Archive

Tomorrow (Sat, Dec 23) "Jack and the Beanstalk," King George's Hall, Blackburn. Accrington and Blackburn CHA meet Millstone, Mellor, 1pm. Speak Up! Haslingden Library, 11am-1pm. Folk and brass Christmas show, Guild Hall, Preston, 7.30pm. Festival of nine

GRANDMASTER Keith Arkell played a debut match on December 11 for Bury in the Manchester & District League. Keith is the first grandmaster to play for Bury, and is the highest-graded player registered in the Manchester League, just ahead of GM Nigel

SWINTON LIONS are resting up over Christmas before the big one at Leigh on New Year's Day. Mike Gregory's new faces have got off to a great start, winning their first three games in the Northern Ford Premiership and chief executive, Tony Barrow, says:

THE wettest Autumn for 300 years has failed to put a dampener on the 38th Annual Boxing Day cricket match between old friends and rivals Brooksbottoms CC and Bolton Road. This year's encounter for the Brian Statham Cup will be held on the ground of the

THE final race of the Red Rose Cross Country League was held at Marl Pits Rossendale. This is easily the hardest course of the series of races and can only be likened to a fell race over a newly-ploughed field. This was a make-or-break competition for

1966: It was a good year for English football but a bad one for top animator Walt Disney. He died. Disney won more Oscars than anyone else in the film industry, some posthumously. 1890: Sitting Bull lay down and died. His squaw said she would spend her

TROUBLE BREW: The spirit of Christmas did not extend to thieves who broke into St John's Church hall in Shuttleworth. Not only did they raid the cupboards, stealing a large quantity of tea and sugar, but they also stripped the lights off the Christmas

EAST Lancashire could wake up to its first true white Christmas in 16 years with weatherman forecasting a 20 per cent chance of snow on December 25. Bookies are offering odds of 8-1 for snow in the North West on Christmas day, although Leeds is the white

TWO men stole a pensioner's handbag after entering her home. The 77-year-old woman had just returned to her property in Bent Lane, Prestwich, when the men followed her in. As one of the tricksters engaged the pensioner in conversation, the other searched

BURY'S transport spokesman was given a special present by Santa. A copy of the festive bus and rail timetable! Services will be reduced between December 24 and January 2, and a leaflet listing the changes is now available. Councillor Wayne Campbell, Bury

TRAFFIC police are investigating an accident in the car park of a British Telecom compound at Radcliffe. Cellnet employee Mrs Diane Baines (42) suffered severe abdominal, leg and arm injuries when she was involved in a collision with a car in the call-centre's

TWO men charged with the murder of Bury taxi driver, Tariq Javed, have appeared again before magistrates in the town. Mark Baker, aged 21, of Hazel Avenue, Bury, and Jason Power, aged 29, of no fixed abode, were charged following the death of the father

A BROTHER and sister who terrorised neighbours have become the first in Burnley to be made subjects of anti-social behaviour orders. Scott Christopher Dumigan, 19, and Maxine Jayne Margaret Haslam, 17, of Paythorne Avenue, Brunshaw estate, Burnley, were

UNSWORTH pupils transformed their school into Fat Sam's Speakeasy and themselves into gangsters! But it was all in good fun, as the youngsters of Unsworth CP School performed the musical "Bugsy Malone". The Year 6 children took the lead, but all the junior

TWO brothers will appear before magistrates today (Fri Dec 22) charged in connection with last week's brutal attack on a Bury HGV driver. And the police praised the Bury Times for its help in highlighting David Jones' horrific injuries, suffered just

THE Royal Mail must not be privatised "through the back door" of Europe, says Euro MP Gary Titley. He and his colleagues have voted overwhelmingly against European Commission plans to throw open the EU postal market to competition. The Commission had

ALAN Smith's tough new regime is starting to pay big dividends as Crystal Palace eye the play-offs. Eagles chief Smith has already drafted in a dietician as well as hauling his young players in for training on Sunday's. And now his team are tested twice

ROVERS new boy Alan Mahon is planning to help Blackburn sustain their promotion challenge before settling his long-term future. Mahon has moved to Ewood on loan from Sporting Lisbon until the end of the season. And his primary goal is helping Rovers back

