Archive

SAY hello to the team of the future - or at least part of it. This is the lucky quartet of players given full professional terms by manager David Moyes after working up through the youth ranks at Preston North End. Mark Wright, Stuart King, Mark Beesley

Morecambe 1 Farnborough 0THOSE hardcore 800 or so Morecambe fans must have truly bonded in their shared adversity this season - even before this rollercoaster of a match. They've had mind mumblingly bad results (remember the record seven goal defeat at

BRIAN Kidd could be forced to call Matt Jansen back into the squad for tomorrow's critical Ewood clash with relegated Nottingham Forest, less than two weeks since the striker returned to training after cartilage surgery. For the Blackburn Rovers boss

CRYSTAL Palace boss Steve Coppell has sent a message to the supporters of Bury FC - 'We'll do our best to beat Queens Park Rangers. Speaking exclusively to the Bury Times, he promised to field his strongest possible team for the crunch clash at Loftus

AN on-line auction (www.auctionhunter.co.uk) is set to raise money for charity thanks to the efforts of a Milton Keynes woman, Nikki Parsler. Nikki, who has two children suffering from primary immunodeficiencies, is auctioning Five Fortune Panda Ty Beanie

TONY Fargin's mid-season's return to the Child FC fold proved a priceless signing. For despite being hampered by knee trouble, he stood out as man of the match in Friday's St Helens Combination Rainford Potteries Cup Final. In a great display, he cracked

PARENTS flooded this newspaper office with calls this week to tell of their anguish about their children's future. Record numbers of children in the district, more than 130, were denied places at their preferred secondary schools for this year's intake

SIR, - A PAMPHLET through our letterbox invites us to vote for a certain Labour candidate in the local elections, but a couple of the paragraphs seem to contradict each other. He supports residents' protests against the proposed supermarket on Station

LOTTERY cash is to be used to create a "green oasis" close to Lancaster city centre. In a bid to provide more public parkland in congested city centre areas, the Millennium Commission has given almost £40,000 to the city. The money has been allocated

BLACKPOOL'S pubs and clubs were on anti-bomb alert this week following last Friday's horrific nail bomb blast in a London gay bar. With the second largest gay population outside London, Blackpool was warned to maintain vigilance despite the arrest at

IT is interesting to read the comments of Councillor Horrocks and Hilton Dawson MP regarding the proposed new development on the Teanlowe car park in Poulton centre. While both gentlemen think that a supermarket would be advantageous to Poulton, neither

ST HELENS Recs were narrowly beaten at Urmston in the National Knockout on Sunday. Recs batted first and Martindale produced a fine display reaching his maiden first-team half-century. Eventually being dismissed for 64, he shared in a fine stand with

A LIZARD was kept with no light and was not fed for six months in Lancaster by Rachael Blamire magistrates heard. Miss Blamire of Green Street, pleaded guilty to the charge of failing to provide proper care and attention to the Bosque monitor lizard at

ONE Ansdell man is looking forward to the trip of a lifetime - but it definitely won't be all palm trees and cocktails by the pool. In June Toby Westoby (pictured) will join best-selling author Bill Bryson and up to 50 intrepid walkers as they trek with

Saints 62 Leeds Rhinos 18 SCINTILLATING Saints sent their faithful supporters into ecstasies with this 12-try 'four-pointer' against the Challenge Cup winners on Tuesday, and tightened their grip on the league leadership en-route. But Leeds' coach Graham

THE domestic honey bee population in the UK has been seriuosly reduced recently due to the varroa mite, but some wild colonies of bees continue to exist in infested areas. This may be due to some inbuilt tolerance of the bee, some peculiarity of the environment

ARRANGEMENTS are being made to house scores of Kosovan refugees in Lancashire, County Hall chiefs have revealed. The county council is in negotiations with local authorities, the emergency services and local charities in an attempt to find temporary homes

Haydock 13 Thatto Heath 6 HAYDOCK marched closer to the Hays Chemical Trophy, with a well deserved victory over NWC Premier Division leaders Thatto Heath. Throughout the opening 40 minutes Heath gave as good as they got in most departments. But a superb

IT'S cup final day in the Byrne Hire Rainhill Junior Football League on Sunday, May 9. Rainhill Park will stage five matches, starting with the under 10s, kicking-off at 10.15am and ending with the under 11s, kick-off 3pm. All teams and supporters are

A HOTELIER at one of Morecambe's most prestigious of venues was fined by magistrates this week for staging a dance band in unsafe conditions. Mr Philip Horton of the Broadway hotel was responsible as the holder of a public entertainment licence for making

ST HELENS CC completed a comprehensive victory in their derby clash with St Helens Recs at Ruskin Drive. But they were made to work hard for their runs against a very good pace attack of Faul and Ford who each finished with commendable figures of 1-17

SPONSORS and entertainers are being sought for a maritime festival which comes sailing into Fleetwood in June. Tagged Fish and Ships, the two-day event will certainly make a splash in the port with countless activities from regattas and sailpasts to street

MORECAMBE have lined up a high profile kit and sponsorship deal with sportswear giants Umbro for next season. Umbro, producers of the England and Manchester United kits among others, will provide home and away strips for Morecambe. Club officials were

A CABBIE allegedly sexually assaulted a teenager as he walked home from work at night. The 16-year-old told a jury of his "fear" as he was followed by a man he believed to be Lee Smith and how the man then grabbed him. He said the assault probably lasted

A NEW air ambulance service based at Blackpool has been launched at a ceremony at Lancashire Ambulance Headquarters in Broughton. The new helicopter emergency service is to be partly funded over the next three years under a National Association of Air

I WAS appalled this week to find puppies for sale at a car boot. The two big black lab cross pubs were squashed into a cardboard box covered with chicken wire. Mouth almighty. Animal lover that I am I just had to protest to the couple about their cruelty

CRIME took a dive in Blackpool and Fylde during the Bank Holiday weekend as Operation Arrival made life hard for hooligans. Senior officers said the operation, aimed at cutting summer season loutishness and theft along the holiday coast, was a great success

Morecambe 130-9 Lancaster 129-6MORECAMBE won the local derby match by one wicket at Woodhill Lane in a pulsating affair. Lancaster were restricted to 129-6 off their allotted 50 overs. Their Pakistani professional Raj Hans contributed 36 and he was ably

THE winds of political change by-passed Labour MP Peter Pike's BURNLEY bastion as the town experienced a standstill election. All four parties came out of the campaign exactly as they had entered it. The new Independent group grabbed Brunshaw from Labour

THE under 12s section of Pilkington FC are celebrating a great victory. They defeated Whiston Juniors 3-2 to win the St Helens McDonald's JOL Midland Bank Cup. The winning goal came from Marsh two minutes from time. At under 14s level Penlake beat Whiston

STEWART 'bull dog' Drummond was crowned as Morecambe's player of the year by supporters. The young midfielder who finished the season with a flourish after a mixed start to the campaign won the George Threlfall Memorial Trophy decision over popular midfielder

I'M staggered by the poor standards of students appearing on Channel 4's Fifteen to One for schools, which has replaced the senior quiz for the time being. Some do stand out, I admit, but general knowledge seems totally lacking in the majority. One lad

FORMER Burnley council Labour chief Kath Reade has dismissed suggestions that she may mount a new challenge for the leadership at the ruling group's annual elections on Sunday. But she confirmed that she had been approached by some Labour councillors

BLACKPOOL is to act as a pilot for a radical nationwide scheme to improve schooling for children with autism. In the coming months, experts from the National Autistic Society and the Department for Education and Employment will visit the resort to monitor

