occasion it was Ledwick of Accrington and Rossendale
QUITE rightly, MPs are angry at plans to force millions of people to alter their telephone numbers this summer, just four years after numbers across Britain had to be changed. For this is not just a matter of inconvenience. The colossal cost of this kind
A STUNNING second half strike from teenager Gareth Seddon capped a fine display by Stanley as they cruised into the quarter finals of the UniBond League Challenge Cup, writes ANDY NEILD. The fast improving Reds were full value for this morale-boosting
THIS week is "National Chip Week" and it is very much at home at my house. But, as your Food News writer Amanda Killelea says (LET, February 11) prices at chippies may be sky-high because of the rainy weather, hitting the potato crop. So I suggest buying
AN American preacher, the Rev Jerry Falwell, a man obviously more nutty than a bar of Cadbury's fruit and nut, is making outrageous and ludicrous claims that the purple-coloured Teletubby named Tinky Winky is gay and corrupts small children. I shudder
EMBARRASSED Kendall Gibbons has been revealed as the object of desire for a daredevil Romeo who scaled a motorway traffic sign to spell out his love. The mystery man altered the sign at junction 13 of the M65, the turn off for Nelson and Kendal, to send
AN internal investigation has begun into allegations that police officers in Burnley have been working as taxi drivers. Supt Bob Thompson of the Lancashire Constabulary Discipline and Complaints unit at Hutton confirmed today that five officers who work
A MAN arrested in Burnley as part of an investigation into a £12 million drugs operation has been released on police bail. Armed officers from the National Crime Squad arrested the man in the Brownside area of Worsthorne early yesterday. He was later
THE 19th annual book bazaar begun by author, publisher and bookseller Bob Dobson will be held at Accrington town hall on Saturday, from 10am to 4.30pm. A wide range of factual and fiction hardback and paperback books will be on sale. Refreshments will
MEMBERS of Great Harwood Mothers' Club are set to donate a total of £900 to the Macmillan Nurse Appeal, East Lancashire Hospice fund and the Breast Care charity. Irene Barber has been appointed president of the group for the coming year, with Joan Smith
BURNLEY have been hit by a one-match ban for midfield man Micky Mellon - thanks to three bookings he picked up with Tranmere Rovers. The FA confirmed today that Mellon's caution against Luton Town a week past Saturday was his fifth of the season so he
A CAREERS officer who has worked in the service for 40 years has retired. Dorothy Maskell, from Dunsop Bridge near Clitheroe, joined the careers service as a junior clerk in 1958. She later worked in Pendle before moving on to Hyndburn and the Ribble
AFTER 43 years and more than 200 miles of carpet, long-serving weaver Vincent Hammerton has finally retired from Rishton's Gaskell Carpets. Grandad Vincent, a keen dancer who keeps tropical fish, was presented with a cheque from the company and a fish
NELSON: A young mum who tried to smuggle drugs to her boyfriend in custody, has been jailed for 42 days. Georgina Agnes White, 25, hid five Temazepam tablets in a packet of sweets to take to Paul Ashworth at Colne police station, Burnley magistrates heard
NEARLY 50 firefighters tackled a blaze in a mill unit yesterday which threatened to engulf the whole building in flames. The fire began in Pendle Auto Breakers, a car dismantling firm, in a single-storey unit at Walverden Mill, Brunswick Street, Nelson
THE worst week of Iain Atkinson's life ended on a high note - when he won more than £280,000 on the National Lottery. In the space of a week, Iain was made redundant from his job at Pendle Personnel, Nelson, split up with his girlfriend and went to a
WHEN scientist Dr Arpad Pusztai said rats fed genetically-modified potatoes for just 10 days suffered shrunken brains, liver damage and weakening of their immune system, he was forced out of his job at a government-funded research institute. Now, 20 top
The views expressed by John Blunt are not necessarily those of this newspaper WILL someone kindly tell me what Labour's policy on helping families is - or what it actually means by 'family'? For despite the pledge of St Tony Blair, the nation's new moral
TWO men who tried to get free credits on a club gaming machine were filmed on a security camera. And it was only when they were interviewed for a third time by the police and shown the video recording that Kevin Dawson and Keith Jukes admitted attempted