PUB bosses hope to bring festive cheer to drinkers who got unwanted gifts for Christmas by hosting a special present swap shop. On December 27 people will get the chance to swap their surplus socks for something they really want. John and Sally Hillary

A CLARETS fan who knocked a rival supporter's tooth out on the day of the Burnley v Blackburn Rovers derby could start the new year in jail. Ian Woods, 38, kicked and punched dentist Christopher Lees, 50, using what Burnley Magistrates Court heard was

A PROJECT helping women and girls in Pendle who have been abused has been given a lottery cash boost of almost £300,000. The Pendle Action for the Community group, based in Nelson, carries out a range of schemes aimed at improving the lives of Pendle

FESTIVE fun was in order at Barnoldswick's Co-operative store to raise money for seven local schools. A tombola was held, along with mini tastings of sherry, mince pies, cheese and wine. The event raised £330 which has been added to other money the store

A child who won the hearts of neighbours after he battled to overcome a potentially-fatal brain tumour has died, just days before Christmas. Glen Kennedy, six, died on Wednesday at Derian House Children's Hospice in Chorley with his parents at his bedside

THE stage debut of a pair of donkeys was thwarted after their head collars were stolen the evening before their big night. The showbiz donkeys were due to make their grand entrance at Christmas 2000, the outdoor community nativity play held in Clitheroe

RUGBY league fan David Winstanley likes nothing more than spending time cheering on his local team, the Wigan Warriors. But right now you will find him celebrating the fact he has just qualified as a chartered accountant. David (25), works for Hollins-based

HELPING train a brand new breed of businessmen and women in Bury. That's JHP Training which has just opened a business centre in Bury. And to illustrate its services, the company staged an open day which attracted a number of guests. JHP Training is based

ATLANTIC yachtswoman Rosie Swale found herself on dry land when she addressed more than 100 local businessmen women. Rosie, who is also a keen runner and horse rider, was the guest speaker at the annual Christmas luncheon of Bolton and Bury Chamber. More

WELL, how about this for a heart-warming festive tale? A story to warm the very darkest depths of the coldest soul this Christmas? A timely illustration of how society remains a caring, sharing community where people are happy to pass the time of day

Leigh RMI 2 Southport 2 LEIGH RMI celebrated a rare home league fixture, earning a draw in a pulsating encounter with high-flying Southport at Hilton Park. Poor weather meant the Railwaymen had not played at Hilton Park for 42 days since their slender

A CAMPAIGNING Prestwich journalist has blamed "sheer bureaucratic incompetence" for the failure to free a convicted murderer in time for Christmas. Don Hale's comments came after a bid was dashed to release 44-year-old Stephen Downing pending a Court

POLICE accident investigators were today still probing the cause of a horrific motorway smash in which a man died and a prison officer from Prestwich suffered terrible injuries. The 45-year-old female officer, Debbie French, of Hope Park Road, was driving

A POSTER campaign encouraging Bury smokers to stub out their last cigarette on New Year's Eve was officially launched last week. Buses carrying the posters on local roads have now been given their official send off. Anti-smoking group ASH, whose regional

BANDSTAND campaigner Marisa Dale is telling a mobile phone company to buzz-off after being bombarded with bills for a phone she has never owned. For more than a year, bills for an account with the One 2 One network have been dropping through Miss Dale's

BURY has received a welcomed festive fillip with the news the town is set to extend its position as one of the region's major shopping destinations. The massive boost comes courtesy of the publication of a new report, "Town Centres 2000," from international

IT'S good to talk, as the Mayor of Pendle, Councillor Ian Gilhespy, found out when he opened communications firm Midway Telecom, Railway Street, Nelson. The firm advises customers on managing communications as well as selling a range of mobile telephones

FEWER bosses are footing the bill for their office Christmas party this year, according to a new report published today. A survey of 158 firms showed that just 37 per cent paid for a festive meal or party, compared to 44 per cent last year. Half of those