AN exhibition of work by blind and visually-impaired adults is on show at Burnley Central Library until the end of this month. Touch But Don't Look is designed for both blind and sighted people to enjoy. It involves tactile exhibits, organised by Lancashire

AN eye-catching design incorporating Blackpool Tower, a rollercoaster and the number 2000 is being used as the resort's mark for the Millennium. The logo has been designed by 13-year-old Andrew Chambers from Highfield High School after a call for schoolchildren

CLITHEROE boss Steve Parry is planning a major shake-up in the summer in a bid to transform the fortunes of the Shawbridge club. Parry is feeling the pressure after an alarming slump in form has seen the Blues slide down the North Western Trains League

PUPPET making was on the timetable at Thames Primary School in Blackpool. Pupils took part in a two-day workshop learning about how to create puppets, courtesy of expert Alison McGowan. The workshop was sponsored by BT and is part of this year's Puppet-Up

LLOYD Ferreira smashed a Rawtenstall professional batting record and didn't even know. What's more, the South African didn't even care - as long as his team won the match, which they did. After blitzing the Church attack with a sizzling unbeaten 154 last

ST HELENS and Knowsley Hospice is to get a bright new name later this month to mark its official opening - and its fresh title is to be given a royal seal of approval. On Tuesday, May 18, Princess Alexandra will be paying a visit to the Portico Lane hospice

THANK you for explaining (Letters, April 19) what Nelson Mayor Colin Waite's party, Sub-Co-operative, stands for. It was a revelation to me: him being secretary of the Pendle Branch of the North West and North Wales Co-operative Party. But it's not much

SNOOKER aces Chris Trott and Karl Grimshaw are the toast of Fleetwood after potting their way to victory in a top tournament sponsored by leading Lancashire brewers Daniel Thwaites. The dynamic duo, both members at Fleetwood WMC, emerged as champions

I HAVE been receiving reports from friends of mine that there have been sightings in the community of that thought-to-be-extinct species 'councillors'. Since the last reported sightings occurred two years ago, can anyone cast any light on what has brought

THERE was a pulsating finish at Vernon Road where St Annes failed to win a close encounter with Chorley on Monday (May 3). St Annes captain Russell Bradley won the toss and put Chorley in to bat. James Fazackerley, brother of the England football coach

IT was captaincy by example for two young cricketers from Lytham. Tom Eastham, 15 and Jack Kellier, 13, are captains of their teams at King Edward VII School, Lytham. Both hit unbeaten centuries in the first local derby of the season at home to Rossall

A WOMAN who suffered sexual abuse at the hands of her father and brother has gone public, backing a national campaign to stop cruelty to children nationwide. Bernadette Rogers, from Bamber Bridge, was abused by her father and brother for 13 years as a

ST ANNES enjoyed their second consecutive nine wickets win with their victory on Saturday (May 1) at Sandy Lane against Leyland Daf. Russell Bradley won the toss and put the home side in to bat. Leyland Daf were restricted to 151-8 off their allotted

YMCA's Bank Holiday weekend seven-a-side tournament staged at their Seafield Rd sportsfield proved a great success. The event consisted of an U8s competition on Saturday (May 1) and an U9s competition on Sunday and it attracted clubs from East Lancs,

YOUNGSTERS completed their own version of the Ewood Park super-stadium. While workmen were putting the finishing touches to Blackburn Rovers' new multi-million pound home, pupils at St Joseph's RC Primary School, Darwen, made a cardboard cut-out of Ewood

LANCASHIRE Police are warning the entire community to be more vigilant following the third bomb attack in London. Posters in ethnic languages have been posted around Preston in a bid to make sure people remain on their guard for possible racist bomb attacks

CHILDREN will die if swimming lesson funding is cut, councillors and swimming coaches have warned County Hall bosses. Education chiefs want to cut the swimming provision for youngsters from six terms to three. They say they can only afford to provide

NESTLED in the heart of Fulwood is a local craftsman who has brought a smile to many young faces with his beautiful collection of dainty dolls' house furniture. Retired toy-maker Brian Maxwell, pictured, is a master of his trade after making hundreds

A PRESTON pensioner has been told that a stone that once graced her back garden as a bird table, is a priceless relic from Penwortham Priory . Eileen Pawelko, of Winckley Road, Preston, had no idea that her treasured garden ornament was in fact a 200-

SCHOOL chiefs plan to issue parents of schoolchildren who play hookie, with electronic pagers so they can be contacted if their youngsters fail to turn up for class. Education chiefs will issue the pagers in a pilot scheme designed to tackle growing truancy

IT is 21 years since I joined a fund-raising committee in Ramsbottom for Save the Children. In that time we have raised many thousands of pounds which have been used in different projects in the UK and overseas. The charity is now in its 80th year nationwide

THE owners of a Leyland bakery have been been fined following an outbreak of salmonella poisoning in the area. Derek Grimshaw, Kathleen Grimshaw and Emma Brigg, proprietors of Parkinsons of Leyland, appeared before South Ribble Magistrates Court on April

THE recent article regarding Metrolink fares infuriated me beyond measure. As a regular daily user I am utterly dismayed at the ever-upward spiral of fares and viewed the statement by Metrolink - " a major review of the fare structure aimed at encouraging

XANADU hopes have been given another jolt after planners deferred a decision on plans about Kenyon Station. The proposed station - which Xanadu developers admit is a vital ingredient in their Leigh leisure complex plans - lies within Warrington boundaries

BRITISH Aerospace at Warton recently had a parents' day with a difference. The tables were turned and more than 60 employees' children were invited to the site to see what their parents' jobs involved. BAe Warton's general manager, Jim O'Shaughnessy,

LEYLAND residents unhappy about the mammoth nature of South Ribble Borough Council's Towngate plans have formed an action group. STAG - South Towngate Action Group - have collected 350 signatures on a petition concerning - not opposing - the redevelopment

I'M compiling a national list of photographs of windmills, and would like to know if Citizen readers know of any, showing mills in your area. I am looking for the ones which are not to be found at libraries, record offices, museums and local history societies

A LAND swap deal could determine an Atherton school's future. Planners this week again deferred a decision on building a new school on playing fields at Douglas Street, Atherton. They have listened to both sides of an argument for and against the provision

THE Crown Prosecution Service has welcomed Douglas Verity 'Dickie' Dickenson to the role of Lancashire's director of public prosecutions. Mr Dickenson will take responsibility for the prosecution of cases in the county's Magistrates' and Crown courts.