HOSPITALS in East Lancashire have won Government grants of more than £500,000 to help towards two major improvement schemes. A cash boost of £145,000 will help pay for a pioneering project using audio-visual equipment to link Blackburn Royal Infirmary
JODY Morris expects a typically tough Premiership battle when Chelsea tackle Blackburn Rovers tonight. The young Stamford Bridge midfielder has now firmly established himself in Gianluca Vialli's star-studded squad and is looking forward to pitting his
LANCASHIRE County Council wants to close Whiteacre home for the elderly in Burnley and five other homes to save money. But when it becomes too much for the residents, they may not be around as they will not be able to cope with a move. To do care work
WHEN your dad is watching on the touchline it can be quite a torrid time for a young footballer. But when your dad happens to be former Burnley defender Vince Overson then the pressure is really on. However little Jack Overson rose to the challenge magnificently
ROYAL Hotel's charge to the Second Division Championship was held up as arch rivals EH Football gained valuable ground in what looks to be a repeat of last season's Third Division promotion battle. Before the game the Royal had played 10 and won 10. They
COLNE United are involved in a real fight to avoid relegation from Division One of the East Lancs League following their latest 2-1 defeat at Worsthorne. An excellend end-to-end game saw Colne take a 1-0 lead through returning striker Rod Lange with Worsthorne
THE cost of dying has risen by 13 per cent, according to some wonderful calculation emanating from Blackburn with Darwen Council chamber. Are our erudite councillors aware that the taxpayers of this town are lucky if they get a wage or pension rise in
I WAS a bit puzzled by your article (LET, February 10) on an alleged lorry problem in Great Harwood, because, as you rightly point out, the firm residents were complaining about had all the necessary planning permission, and has helped prosperity in the
CONSERVATIVES on Hyndburn Council are set to call on county bosses to re-think a decision to axe a part-time Accrington fire crew. Tory group leader Peter Britcliffe is asking the borough's six county councillors to support a motion to save the retained
FINANCE chiefs in Hyndburn are set to ask the government for more money for the year ahead. Council bosses agreed to speak to MP Greg Pope and try to meet ministers ahead of a final decision on the borough's council tax for 1999/2000. They will ask for
A MAN who swapped the sunshine of Florida for East Lancashire's drizzle has been getting more rain than he bargained for. Alan Ford moved to Accrington from Cape Canaveral 19 years ago because he likes the rain, and has been living in Hope Street for
Nature Watch, with Ron Freethy WHEN I wrote about peregrines a couple of weeks ago, I knew I would get into trouble from pigeon fanciers. It is only fair that these sportsmen should have the right to reply, so I have quoted Colin Taylor's letter in full
GARY Speed clearly hadn't lost his sense of humour as he hobbled out of St James's Park on Sunday night. Even though he was relieved to discover he was not seriously injured after a second-half clash with his own keeper, Speed's pain was obvious, prompting
AS his faltering career at the top was rescued by Alan Curbishley's offer of a place at Charlton, you might have thought John Barnes would have shown a little appreciation. But all the erstwhile international star could produce was a rather begrudging
CREDIT worthy members took a Pendle savings and loans group to new success. Nelson Community Credit Union recorded its 17th year of growth, with record results and membership breaking through the 1,000 barrier, the annual general meeting heard last night
THE idea of stores having a 'creche' for men, complete armchairs and with TVs tuned to sport, was actually advocated by a visionary columnist of this newspaper years ago. But Tesco's planning this facility to spare the blokes the ordeal of being dragged
HAVING once seen unicycling for jobless youths paid for out of taxes here in East Lancashire, I find it hardly surprising to discover that, in Birmingham, project workers have hit upon trapeze lessons at public expense for drug addicts - in a scheme offensively
GREEN-FINGERED Guides got to work on creating beauty spots on a council estate as part of a garden recycling initiative. Highfield Girl Guides teamed up with St James and Chapel Community Association to plant bulbs and fruit trees around St James' Estate