UNSCRUPULOUS companies are cold-calling small businesses and claiming to represent the Government on business rates. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is warning ratepayers in Lancashire to take care when appointing agents to handle appeals against their

A TEENAGER has found the key to career success by taking a modern apprenticeship in business administration. Naman Ghani, 18, of Nelson, works as a residential lettings administrator with property firm Phoenix Enterprises, Brierfield. He is developing

SALVATION Army bosses have warned people to be on their guard after a 92-year-old woman's house was burgled by hoax callers. The thieves, a woman and a boy aged about 12, called at the woman's house in Darwen, claiming they were from the charity and were

DARWEN'S Jubilee Tower is to be lit up for the first time to mark the final hours of the first year of the new millennium. The moorland attraction which is already a well known landmark will be lit up using spotlights powered by generators as New Year

A STUDENT who arrived in Blackburn from China three years ago not knowing a word of English has won a place at St John's College, Oxford. Ivan Wong, who is studying maths, further maths, physics and chemistry at St Mary's Sixth Form College in Blackburn

COUNCIL chiefs have explained why they failed to tell old people their home was going to close, despite knowing for a month. Pensioners living at Brooklands home, Blackburn, were horrified to be given four weeks' notice to quit last month. But in a letter

SHOPKEEPERS have hit out at the council for a delay over the development of a shopping area and cinema in Blackburn town centre. Stephen Furnell, owner of Furniture shop Bridgeside Stores, said in the last three and a half years they have received little

GREAT Harwood manager Denis Underwood welcomes Salford City to the Showground in the NWCL Division One glad to have centre half Neil Kennedy and striker Martin Horsfield back in the fold. "They've come back and we hope to now get some points to move away

CLITHEROE boss Dave Burgess needs Adam Gardner and goalkeeper Chris Richens to get on the scoresheet -- then every players has scored for the Blues. "Everyone has chipped in this season," said Burgess as his side welcome Flixton, fourth off bottom and

COLNE 0 DAISY HILL 2 COLNE had John Ackerley sent off as they slipped to another defeat at Holt House last night. The game boiled over early in the second half with Colne trailing to a Paul Prescott goal three minutes after the restart. Colne were awarded

FORMER Pakistan Test cricketer Nadeem Abbasi has leapt to the defence of new Read professional Akram Raza. Raza was fined after an investigation into match-fixing in Pakistan this summer and Read were criticised for taking on a 'tainted' player. But Abbasi

ACCRINGTON Stanley hope to give Emley a repeat show of the 3-1 drubbing inflicted earlier this season. John Coleman's side visit the league leaders in tomorrow's UniBond Premier match hoping for their first win in four games. There are doubts over the

WHEN Nelson manager John Bailey boasts a former Spanish League striker has helped to lift his side into the promotion pack, he isn't joking. Kiko Rodriguez joined the NWCL Division Two club in October and an exotic name also hides a fairly impressive

In Division One, Ramsbottom United welcome neighbours Rossendale to the Riverside on Tuesday, with the Rams expecting the biggest crowd of the season as both look to make an impact at the top. It promises to be a battle of the strikers with the Rams 16

I WRITE in response to the article in the Bury Times (Dec 8) regarding the rejection of plans for kennels at Clarks Croft House, Bury. I would like to make it clear that the kennels were to sleep the dogs that I already own and that my dogs will be moving

THIS is the time when we all consume more food than usual. If readers care about high standards of farm animal welfare and the environment, there are important labels to look out for. Organic labelled products are produced naturally with environmental

I AM writing to congratulate the residents association of Fernhill for their enthusiasm and hard work in creating a conservation area and garden on Cateaton Street, Bury. It was their idea to apply for the funding and their efforts during the recent terrible

TO most people, turkeys are a joke! The very word is sometimes a term of abuse. But there's a lot more to turkeys than most of us realise. Wild turkeys are still found in the Americas where they live in small groups in open forest. Their vocabulary is

CORRESPONDENT Stuart Maders (Nov 28) quotes approvingly the views of a Kansas clergyman in his address to the State Senate, written in the form of a prayer. I can readily agree with his condemnation of the abuse of power, courteousness, and exploitation