"GET on your bike", that famous advice from Norman Tebbitt to encourage people to find work, has, I believe, a place in our society today - but for different reasons. In my school days, in war-time, many students cycled to school, where a large bicycle

JOYCE Macdonald, media manager of the Fair Trades Advisory Bureau, urges readers to contact her bureau in order to avoid cowboy tradespeople (Citizen April 29). Perhaps if organisations such as LAWTEC had not done so much to encourage the growth of small

CLEANSING staff in Preston have voted to hold no more unofficial strikes after resolving their differences with Preston Borough Council. Staff from the borough's cleansing department downed tools last week in protest at the council's handling of the drink-drive

RECENTLY I had to go to Fairfield Hospital for a dental appointment. There was not one "disabled" space available because they were filled with cars not displaying the required orange badge. I had to park quite a distance away. I have to walk with the

ON behalf of the Dobcross Youth Band I would like to thank the people of Bury for their generous support over a number of years. The costs of running a band are enormous, and instruments and uniform are very expensive. For the time being, while Bury's

I WOULD like to reply to three articles which were contained within the edition of the Citizen dated April 22, 1999. I would firstly reply to JT of Lancaster. Within his letter he complains of the lack of maintenance to horticultural features. Can I fully

WHILE it's obviously a catchy headline, 'Protestors torpedo Minister's visit,' put quite the wrong construction on quite a successful public meeting with Foreign Minister Tony Lloyd over Kosovo. It is surely a good day for democracy when a Minister is

CONTROL of RIBBLE VALLEY Council was a hair's breath away from being decided on the toss of a coin. Liberal Democrat Paul Adnitt was elected to Clitheroe's Grammar School ward by only one vote after a nail-biting four recounts. His election gave the Liberal

THE Frying Scotsman will be cooking up a barbecue treat for guests at a garden centre on Tuesday. (May 11) Billy Walker, executive chef for Weber UK, will provide an evening of food and fun at Bents, Glazebury. The Scot, who started out as a butcher,

OUTSTANDING leadership is not enough to save a Bury school set for closure because of dwindling numbers. A report by Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, has heaped praise on Brandlesholme County Primary School, but it is still destined to become

WE have been deployed (army) to Kosovo and Macedonia and are looking for penfriends to boost our spirits and cheer up the lads. I am from St Helens and I get the St Helens Star sent to me. I would be grateful if you could print this letter and forward

it all about? Don't know, but it's a right laugh anyway! Such was the carefree consensus from Bury folk as the town turned into an international riot of colour and noise at the Streets Ahead festival. Thousands took advantage of the glorious sunny weather

I WOULD like to contact a Mr Kelly, who comes from St Helens. He served with me in 48 Field Sqd, 2 Field Engineer Regt, RE, in Nienburg, West Germany 1951/52. The regiment is having its reunion this year as it was formed 50 years ago and all the old comrades

VISITORS to a multi-million pound country park could be greeted by a blot on the landscape! Despite the £2.5 million transformation of the land at Outwood in Radcliffe from derelict colliery to green oasis, Bury Council has been powerless to do anything

TODAY'S election is the chance for the people of the district to find out the truth. If they want to know how and why millions of pounds of their money have been thrown away and worse, all they have to do is make sure the people in power and their supporters

SO reader Harry Bradbury wasn't winding me up, after all! Regular customers may recall the mention on this page (April 8) of 'coffin clocks' loaned out by a St Helens firm of undertakers some decades ago. I carried the piece from Harry, of Clinkham Wood

AS one of the "rabbit families" referred to in Mr Matthews' letter (Citizen, April 29) I felt it my duty to respond. I have lived in the Kellet ward for 25 years but due to the breakdown of my marriage I am currently living in privately rented accommodation

I AM a local teenager and I live near to the ex-Kingsway Baths. I think the baths should be used for something for young people such as myself as there is nothing to entertain local 14, 15, 16-year-olds. I think it should contain a youth club, or an ice

THE simple pleasures of a night out at an old-time variety show are cheerfully illustrated in a yellowing theatre programme kindly forwarded by a Prescot reader. I wonder if there is anyone about today who can recall the Prescot Picture Palace and Theatre

PRESTON hope to make it three wins on the trot this weekend as they travel to Blackpool in the Vaux Northern League. Currently, both teams have won two of their first three games but spirits are currently incredibly high at South Meadow Lane following

PLUCKY presenter Gary Burgess faces one of his toughest broadcasts on Thursday (May 6) when he tells the town he is fighting cancer. The radio DJ will explain to listeners of The Wave that he will be taking three months off from his Drivetime show to

A TOTTINGTON animal lover is going national with her campaign to restrict the use of fireworks. Mrs Marlene Healey was so incensed by people letting off fireworks for weeks before and after Guy Fawkes night that she formed STAND (Save The Animals from

PAUL Smith will make his long-awaited return to first-team action tomorrow in a Burnley side which could send Northampton Town into Division Three. Smith has been included in the Clarets squad for the final game of the season which Northampton must win

TODDLER Ashley Hoppley is being hailed a hero after raising the alarm when a neighbour's house caught fire. The quick-thinking two-year-old, of Grundy Avenue, Prestwich alerted his stunned mum after he spotted smoke billowing out of the bedroom window

Premier League: Blackburn Rovers v Nottingham Forest - Peter White's big match preview MARK Crossley summed up the quandary in Nottingham Forest minds as they head for Ewood tomorrow, anxious to avoid being labelled the worst Premiership side - ever.

Division Two: Northampton Town v Burnley - Pete Oliver's big match preview DAMIAN Matthew will wake up tomorrow morning with an acute feeling of deja vu. For the second season running his team needs to win on the last day of the season and hope for favours

AS an ex-resident of Nether Kellet I was interested to read Mr Matthew's letter in the Citizen, April 29. I felt it only fair to remind Mr Matthews that during my childhood I myself played in the field on the spot where his own house now stands. If we

THIRTY video recorders were among a haul of stolen goods recovered by police officers following an anonymous tip-off . The hoard, estimated to be worth between £12,000 and £15,000, was found at six addresses in Whitefield, Radcliffe, Heywood and Cheetham

DARIO Marcolin has returned to Lazio and Blackburn Rovers will not be taking up their option to buy the Italian midfielder for £900,000. Marcolin would not have been able to play in Rovers' three remaining matches because of an injury problem. And manager

TORIES vowed to regain control of ROSSENDALE Council after snatching another four seats from the ruling Labour group. And Labour narrowly avoided losing overall control after winning three seats on recounts by just nine, 11 and 31 votes which could have

OFFENDERS are waiting too long in the law courts to have their cases heard. That is one of the major criticisms levelled at the management committee of Greater Manchester North's Magistrates' Courts Committee (MCC) following an inspection of its five

IAN CRITCHLEY turned the tables at the weekend. Golborne's new player-coach, a close-season signing from Bolton Association champions Adlington, scored a quickfire half-century to steer his side to a five-wicket win against his old pals. Critchley was

TYLDESLEY swimmers were in fine form at the City of Salford Meet with 11-year-old Kasha Hampson earning the Top Girl award in her age group. She was clear winner in the 200 freestyle (PB), 100 butterfly (PB) and 100 freestyle, and was second in the 200

LEIGH CC had a disastrous Bank Holiday weekend. They plunged to defeat at Northop Hall and at home to Lytham. In Wales Leigh mustered a paltry 87 with Andy Batterley with a patient 28 and Clive Muir the only players in double figures. Northop Hall achieved

TEMPERS boiled over in Burnley and Liberals lost overall control of Pendle Council at the end of an election campaign blighted by claims of bogus proxy voting and underhand tactics. And Conservatives in Rossendale followed the lead shown by colleagues

COCK-A-HOOP Conservatives delivered a polling day shocker and went within a whisker of grabbing control of two East Lancashire councils on a night when Labour heads rolled. Hyndburn Council leader George Slynn was the biggest Labour casualty as the Tories

ST HELENS Libraries are presenting a science fiction and fantasy festival as part of events being staged for the National Year of Reading. Here are some of the dates and events already lined up. Wednesday, May 12: Phantasm science fiction and fantasy-related

GLAZEBURY CC scraped a one-wicket win at depleted Grange. With skipper Gareth Banks and Stuart Caller each taking 4-14, Grange struggled to reach 90. But Glazebury also struggled against some tight bowling, 21 extras being the decisive 'knock' as they

CONDITIONS at a block of council flats have been slammed by a daughter of an elderly resident. The woman, who does not wish to be named, wrote to the Star with a catalogue of complaints about the flats at Parr Mount Court, Fingerpost. She claims security

THE life of a leading educational figure, whose caring yet humorous approach endeared him to everyone, is to be commemorated at a special service. Mr Thomas Joyce of Haydock, who died earlier this year, aged 62, will be remembered at a Memorial Mass to

THE wonders of information technology have gained a local theatre company a new supporter from 6,000 miles away - and given them a cyber-sized problem proving difficult to digest! For when Stephen Hill, treasurer of St Helens Catholic Gilbert and Sullivan

LEIGH skipper Craig Dean will not play again this season. The influential scrum-half goes into hospital tomorrow for an immediate ankle reconstruction operation and will not figure again until next year. And that is a cruel blow for coach Ian Millward

POLICE are searching for a man who stabbed a bingo employee twice after being challenged in a car park. The courageous employee of Mecca Bingo in Kirkland Street challenged the offender, who was acting suspiciously, at about 8pm on Thursday, April 29,

DISABLED people will suffer unless the Government changes its mind about new plans to means-test incapacity benefit. MP David Chaytor says the proposals will unfairly penalise people who have saved for their retirement and then become unable to work.