TWO East Lancashire councils are in the running for a top ecological award. Burnley and Blackburn with Darwen councils have entered a competition run by environmental group Going For Green. It aims to find the council which has recycled the most Christmas
Premier League: Chelsea v Blackburn Rovers - Peter White's big match preview SIGNOR Vialli, Monseiur Leboeuf and Senor Ferrer might not quite be up to scratch with the finer points of Aussie Rules, but it's worth wagering a few Euros that they will appreciate
BURNLEY have been hit by a one-match ban for midfield man Micky Mellon - thanks to three bookings he picked up with Tranmere Rovers. The FA confirmed today that Mellon's caution against Luton Town a week past Saturday was his fifth of the season so he
A COUNCIL consultation exercise on the proposed closure of two homes for the elderly in Blackburn has been branded a 'sham' by campaigners battling to keep them open. Social Services chiefs have recommended that Shadsworth House in Dunoon Drive and the
Organ Recital, Blackburn Cathedral, 1pm-1.30pm. Craft Workshop for Young People - Craft Creatures, Burnley Mechanics, Manchester Road, Burnley, 10am-3pm. Blackburn Arts Club present "Play On!" Club Theatre, Gibraltar Street, 7.30pm. "Caribbean Calypso
REMEMBER when hitting the jackpot at dominoes meant winning a few coppers? No longer. It's enough to make any self-respecting old-school does players spill their beer but the days of the ha'penny knock are long gone. Just ask folks at the Globe Bowling
MORE than seven people were chasing every job in Lancashire, according to figures released by the General, Municipal and Boilermakers' Union. But it was good news compared to the rest of the North West, which averaged 12 job-hunters for every vacancy,
VANDALS ran riot through the newly-refurbished Accrington Stanley's Crown Ground, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage. Fire extinguishers and bottles of spirits were sprayed over a new carpet and electronic equipment, darts were thrown at a television
PHYSICAL education plays a major role within the school and the popularity of the subject can be seen through the number of exam entries at GCSE level and the amount of commitment that is made towards extra curricular activities. The aim of the department
AUSTRALIAN Shawn Flegler has been signed by Clitheroe Cricket Club as professional for the 1999 Jennings Ribblesdale League season. Flegler, a 27-year-old Queenslander, is no stranger to English league cricket, having played for Lowerhouse in the Lancashire
DARWEN'S season is in danger of collapsing after a woeful display saw them dumped out of the NWTL Floodlit Trophy quarter-finals by neighbours Rossendale United. Manager Steve Wilkes blasted his side after Dale showed the greater appetite and booked themselves
THIS was a game where the ball spent most of the time in the stream running alongside the pitch - and in truth that was the best place for it! For players and supporters took it in turn plunging into the icy waters to retrieve the match ball and that
NELSON lost their proud unbeaten record with a hefty defeat at the hands of Clitheroe in the Blackburn Philanthropic Youth League's Under-18s shock of the day. Once again the weather played a big part in disrupting the fixtures with only a handful of
A THIEF who helped himself to an officer's bike from a police station was caught red-handed trying for a second bite at the cherry. Burnley magistrates heard how Tony Joseph Fallows, 22, was caught standing next to another policeman's bike with a pair
TAKE two lawn mowers motors and two technologically minded teenagers and watch out - you've got Havoc! John Robinson and Kevin Shirtcliffe, both 16 and from Simonstone, spent just £50 creating their robot Havoc and were delighted when it earned a place
STEPHANE Henchoz could give Blackburn Rovers boss Brian Kidd a timely boost by returning to the squad for tonight's game against title-chasing Chelsea. But it might also cause the manager something of a dilemma, after Marlon Broomes and Darren Peacock
"I'm not afraid to say that I'm a very spiritual person. "I believe in visualisation and destiny. Whatever happens this season God has decided. What you think about happens" - London Broncos coach Don Stains makes his bid for the England football manager's
BOBBY Downes was back at Brockhall this week after broadening Blackburn Rovers' search for new young talent in Australia. But there was one thing missing - the sun tan! "They told me they were having the worst weather they had seen in Brisbane for 20