I AM saddened by the fact that the highways committee have, after consultation, chosen to ignore the views of the Cycling Forum that cycle lanes should be introduced along Peel Way. Their reason, that they cannot guarantee the safety of cyclists using

LEIGH'S Alliance side kicked off their new season with a 10-10 home draw against Widnes on Wednesday, ending the Vikings' 12-game winning run that stretches back to last season. But Leigh will be kicking themselves that they didn't take maximum points

PAUL Terzis pinpointed the thorough professionalism of his Leigh side as the key factor in the Centurions' victory at Whitehaven - the club's first at the Recreation Ground since 1989. The Hilton Park head coach was quick to praise his players after they

A COLLEGE friend of hit-and-run victim Alex Veeder has told how she had been laughing and joking just an hour before her life was tragically cut short in a traffic accident. Photography student Alex, of Ringley Drive, Whitefield, was struck and killed

THERE may be a tinge of sneakiness inherent in the new Blackburn with Darwen Council scheme calling on passengers to report bad cabbies on a 24-hour hot-line, but it does not outweigh its perfectly valid aim. And that, surely, is the upholding of every

THE annual Boxing Day charity football match between Elton Fold Veterans and Huntley 'Duck Club' Veterans for the Vincent Cohen Memorial Trophy will be held at Hoyles Playing Fields, Bury this year. The game, which has raised thousands of pounds for local

THE final match of the Bury Societies current season, the ever-popular Fur and Feather match, attracted a field of 44 anglers on Sunday. Parkers Lodge was filled to capacity, and even so, with a drop in temperature, the pegs at the shallow end still produced

FOLLOWING the excitement of the British Indoor Cycle Speedway Individuals, when Ben Scrannage (u-16) and Robert Pearce (u-19) both took runners-up trophies at Broughton Recreation Centre, the competitors in the Northern Championships had a lot to live

ADRIAN Smith, who has been out of action for three months after crashing at the Velodrome, was out last Sunday building up his fitness on a ride to Croston. The pins in his shoulder have now been removed and he will be attending the drop-in track sessions

Finnair Manchester League Premier Division Elton Fold 1 Prestwich Heys 4 THERE'S certainly nothing going right for Fold at the moment, no matter how much their committment is. After matching their opponents in virtually every aspect of the game bar the

FOOTBALL fans parking outside of designated car parks around Blackburn Rovers ground on match days could find themselves being booked. A new clampdown has been launched by council and police in a bid to ease parking difficulties for local residents. The

BURY'S latest umemployment figures have shown a continued welcomed downturn. Statistics for November show the total number of claimants was 1,825, a reduction of 52 compared to the previous month. The latest figures comprise 1,375 men and 450 women. November's

SINGLE people are to be asked by finance bosses if they have acquired a partner yet! Some 27,000 households in the borough, more than one in three, are claiming a 25 per cent single person discount on their council tax bills. Town hall officers have now

A MAINTENANCE worker had a lucky escape when he got his head caught in machinery. The man, who works for Girling Engineering in Radcliffe, was carrying out maintenance and repair work at the Polyflor factory when the accident happened. Fortunately, quick-thinking

YOUNG faces at Fairfield Hospital will be smiling thanks to the generosity of pub regulars. Drinkers and staff at The Brandlesholme pub in Bury dug into their pockets and raised £1,150 for the hospital's children's ward. Gillian Bain, pub licensee, said

A CHANCE encounter on holiday has led to a wheelchair winging its way from Bury to Pakistan. During a recent trip to Pakistan the treasurer of Bury Shopmobility, Mr Mirza Hamed, spotted a young boy badly in need of a wheelchair. He befriended him and,

DANGEROUS taxi drivers face being ordered off the road after a council launched a 24-hour hotline to clampdown on bad cabbies. The blitz comes during the busiest time of year for drivers in the hope the public will shop anyone they consider driving badly

"POST haste" was the message when Bury Mayor Bill Johnson popped into Wellington Street sorting office early on Wednesday morning (Dec 20). He saw at first hand how staff were coping with the annual deluge of cards just before the last posting date yesterday