ST HELENS Council's Ranger Service have a varied programme for ramblers and walkers this month. A six-mile historical guided walk along the Sankey Way starts at 10.30am from Blackbrook visitor centre on Sunday, May 16. The tour will focus on natural history

VANDALS have struck at the headquarters of Radcliffe's Scouts and Guides. The hooligans gained access to the Lowton Street hut by ripping off a door. They threw art equipment on the floor, damaged the kitchen, and wrecked a store cupboard. They also smeared

A NEW dawn is breaking for Radcliffe's Sun Mill. Demolition work has begun on the Seddon Street eyesore and the site will undergo a £2.25 million transformation. The site is being developed by Manchester Methodist Housing Association with funding from

THE Tory revival continued in Bury last night with the Conservatives gaining two seats from the council's ruling Labour group. In a repeat of last year the local election story was Tory gains while apathy reigns: the Conservatives took Ramsbottom in dramatic

A BURY cricket team had to run for cover when they came under fire from a sniper. Woodbank Cricket Club's Second XI were 30 runs into their first away innings of the new season when their batsman and fielders from the Longsight Second XI were forced to

A BURY engineering company has just fulfilled a lucrative £250,000 contract to build a giant vacuum tank. And so large was the vessel that bosses at the town's Elantic Engineering in Webb Street had to remove a gate post to allow a wagon to enter and

LEIGH skipper Craig Dean will not play again this season. The influential scrum-half goes into hospital tomorrow for an immediate ankle reconstruction operation and will not figure again until next year. And that is a cruel blow for coach Ian Millward

BIG-hearted schoolchildren across the borough have been playing their part to help the Kosovar refugees. Youngsters at Holy Trinity CE Primary School paid 20p to enjoy a non-uniform day. And even more money was raised when the youngsters sold buns for

A TEENAGE biker was knocked off his vehicle by three thieves who then rode off on the bike. The 15-year old had taken his Honda 90 out for a run on wasteground near to Watery Lane, Sutton, at about 6pm on Sunday, May 2. When he got there he was approached

PRESTON'S political merry-go-round went into overdrive as the voters had their say on the local issues. Ultimately, it was a night of trading seats among the parties, with Labour retaining its one seat majority - thanks to a defection by Liberal Democrat

GODFREY the 'Good Dog' has been in town to help promote responsible dog ownership and promote St Helens Council's 'bag it and bin it' campaign. As mascot of the Good Dog Campaign, Godfrey joined in the authority's spring clean promotion which included

PLUCKY presenter Gary Burgess faces one of his toughest broadcasts today (May 6) when he tells the town he is fighting cancer. The radio DJ will explain to listeners of The Wave that he will be taking three months off from his Drivetime show to undergo

A DOG with wanderlust had drivers on full alert when he decided to take the Metrolink route to freedom - not by tram but by following the track. Eleven-year-old mongrel Benji, owned by Mrs Sue Hopwood, disappeared from their Cobden Street home in Radcliffe

DORIS ALDRIDGE, widow of former Journal reporter George Aldridge, loaned us this wonderful aerial picture of Atherton's Hag Fold Estate from - we think - the late 40s or early 50s. Note the railway track running behind the estate (along the route of Oxford

AN elderly woman was kicked by a vicious robber as she tried to stop him burgling her home. The incident happened between 11 and 11.20pm on Sunday, when the robber climbed through a ground-floor window to get into the house in Haydock Lane, Haydock. However

A GROUP of enterprising students from Newton High School proved their business brains in the St Helens Young Enterprise contest. The competition, sponsored by the Haydock-based Nichols Foods, asks entrants to set up their own hypothetical busines. And

PARENTS in Heysham have formed a campaign group to save their school swimming pool. The new committee plans to contact fellow campaigners in Carnforth and Hornby who are fighting to save their school pools. The baths are threatened because of cutbacks

SIX new enterprise centres, which could create over 100 new businesses and 600 jobs, are to be created throughout the borough. As a result of research which showed a shortage of accommodation for small businesses on this side of the borough, two will

ANIMAL lovers hit the jackpot this week and were a step closer in their latest bid to raise another £10,000 for a national game park in Kenya. Under the Asda Foundation scheme £500 was donated by the Pilsworth store to support the work of the Children

A LANCASTER horn player has hit the highest note of his career to win through to the regional finals of one of Britain's most prestigious music scholarships. Robert Churchill, 19, of Barley Cop Lane, performed in masterclasses with principals of the London

THE award-winning St Helens Youth Brass Band are hoping to hit all the right notes when they perform the world premiere of a brand new piece of music, written and created by themselves. The band commissioned composer, Howard Snell to help them create

THE aftermath of a 16th century Spanish shipwreck brought an eve of Millennium gleam to Tommy Cunningham's smiling Irish eyes. For 50 years Tommy (pictured) has bred canaries, specialising in his beloved rollers for the past 13 of them. "No bird in the

THE countdown to carnival has begun, with just 30 days left before Radcliffe's 34th event. Organisers hope to make up for last year when public apathy and bad weather conspired to make it the worst carnival in memory. Carnival committee chairman Mr Ray

THE police Operation Business cracked down on the White Lund industrial Estate last week. Officers from the force with colleagues from the Trading Standards Agency, Customs & Excise and the Benefits targeted unroadworthy vehicles. Sgt Steve Haigh

ANOTHER new company is taking space on the former Macpherson's Paint works site in Radcliffe. The Beechfield Cap Company, an importer and distributor of baseball caps, leisurewear and sports bags, is relocating from Heywood into a 30,000 sq ft unit on

SISTER Lisa Thompson assures us that leading a pub crawl around Lancaster was all in a worthy cause. The nurse led 14 of her colleagues from the coronary care unit at the RLI to raise £510.39 for the ward. Also, a collection by Heart Concern in Lancaster

A CARD carrying Labour Party member faces expulsion from the party following his remarkable pre-election crusade to persuade the public not to re-elect the Labour leader Stanley Henig. Mr Michael Jackson of Hest Bank has been questioned by police after

WHEN it comes to helping people lose weight, Mary Yates is a winner - and she's got a medal to prove it! Mary, Slimming World consultant for the Rainford area, has helped 38 members to shed a combined total of 107 stone since taking over the class in

Drive and Stroll, with Ron Freethy - this week, visiting Pilkington's in St Helens ONE of the most basic materials of the modern world is glass. Pilkington's glass museum is open free of charge and is in the midst of a huge factory complex. The museum