MUSIC was top of the syllabus for pupils at Elms Bank High School when members of Live Music Now! dropped in. The students of the Whitefield special school were the latest to enjoy a show by LMN, which is on tour playing concerts in the community for

TRAVEL and tourism students at Bury College have been busy getting some practical experience of event promotion. As part of their studies they looked at three local facilities, the Lancashire Fusiliers Museum, Bury Market and the Met Cafe Bar, and had

TWO youths were arrested and a third is still missing after a high speed car chase through Bury's streets. A mobile police dog handler began following a Ford Escort XR3i from Gigg Lane and chased the vehicle through a number of back streets on Wednesday

POLICE accident investigators are continuing inquiries into the death of an 82-year-old pensioner who suffered fatal injuries in a road accident in Whitefield. An inquest has been opened by Bury District Coroner Mr Barrie Williams into the death of retired

CLOSED-circuit TV cameras to fight crime are a step nearer to reaching Radcliffe. Town hall bosses have put together an outline bid for Government cash which is to be sent to the Home Office today. If it gets past the first hurdle, they expect to be told

Officials at Hilton Park and Knowsley Road are to take legal advice following the RFL's ruling on Wednesday that Halifax's registration of Mick Higham had been accepted. The clubs could go to the High Court in a bid to get the ruling overturned. The RFL

EWOOD chief Graeme Souness will not be pursuing his interest in St Etienne star Pape Sarr. Souness flew over to France yesterday to watch the Senegal international in action against Lyon. But, though the Blackburn boss was impressed with the 23-year-old

DERBY goal-hero Marcus Bent is bracing himself for a hostile reception when he returns to his former club Crystal Palace tonight. Bent went from hero to villain in the eyes of all Palace fans after Neil Ruddock was sent off following a clash with the

BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness must plan for Christmas without Damien Johnson after the young midfielder was ruled out for a further two weeks today. The Northern Ireland international has not featured in the Rovers first team since damaging his back in

TWO men facing drugs charges were conditionally bailed until February 1, by Burnley magistrates. Gary Barras, 28, of Woodlea, Manchester Road, and Brendan Ormonde, 29, of Penistone Street, both Burnley, deny being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine

Protesters are keeping up the pressure on Burnley Council to stop a gas supply company expanding on to an estate near their homes. Householders from the Lydgate area of Briercliffe met councillors at a public meeting to underline their determination to

PUB bosses hope to bring festive cheer to drinkers who got unwanted gifts for Christmas by hosting a special present swap shop. On December 27 people will get the chance to swap their surplus socks for something they really want. John and Sally Hillary

A BROTHER and sister who terrorised neighbours have become the first in Burnley to be made subjects of anti-social behaviour orders. Scott Christopher Dumigan, 19, and Maxine Jayne Margaret Haslam, 17, of Paythorne Avenue, Brunshaw estate, Burnley, were

RAMSBOTTOM can leapfrog Kidsgrove into the top half of the table if they win on their trip there tomorrow. Ken Bridge's side are in good form -- on the back of three wins -- but have a doubt over David Yorke-Robinson with an ongoing knee injury.

HUNDREDS of Mutant Turtle toys were seized from shops across after tests on fake toys which had flooded the country showed paint on them contained up to eight times the permitted level of lead.

ANTIQUES dealers were put on alert after a smartly dressed thief struck at a Darwen shop and the owner had to chase him to recover a stolen pot. John Anderton, of KC Antiques, in Bolton Road, tailed the middle aged man for three miles in his car before

A DEAF middle-aged man was attacked and robbed in a dark alley after leaving a nightclub in the early hours, a jury was told. Burnley Crown Court heard how Edward Knowles, 53, was confronted by a youth, struck, poked in the eye and then stabbed while

THE Forest of Bowland is to receive a cash boost of more than £77,000 to help promote the importance of its wildlife. The grant in the form of Heritage Lottery money has been awarded to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, who will use it to

RADCLIFFE-based commercial flooring specialists Polyflor Ltd have restructured and strengthened their sales management team with two new key appointments. Market and product development manager Adrian Birmingham, who lives in Bury, is promoted to general