RUGBY men and planners were this week debating whether Tyldesley Rugby Club can move home. On Tuesday night Tyldesley RUFC members voted on a move from the bottom of Well Street to a new ground and clubhouse on reclaimed land off Astley Street. Earlier

ALTHOUGH beaten again, this time 24-38, this was a much-improved performance from Lynx. Looking a much more balanced side, the home side were a constant threat throughout the game and but for some indiscipline they could well have turned this fixture

THE St Helens and Knowsley Hospice are looking for new volunteers to help them fundraise for the upkeep of the Portico-based building. An open meeting is being held at Prescot Leisure Centre at 7.30pm on Wednesday, May 12 for anyone living in the Rainhill

GOLBORNE residents have been offered a square deal. They are being consulted on plans to create a new town square on the site of former outhouses at the junction of High Street and Heath Street. Wigan Council's planning department has set up a display

THE sun may have been shining but it was raining in the hearts of Ramsbottom's players at the weekend as they went down to a double dose of defeat. On Saturday Lowerhouse were the visitors to Acre Bottom in the LANCASHIRE LEAGUE and returned home with

A FATHER woke to find thieves had broken into his home and stolen personal papers and gifts left for his newborn child. Burglars broke into the house Hopwood Street, Accrington, while Mohammed Saleem and his family slept in their bedrooms. The 30-year-old

THE St Helens East Victim Support Scheme will be holding its annual general meeting on Thursday, May 20, at 7.30pm in Newton-le-Willows Library, Crow Lane East. Guest speaker will be Chief Inspector David Willson, who will be talking about the 'Crime

TWINS Emma and Louise Sanders clambered in to a fire engine for an unforgettable day out. Emma (left) and Louise, of Leigh Road, Leigh, were among a 12-strong fire appliance fleet which whisked young cancer patients from Manchester's Christie Hospital

SHAKERS 'keeper Dean Kiely has issued a heartfelt plea for all Bury fans to get 100 per cent behind the team in Sunday's crucial final game of the season. After Saturday's 1-0 reverse at West Bromwich Albion, victory over Port Vale at Gigg Lane still

A PILE of tyres at an address in Hertford Street on the Parr Industrial Estate were set on fire by arsonists early in the evening of Tuesday, May 4. Firefighters were sent out to the scene and are now investigating this and a number of similar incidents

PAT Phillips was the first dietitian employed by the local health service in 1969. And 30 years on the woman who established the service is still there - heading a vastly changed profession. On Friday, the Wigan and Leigh Health Services NHS Trust dietetics

PRESTON may have failed to turn on the style for the past few weeks on the pitch - but they are set to be the trendsetters fashion-wise on the field after they unveiled their new designer kit, pictured. The red and navy blue kit will be worn for the first

NEW coach Mike Gregory takes charge of Swinton Lions for the first time on Sunday for the visit to Lancashire Lynx. And the former Great Britain star has made sweeping changes with hooker Carl McCabe axed from the starting line-up, to be replaced by Ian

SUNNY Morecambe has been labelled the "most miserable place in the land" by a prestigious Sunday newspaper. An article in the Observer said the resort was a "filthy town, full of rude people and vandals" and that more people were taking anti-depressants

MORE than 100 residents packed into a public meeting over plans to take mentally-disturbed adults in a Bispham nursing home. Neighbours of the Coastlands Nursing Home in Sandhurst Avenue attended the meeting on Tuesday evening (May 4) to oppose its planned

Workington 4 St Helens Town 2 - St Helens Town 0 Prescot Cables 0 A SUN drenched bank holiday weekend saw Town complete their North Western Trains Division One programme. First they stepped into the cauldron of Borough Park on Saturday when a new record

RUBEROID Sutton Cricket Club had mixed fortunes over the Bank Holiday weekend. On Saturday against old Parkonians the First XI gained an overwhelming victory bowling Parkonians out for 88 with Indian professional SS Das getting 6-19 and then hitting 47

A YOUNG Lancaster businessman has won £1,000 as the regional winner of a major business competition. Joe Govier, 27, will now travel to London in June for the Shell Livewire Finals where he stands a good chance of walking away with the £10,000 first prize

SECOND Division survival was the name of the game at Adams Park on Saturday (May 1) against Wycombe Wanderers - and a battling Seasiders side managed to secure it with a 2-2 draw. Coming twice from behind, Blackpool managed to take a point from Wycombe

A TALENTED schoolgirl has tuned into success in just eight weeks. Ten-year-old Tanya Powell (pictured), who attends King Edward and Queen Mary junior school in Lytham, picked up a clarinet for the first time in January this year after her mother organised

Hyde United 1 Lancaster 1 MANAGER Tony Hesketh hasn't signed any new players yet but he's already building for the next campaign after the 1998/99 season fizzled out at Hyde on Saturday. The hands-on manager has been checking out the youngsters in the

FROM bobs to bobbies - it's all in a days work for one Lancaster mother. When Sue Kirby-Parkinson isn't busy creating the latest styles as a mobile hairdresser she's pounding the beat as a special constable. And with 17 years experience under her belt

TWO ring aces from the multi-talented St Helens Glass Amateur Boxing Club stable have battled their way through to the finals of yet another prestigious tournament. Martin Murray (16) and 17-year-old Steven Birch will be aiming to add Junior ABA crowns

EMERGENCY plans have been drawn up to deal with the possible arrival of thousands of Kosovan refugees. Lancashire County Council's emergency planning department has been meeting to discuss how the district will cope with the influx. With Prime Minister

AGAINST my better judgement I find myself compelled to respond to Councillor Clarke's letter headed "We're listening and WE will decide". The term "overweening arrogance" springs to mind. If they are listening constructively, surely they will allow the

MORECAMBE manager Jim Harvey argued that the investment in the Christie Park ground could be holding back the development of his team this week. In a guarded statement he said: "If you look at Chelsea back in the 1970s and Wolves at the beginning of this

A DEFEATED election candidate today told how he feared for his life as he clung on to the bonnet of a vehicle as violence erupted in Daneshouse ward, Burnley, early today. Labour's Saeed Chaudhary said he and his son Fassor Mahmood were hit by the vehicle

RAINFORD Cricket Club's fine early season form continued on Saturday as both senior sides recorded comfortable victories in their cup competitions. The first team won the toss at Aughton and invited the home side to bat. Against a Rainford team playing

LANCASTER and District Dyslexia Association has made and launched a special video to raise awareness of the disability. The video was funded by a lottery grant and is the culmination of two years work. Civic dignitaries such as the mayor, Cllr Abbott

WITHOUT wishing to monopolise your columns, may I clear briefly one or two points raised in S.M. Brown's adversarial response to my letter (last week's Mailbox re Chowbent School plan). 1. I was expressing a personal opinion, not representing a pressure

A 22-YEAR-OLD female victim of a double decker bus crash had facial injuries reopened by a second accident in Carnforth this week. Kiri Ashworth was hit by the bus two years ago and underwent surgery to her face and mouth. On Tuesday afternoon the Forton

MY heart went out to the poor chap walking along Mather Lane, Leigh, with a notice stuck to his back on Tuesday lunchtime. It read "I smell of poo" but the fourth word began with S. There's pranks and pranks, and I don't think that's very nice. Whoever

BUDDING Beckhams hit the field in Blackpool this weekend for Manchester United's Soccer School. St George's High School, Cherry Tree Road, played host to the roaming Red Devils for two days of fun and football with the chance to step on the hallowed turf

FORMER Burnley full back Reg Kirkham has died days before his 80th birthday. Mr Kirkham who would have been 80 tomorrow played 15 games for Burnley between 1947 and 1951 and played in the Central League championship side of 1949. Mr Kirkham was involved

VAUX NORTHERN LEAGUE results (May 1): Division One: *Chorley 152-9, J Hacking 6-40 - Darwen 156-7, N Cordinghley 48 (n.o.); Fleetwood 220-4, M Clinning 100 (n.o.), S Nicolson 76 - *Netherfield 216-5, G Foley 101, G Dodds 40 (n.o.); *Kendal 184-3, T Hunte

NOT only are councillors squeezing every last penny out of the council tax payers of Blackburn and Darwen, but they are now robbing children's piggy banks to pay for their perk-induced utopia of a unitary authority. A couple of weeks ago, as secretary

A SPLENDID rearguard action by the middle and lower order Blackpool batsmen earned the side a draw in an enthralling Vaux Northern League Division One fixture at Kendal on Saturday (May 1). Chasing Kendal's 184-3, Blackpool lost their first five batsmen

I READ with interest the "School for Scandal" Insight article (LET, April 20) on the row over school places and was more than a little surprised at the comments of Councillor Howel Jones. I was present at a Ribble Valley planning meeting held on May 21

BLACKPOOL'S Vaux Northern League Division One game with Lancaster at Lune Road on Monday (May 3) went down to the very last ball of the match. Chasing Blackpool's 210-8, Lancaster were 205-7 and needing six from the final ball. But Blackpool professional

REGARDING the trouble in the Balkans, in the past when trouble has started in different parts of the world, various countries have got involved, sometimes with questionable motives of self-interest. Now, wouldn't it be wonderful and more effective in

LYTHAM Juniors U9s enjoyed their Bank Holiday tournament at the Ansdell Arena and entered two sides in this age group which included 19 teams from across the country. The A team were unlucky to lose by the odd goal in their first two games, but fought

BUDDING Ivor Novellos have been busy composing songs to raise money for an orphanage in Belarus. Girls from Queen Mary School in Lytham have recorded their efforts on CD and cassette, both of which are now on sale to fellow pupils, parents and friends

STACKSTEADS remain in contention in the Ovalworld Super League despite a 4-2 reverse at St Annes while Witton boosted their season with a 4-2 win at Sunnybank. Once again Rose 'N Bowl have made a good start to the campaign and were very unfortunate not

WHILE it is a scandal that British motorists have to pay the highest petrol taxes in Europe, it is an even bigger one that the government only spends a fifth of the £38 billion it rakes in on transport. Not content with having the highest petrol taxes

THE Prutour makes a welcome return to Blackpool when it hosts the finish of stage six of the the UK's premier cycle race, on Friday, May 28. The penultimate stage of the Prutour, this will be one of the most crucial stages of the whole race and could

ANTLEY maintained their unbeaten start against Whalley A, but are confined to second place a point behind the leaders Great Harwood who scored a bigger win over Rishton Con A in the Great Harwood and District Bowling League first division. Ribblesdale

SOUTHAMPTON loan hero Steve Basham will sign off as a North Ender when Preston take on champions Fulham in their Division Two finale at Craven Cottage tomorrow. The 21-year-old hitman has snubbed David Moyes' last-gasp attempt to persuade him to put pen

PREMIER Division winners are Beechwood who came out of nowhere to creep up and pounce on Cavalier Carpets who had to settle for second place once more, after leading the table for most of the season. AFC Livesey, last season's League Two champions, take

IF THE results of the national elections in Scotland and Wales still grimly remind the Conservatives how far into the political wilderness they have been cast, then the re-emergence last night of Tory blue on the local government map proves that deserts

PRESTON'S political merry-go-round went into overdrive as the voters had their say on the local issues. Ultimately, it was a night of trading seats among the parties, with Labour retaining its one seat majority - thanks to a defection by Liberal Democrat

LABOUR has lost overall control of South Ribble after a disappointing night in the local elections. It lost six seats on the night - losing some influential councillors, including the deputy party leader, in the process. The Conservatives gained two seats

THE Leyland father of a missing Scottish woman has spoken of the 'life sentence of misery' he faces since his daughter vanished a year ago. Hector McInnes, of Fossdale Moss, Leyland, says he and his family have been gone through hell since Arlene, 33,

LEYLAND-based New Progress Housing Association has just finished work on the 250th house to be built in the South Ribble area. When the organisation was set up in 1994 to take over all the borough's housing it pledged to build 250 new homes for the council

A WORLD village under glass was set to rise from the hills of Huncoat. The massive leisure centre, planned for the derelict site of Huncoat power station, with the delights of a Venetian summer, complete with canals and gondolas, Italian restaurants,

SWAPPING Australia for Lostock Hall has meant a lot of change for Peter Fisher, but it has also given him the chance to fulfil a lifetime's ambition. For, now he is preparing to get on his bike once again - this time quite literally - and peddle his way

HAULIERS in South Ribble have expressed their delight after councillors promised to help them in their against crippling increases in road and fuel taxes. South Ribble Borough councillors are to call on local MPs David Borrow, Audrey Wise and Nigel Evans

ARRANGEMENTS are being made to house scores of Kosovar refugees in Lancashire, County Hall chiefs have revealed. The county council is in negotiations with local authorities, the emergency services and local charities in an attempt to find temporary homes

LANCASHIRE County Council claims to have cut the cost of its inter-office phone calls by one third - whilst boasting a communication network that moves at the speed of light. Thanks to Norweb Communications, the council has installed a high-speed digital

LANCASHIRE police have been given a massive vote of confidence by the public after a survey revealed 92 per cent of people dealt with were left satisfied. The figure emerged from a widespread survey of accident crime victims across the county in February

THE arrogance of Councillor Roy-E Walker (Your Letters, April 30) beggars belief. With regard to his criticism of cycle lanes, how does Coun Walker know he represents the "vast majority" of people in the area? Or does he really mean the majority who responded

A PRESTON man was disqualified from acting as a director of a company for five years, at Manchester County Court last Thursday. The order disqualifies Iqbal Mohammed Ayyub, of Garstang Road, Preston, from being a director of a company or in any way, directly

RETIRED mechanic Joe Williams has been inspired to send in a pictured of his mum in response to the Citizen's appeal for readers' Millennium recollections. Joe, of Plumpton Road, Ashton, remembers that his mother Sarah Jane worked as a weaver in Horrocks

I READ with glee your story about Parking Meters For Town Centre, Citizen April 29. Putting a fee on the privilege of parking in Winckley Square is sure to stop a lot people using it, especially those who treat it as a free car park. They plonk their

POLICE, fire and safety officers have issued swift warnings about swimming in rivers following the death of a Preston teenager on Bank Holiday Monday. Robert Calvert, 19, of Derry Road, Ribbleton, died after diving in the River Ribble, near Avenham Park

I READ with great interest the letter from Elizabeth Tebbs (April 30). I have to say I agree wholeheartedly with her sentiments. When we voted-in this Government never did we believe we would be drawn into a battle such as we have in the Balkans. She

ONE of the country's biggest brewers has raised a glass to Golborne. Former Liverpool striker Ian Rush helped kick off the official opening ceremony at Carlsberg Tetley's £8m distribution centre at the Stone Cross distribution park. He joined chief executive

WE are always being asked by the Government and the council to leave our cars at home and use public transport. One night recently my wife and I were going to the Palace Theatre in Manchester and we decided, as we were going to have a meal and a drink

YOU briefly reported that Audrey Wise MP is protesting about NATO's bombing in Yugoslavia, urging more diplomacy. May I briefly point out that the reason why the bombing started was because diplomacy failed. The systematic slaughter of Albanian men and