PRESTWICH woman Amanda Glanfield certainly knows the beauty of launching a new business. For the 29-year-old is now on the road with her new mobile beauty therapy enterprise. Amanda, of Heywood Road, has left behind figures at the insurance company she

BURY-based ductwork giants Senior Hargreaves have just completed the second phase of an important contract. The company has finished the second of two express ductwork projects at London's Canary Wharf for international investment bankers Credit Suisse

A CAREER-threatening injury could prove to be one of the secrets of Bolton Wanderers' success this season! Last February winger Ricardo Gardner's campaign was brought to a shuddering halt at Barnsley. A cruciate ligament injury meant the lanky Jamaican

LEE Briscoe is again ruled out through injury as Clarets boss Stan Ternent calls on his team to get back to basis to rediscover the winning feeling against high-flying Bolton at Turf Moor tomorrow. Ternent has been disappointed with the way Burnley's

LOCAL teenage darters Michael Waterworth and Andy Wilcox made the short journey to Bolton's Halliwell Reform Club to compete in the Lancashire Darts Youth Open Championship. Both players were in brilliant form with Waterworth taking the U21s title by

LEIGH RMI chairman Chris Healey has explained the lengths his club and Leigh Centurions went to in an effort to avoid the New Years' Day Hilton Park fixture clash. Both teams have scheduled home matches - RMI against Northwich Vics and the Centurions

Leigh RU 12 Oldershaw 13 LEIGH RU were left to rue a whole series of missed opportunities as they went down by a single point at home to Oldershaw. Leigh trailed 13-0 early in the second half but despite a spirited fightback, they found the lead too much

LEIGH RMI chairman Chris Healey today explained the lengths his club and Leigh Centurions went to in an effort to avoid the New Years' Day Hilton Park fixture clash. Both teams have scheduled home matches - RMI against Northwich Vics and the Centurions

Newcastle University 8 Leigh Miners Rangers 51 LEIGH Miners Rangers are back on the Challenge Cup trail and ready to do battle with a professional club in the New Year. Their comprehensive second round victory at Newcastle on Saturday puts them into the

METROLINK passengers can look forward to a more comfortable ride thanks to a £7 million Government boost. The trams are to have an extra carriage which will enable them to carry nearly 50 per cent more people. Transport bosses are delighted that the money

A REWARD has been offered by conservationists to catch thugs who shot dead two swans at a Radcliffe beauty spot. They now fear a sinister "designer pet" trade could spread to the area if efforts to clamp down on the barbaric killings are not heightened

PLANS to give buses priority on local roads have been given the green light. New quality bus corridors to reduce travelling times between Bury and Manchester are now going to the detailed design stage. But some politicians are worried that so few members

BURY'S anti-truancy patrols took to the streets in the run-up to Christmas. Last year a similar exercise by the council's education welfare officers, in conjunction with local police, resulted in scores of youngsters, many of them with parents, being

A FORMER Bury racial equality boss is spearheading a national campaign to introduce anonymity for defendants accused of rape. The move by Mr Nasrullah Khan (48), comes just days after he was acquitted of three counts of rape after an eight-day trial at

RAMSBOTTOM UNITED travel to Kidsgrove tomorrow for a North West Counties Division One game. The Rams aren't expecting an easy ride as Kidsgrove raised a few eyebrows when they beat Salford City last week. But the game Rams' supporters will be relishing

BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness must plan for Christmas without Damien Johnson after the young midfielder was ruled out for a further two weeks today. The Northern Ireland international has not featured in the Rovers first team since damaging his back in

LEE Briscoe is again ruled out through injury as Clarets boss Stan Ternent calls on his team to get back to basis to rediscover the winning feeling against high-flying Bolton at Turf Moor tomorrow. Ternent has been disappointed with the way Burnley's

UNITED Utilities, which includes North West Water and Norweb, has plugged in to a greener future by buying Hyder Industrial, the "green" energy arm of Welsh utility company Hyder. The £75million deal gives United a head start in the market for renewable