STAUNCH Atherton Labour supporter Edie Morris has died at the age of 87. And this week the local Party paid tribute to the woman who will be sadly missed by the residents of Hag Fold estate. She passed away in Leigh Infirmary last week. Secretary of the

THINGS are going to be Double-Dutch for high-kicking Debbie Underdown, as she prepares to return to Holland to take part in a judo competition. The 13-year-old martial arts ace, from Ribbleton, Preston, picked up the silver medal after a stunning judo

A NEW support group for suffering war veterans meets next week at Leigh Royal British Legion. The Manchester branch of Handex UK is calling for a Military Vets Bill for all Gulf, Northern Ireland, Falklands and Bosnia vets. The group, run by ex-servicemen

ELDERLY residents living in sheltered accommodation in Preston celebrated its 25th anniversary with an open day. Residents at Hargreaves Court, Ingol, displayed a variety of their artwork, including woollen goods, rugs, duvets and paintings, all made

CONGRATULATIONS to our now litter aware council for their wonderful efforts during the "Streets Ahead" festival on Monday! By one o'clock every bin the town centre seemed to be full to overflowing, added to which we had the usual lazy pigs who throw their

JUNE LEE has been a popular performer down at St Joseph's Players for many a long year. But this year she has taken the bold step into the director's chair - "and I could not have a more difficult play," she says. She directs the Francis Durbridge thriller

HUTTON'S annual May Day fete was full of fun for all the family. And the weather was great as well. More than 2,000 people turned out to the fund-raising event and helped contribute to the running of the village hall. Youngsters enjoyed traditional races

RELATE is re-opening in Leigh after a seven year absence from the town. Counselling will be available at Grasmere Street Health Centre on Tuesday evenings (5.15-8.15pm) from May 11. Bolton Relate Centre Manager, Christine Whittle, said: "We have been

AS I drive around the borough's patchwork quilt of a road system, I cannot help thinking that the material used for making the humps in Parkhills Road and Wellington Road would have been better used filling in pot-holes. As a motorist who has to pay for

DESCENDANTS of inventor Samuel Crompton are repeating a Victorian reunion. In October 1899 the spinning mule creator's relatives met at Pendlebury and now, 100 years on, his kinsmen are gathering again. Many of Crompton's relatives have been traced but

I AM not a person who spends much time remembering the years gone-by, yet my visit to feed the ducks with my grandson jogged the memory. At the age of five, my father, grandfather and great grandfather all took me to Carr Mill Dam at various times to

IN response to the article about too many pubs, whilst many landlords are not happy with more pubs/clubs opening, none of them have ever had the bottle to open a "No Smoking" pub/club. They are complaining and whinging about losing trade but I have absolutely

THE boss of Clitheroe's biggest employer Ultraframe has suddenly resigned less than two years after steering it through a stock market flotation. Ian Robinson is leaving the firm when its share price is almost at its highest and the company is enjoying

MAY we take this opportunity to respond to letters printed in recent editions of the Citizen regarding swimming facilities in the Lancaster and Morecambe area. As part of the South Lakeland Caravans group of holiday parks, Ocean Edge Leisure Park at Heysham

EVEN now, three months after his untimely death, strong men reach for their pints with misty eyes and sadly shake their heads in despair. For the lads who banded together as the unlikely-named Turks Head Racing Club, are still in mourning over the loss

BLIND and visually impaired people can experience something a little different this month. The artistic joys of the borough's sculpture trail can be enjoyed as Bury takes part in a national campaign. May has been designated Touch Reading Month as part

TRANSPORT buff G.E. Potts was much taken by my recent flashback photo featuring a trolley bus and a motor bus standing in line at a town-centre pick-up point, Confirming that the location was the old Helena House (St Helens Co-op) terminus, our correspondent

Spring Fair, Downham VIllage Hall, 1pm-4pm. Pendle Deaf Club meet Brierfield Town Hall, 7pm. Spring Fun Day, Brindle Village Hall, 11am-1.30pm. Choral Evensong, Blackburn Cathedral, 3.30pm. Spring Fair, St Mary's Church, Gisburn, 2.30pm. Longridge Brass

A STAGGERING 97 taxis were ordered off the road by Greater Manchester Police following the first force-wide traffic safety initiative for hackney taxis and private hire vehicles. The shock figures show that more than one in eight taxis examined during

I READ Derek Matthew's letter about Ian Barker and the housing survey last week with great interest. He may or may not be surprised to learn that Ian Barker's claims were even more ludicrous than they seemed at first sight. Not only was the housing need

BRIAN Kidd could be forced to call Matt Jansen back into the squad for tomorrow's critical Ewood clash with relegated Nottingham Forest, less than two weeks since the striker returned to training after cartilage surgery. For the Blackburn Rovers boss

RETIRED primary school teacher and governor Mrs Moyra Higginson has died suddenly, aged 69. Mrs Higginson, of The Pastures, Beardwood, Blackburn, was well-liked at St Peter's Infant School, Mill Hill, where she taught for 25 years. Headteacher Miss Mary

I AGREE that there are more than enough pubs in Lancaster (Citizen, April 30) The city has always had a large number of thriving pubs which boasted their own particular character but what we have seen over the years is the big breweries coming into the

CONFIDENT Tories in BLACKBURN with DARWEN predict they could wipe out Labour control of the town hall by 2001. The Conservatives won four seats from Labour, but the ruling group still retains a large majority in the council chamber and even managed to

THOUSANDS of visitors from across the country could find it easier to come to Bury's famous market and its other attractions. That's the hope of town hall bosses who are encouraging coaches to park up in the town centre in special bays. A stretch of Market

IT'S probably fair to say that Blackburn does not feature high on Hugo Porfirio's list of favourite places to visit. In August 1994, the tricky Portuguese international spent a short spell on trial with Rovers, including playing 50 minutes reserve team

NORTHAMPTON boss Ian Atkins is fully aware that the Clarets won't be doing his side any favours tomorrow. The Cobblers must beat Burnley and hope other results go their way to beat the drop. But Burnley are just as keen for a result to take their unbeaten

MR Franklin W. Smith writes from the USA to ask about his Tottington forbears. His name, Smith, poses a bit of a problem because it is so common. But his grandad's first name was Alcimus, which is uncommon, so here goes. And If you can help Mr Smith,

A look back at events on May 7 with Mike Badham 1832: Greece became an independent kingdom with Otto of Bavaria as king, although he was depoosed in 1862. The Greeks had thrown off Turkish rule in an 1821 rebellion and the 1827 naval battle of Navarino

LEIGH RMI produced a superb last day show to frustrate their supporters into a feeling of what might have been after their 3-1 win at Gateshead. They finish eighth to guarantee a place in next season's President's Cup - but hopes of a higher league position

LEIGH ATHLETIC stepped to the four with a midweek double. They beat Rochdale St Clements 4-2 and Accrington Amateurs 4-1 - taking their season's goal tally to 97 with 17 wins in their last 18 league matches. At Rochdale Danny Wilson struck early, the

STUDENTS, staff, parents and governors of Rainford High School are celebrating following the publication of an "outstanding" Ofsted Report. A 14-strong team of inspectors subjected the school to very close scrutiny and concluded that: "Rainford High is

LEIGH AVENUE ace Neil Anderson suffered the sweet 'n sour of soccer on Monday. He was outstanding as Avenue won the Sharman Cup, beating New Inn Rangers 3-1. But, with the last kick of the game, Anderson broke and dislocated his left ankle and was rushed