ANDY Preece has primed his players to prove the knockers wrong this Christmas ahead of Saturday's important Gigg Lane clash against Swindon. The Bury boss reckons that certain people will be saying "I told you so" after the Shakers season has taken a

ANDY Preece has primed his players to prove the knockers wrong this Christmas. The Bury boss reckons that certain people will be saying "I told you so" after the Shakers season has taken a distinct nosedive after a superb start. Second place in mid-October

POLICE have stepped up patrols following a spate of burglaries in Rossendale. Inspector Ewan Cameron said: "I would urge residents to ensure that windows and doors are kept locked and that they use their house alarm if they have one. "I would also appeal

A THIEF helped himself to a handbag from a vicarage, but then handed it back when confronted by the vicar, a court heard. Burnley Crown Court heard how David Wallace, 23, was later that same night disturbed by another householder in his kitchen, hid in

MANY people believe smokers who develop lung cancer have brought the disease on themselves, according to a new survey. This was the reaction of seven out of 10 people when they were interviewed in a recent MORI poll for the Cancer Research Campaign. However

GENEROUS local people raised £4,762 for the East Lancashire Hospice last week for the £1.3million extension to the Park Lee building, Blackburn. The total now stands at £1,177,576, which will help pay for better day care facilities at the centre for seriously

LANCASHIRE folk are among the keenest and greenest when it comes to recycling, according to a survey commissioned by conservation charity the Woodland Trust. A study of 2,000 people found that 76 per cent of respondents from the region would recycle Christmas

DERBY rivals from Blackburn Rovers and Burnley teamed up to get the best result of the week -- bringing smiles to the faces of children in hospital. Rovers' newest signing Alan Mahon made his "home debut" appearance by kicking off Christmas in Blackburn

PECKISH Peter McGlinn tucked into a Christmas pudding -- and ended up biting on a two-inch nail. Instead of finding a coin buried within his rich fruit treat the father-of-three was horrified to find the nail. Peter, a driver with Blackburn Transport,

DANGEROUS taxi drivers face being ordered off the road after a council launched a 24-hour hotline to clampdown on bad cabbies. The blitz comes during the busiest time of year for drivers in the hope the public will shop anyone they consider driving badly

AT last Padiham's Worthington Cup Challenge preliminary round game against Daisy Hill should get the go ahead after five postponements. It's been switched to the Arbories and the Storks are keen to get the victory -- as it will set up a cracking tie with

DARWEN manager Steve Wilkes wants to make sure he gets one over one his good friends when they make the trip to NWCL Division One promotion chasers Blackpool Mechanics tomorow. Wilkes attended the wedding of Mechanics goalkeeper Stuart Barton in summer

CHORLEY have two key members of their squad making their way back to fitness as they look to extend their unbeaten run to six games over the Christmas period. Centre half Simon Kay, a regular last season, has been sidelined this term with a back injury

AGRICULTURE Minister Nick Brown, appearing on a recent edition of "On the Record" on BBC1, was asked whether Britain should ban French beef. Mr Brown replied, and I quote: "It would be wrong to get into bilateral trade wars, state by state". Notice the

THE brutal murder of my brother Tariq Javed has caused my family and I great pain and suffering, which will undoubtedly remain with us forever in our minds and souls. Our great burden will perhaps be slightly lightened when the perpetrators are brought

YOUR recent report about the excellent Ofsted report on Radcliffe High School was great news for the town. The pupils, teachers and other staff at the school deserve to be highly congratulated for achieving so much praise. The high opinions of the Ofsted

I HAVE had an early Christmas present! Having braved the wrath of your letter writers over the past year by being one of the few politicians in the North West vigorously to defend Britain's membership of the European Union, one of our most senior Conservatives

NORTHERN Ford Premiership heavyweights and Grand Final contenders Widnes Vikings and Leigh Centurions will go head-to-head at the Auto Quest Stadium on Boxing Day in front of a record crowd. Vikings officials are confidently predicting a gate of 6-7000

Whitehaven...8 Leigh Centurions...30 IT'S an indication of Leigh's search for perfection that their after-match de-brief was more self-critical than self-praising. While expressing their satisfaction at clinically ending an 11-year Recreation Ground jinx