THIRTY-FOUR junior schools from Leigh, Atherton and Tyldesley will benefit from a new rugby project to be launched on Sunday. Sports England's Sir Rodney Walker will be in Hilton Park's Mick Martyn Bar, giving details of the scheme with Leigh chief Mick

COUNCILLORS have paid tribute to the efforts of outgoing mayor and mayoress, Councillor David and Mrs Betty Craig, at the last full meeting of St Helens Council before this year's mayor-making ceremony. This year, the civic couple have carried out more

LEIGH'S former professional golfer Norman Sutton has died. He was 91. A quality player and pro at Leigh Golf Club, he qualified for the Dunlop Masters for a record 12 successive years - a feat unlikely ever to be bettered. Norman amassed a tremendous

A&T Cycle Speedway hosted the NorthWest Grand Prix with Wednesfield rider Lee Aris taking the title. It all came down to to a thrilling run-off, the British No 2 winning it from Bury's Paul Dyson and Stoke's Andy Franks. Of the A&T riders Lee

VIPS from all over Merseyside gathered at Business Net Solutions, St Helens, to celebrate the official launch of the Centre of Excellence. The launch marked the culmination of a six-month, multi- million pound information and communication technologies

VANDALS have once again struck at a Radcliffe church. Wesley Methodist Church on Ainsworth Road is the latest victim of hooligans who broke in through a side door in the early hours of last Friday. The damage they left in their wake was discovered by

NEIL Warnock has had the worst possible preparation for Sunday's survival showdown after being struck down with the flu. The Bury boss was issuing team tactics from his sick bed while assistant Ron Reid took charge of affairs at Gigg Lane this week. He

OFFICIALS of the Cinnamon Trust, a national charity which helps elderly and terminally ill people to take care of their pets, is appealing for volunteers to come to the aid of a Rainhill woman. The pensioner is no longer able to walk her dog - her only

A CASH trade off could ensure that plans to re-vamp Prestwich's Longfield Precinct go ahead. Bury Council is checking its coffers before committing to the new refurbishment plans being drawn-up for the shopping centre - the fifth in seven years. This

STAFF at a local shoe shop have been deluged by the response to their appeal for shoe boxes full of essential items, for refugees of war-torn Kosovo. Wynsors in Boundary Road, St Helens, acted as a collection point for the boxes and in just two weeks

SOARAWAY Super League leaders Saints will be seeking to maintain their 100 per cent record when they travel to Huddersfield's McAlpine Stadium tomorrow (Friday) kick-off 7.30pm. Kevin Iro (ankle) and Paul Davidson (neck) will miss this round nine clash

BURY College is getting "a-head" in more ways than one. Its hair salon has been accepted as a three star "Institut Distingue Salon of Excellence". "Institut Distingue" is synonymous with high standards and assesses salons all over the UK. The college

A BURY teenager has won a trip of a lifetime to attend the party of the century. Foster's lager drinker, Clare Lord (19) is among 300 pub revellers throughout the country who will travel to Australia to mark the arrival of the new Millennium. Clare, of

LIBERALS in PENDLE have lost control of the council after four years - to a combination of Tory "girl power" and Labour gains in previous LibDem strongholds. And it could have been far worse for the Liberals as a number of tight counts kept election staff

RESIDENTS are being given a free chance to surf the world wide web in local libraries until the end of May. Experts and novices alike are welcome to attend the Web Wise Internet sessions following a link-up between the council and the BBC. Councillor

A PLUCKY pensioner thwarted a burglar after waking in the early hours of the morning to find him in her bedroom. The 80-year-old woman, who lives in Blackbrook Road, was distubred by a noise at about 1.30am on Wednesday, April 28. She woke up to find

CALLING all former Rainhill guides... Guide leaders from the 4th Rainhill St Ann's Guide Group are holding a reunion later this month to mark their 50th anniversary. The reunion will be held on Saturday, May 22 between 7 and 10pm at Rainhill Village Hall

A YOUNG Leigh soldier has been killed on a peace-keeping patrol in Bosnia. Gunner Christopher William Smith (pictured) died instantly when his Warrior armoured vehicle careered off a mountain road in Glamoc. Gentle giant 6ft 5in Christopher, aged 20,

THERE'S a chance to put the fun back into fund-raising in Newton-le-Willows this weekend with a fun run organised in aid of the NSPCC. The annual event will start from Willow Park near St Peter's Church at 2pm on Sunday, May 9. There are two courses,

STEVE Basham could be heading back down to Southampton next week unless North End bosses can persuade him to sign on the dotted line ... for good. Basham's extended loan period runs out following this weekend's end of season finale at Fulham, leaving

PEOPLE who don't attend church could be the salvation of the area's newest place of worship. Atherton Revival Church is being billed as The Church of the Millennium. Barbecues, music, football and seven day opening are some of its 21st century features

MP DAVID Chaytor, has been listening to the views of local engineers. He met a group of engineering company bosses - all members of the Engineering Employers Federation (EEF) Lancashire - at Bury College. The group stressed the importance of attracting

A YOUNG security guard at the Water Works on Aldcliffe Road was badly beaten up in the course of his duties on Tuesday night. The 25-year-old Morecambe man was thought to have been struck about the legs with a piece of concrete. He was taken to the RLI

SHAREHOLDERS have given the green light to plans to sell two East Lancashire businesses to a German, firm as part of a £329 million deal. The sales of Scapa Scandia of Blackburn and Scapa Forming at Stubbins, are now expected to be completed by July 1

A YOUNG cancer sufferer is on track to fight the disease. James Dickinson, 19, from Lowton (pictured) is getting in shape for a major fund-raising event later in the year - Relay for Life Warrington. Currently receiving treatment for skin cancer, James

BURY'S dog wardens will be patrolling the town centre streets today (May 7) to promote National Pet Week. The service has recruited the help of a host of organisations who rely on animals during their working life. Police dogs and horses and search and

Wright On! A wry look at life, with Shelley Wright WHEN Swedish home furnishings giant Ikea first ran their series of cheeky television adverts telling people to 'Stop being so English' phonelines immediately began ringing red hot with complaints from

EX-POLICEMAN Adrian Shurmer is holding the balance of power at HYNDBURN after a sensational result gave Labour a clobbering. Independent Mr Shurmer ousted Labour leader George Slynn in Netherton ward and gleeful Conservatives made 11 gains to give the

IF Preston North End has a self destruct button, then the first team have become quite accustomed to pushing it of late. Once again, two priceless points were thrown away at the death and the last chance of automatic promotion evaporated in this 1-1 draw

ST HELENS Police recorded 25 incidents of house burglaries between the period of Friday, April 30 and Monday, May 3. These included eight in Sutton, six in Thatto Heath, seven in Newton and four in Eccleston. There were also 15 thefts of motor vehicles

A SERIES of car crashes along a short stretch of busy road have left locals fearing for their lives. Concerned highways experts are now looking at ways of cutting hazards in Tyldesley Road, Hindsford where cars have regularly careered in to the front

West Brom 1, Bury 0 A SUSPECT package in a nearby pub held up kick-off of this game by 15 minutes, but it's a time-bomb of a different kind that's ticking under the Shakers after this depressing result. And to add insult to injury for Shakers fans it

LANCASHIRE Lynx boss Steve Hampson remains defiant in defeat, saying it will only take one win to get his troubled team back on track. Monday saw Lynx crash to their eighth loss in the last 10, with the scoreline against Workington reading 38-24. Hampson

PAUL Smith will make his long-awaited return to first-team action tomorrow in a Burnley side which could send Northampton Town into Division Three. Smith has been included in the Clarets squad for the final game of the season which Northampton must win