TWO school friends who were left fighting for their lives after contracting meningitis are celebrating the Christmas their families thought they might never see. Bubbly youngsters Michael Turner, five, and David Merry, six, of Abbey Village Primary School
You cards! CHEEKY Rovers fans have been inundating Burnley boss Stan Ternent with Christmas cards following their win in last week's East Lancashire derby. The Clarets' postbag has bulged with cards for Ternent since the 2-0 victory, thanking the Turf
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness breathed a huge sigh of relief after Rovers moved within striking distance of second spot following last night's nailbiting win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Rovers appeared to be cruising to another vital victory
Division One: Crystal Palace 2 Blackburn Rovers 3 - Andy Neild's match verdict CRYSTAL Palace boss Alan Smith has demanded his players take a daily urine test for drink and drugs as part of a pre-Christmas crackdown. But it was Ewood chief Graeme Souness
VIEWERS of popular TV quiz Fifteen-to-One saw a fourteen-to-one version after a convicted East Lancashire paedophile was blacked out of the programme. The 42-year-old former teacher, of Burnley, would have appeared on Monday's show when he won his heat
FOUR-year-old Jamie Graham is looking forward to the best Christmas gift in the world -- being able to open his presents for the first time. Last year his mum Anita had to hold Jamie, who suffers from cerebral palsy, on her knee and open all the presents
SINGLES EMILIANA TORRINI: To Be Free (One Little Indian)-- Being both Icelandic and on the One Little Indian record label means it comes as little surprise this new artist has more than a few Bjork influences. But the dry lyrcis to this cold love song
PENDLESIDE Hospice's Light Up a Life campaign has already raised more than £19,000 and a donation of three Christmas trees contributed to the success. Both Pendle and Burnley Borough Councils and Colne Noyna Rotary Club sponsored the installation of the
TONIGHT (Saturday, December 23) Cellar Bar, Blackburn: UNCLE SPONGE, spinal tap, 9pm to 1am, free. Tony's Ballroom, Blackburn: STEP BACK XMAS PARTY, retro music, 9pm to 2am. £2.50 b4 11pm £3.50 after. Punch Bowl, Earby: BEN ALLEN QUARTET, 9pm, free. Cellar
THE sounds of Christmas filled St James' Church, Accrington, at the annual Civic Carol Service. The Mayor and Mayoress of Hyndburn, Couns Doug and Sandra Hayes were the guests of honour at the service which marked the start of the borough's Christmas
Stan's Merry Christmas from Rovers CHRISTMAS cards have been flooding into Turf Moor for manager Stan Ternent this week. Some have been more welcome than others, however. The boss explained: "You don't want to lose to any team but Blackburn, from the
BOLTON boss Sam Allardyce expects Burnley to be like "wounded animals" when they take on his promotion-chasers at Turf Moor this afternoon. Allardyce has been at Burnley a couple of times already this season to watch games and also knows the Clarets management
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness breathed a huge sigh of relief after Rovers moved within striking distance of second spot following last night's nailbiting win over Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. Rovers appeared to be cruising to another vital victory
PENDLE band Tidy are set to return to the studio the first week in the new year to record three new tracks. After a year that, by their own high standards, has seen them fail to capitalise on their talents, the five-piece are set to return with a more
A PENDLE teenager this week joined former Stone Roses guitarist Aziz Ibrahim's band for two gigs in Scotland. Kieron Melling usually drums with the Nelson-based indie band Pigeon Smith but was handed the dream chance after Bruce Thomas, who sings with
EBENEEZER Scrooge broke with tradition when he handed over a cheque for £602 to the Salvation Army! Scrooge, played by Ashleigh Primary School pupil Michael Ellison from Darwen was one of dozens of youngsters who took part in this year's Christmas production
JANET Anderson will be spending her Christmas and New Year break glued to the television -- to make sure the festive shows are up to scratch. As Broadcasting Minister she wants to make sure that the programmes being viewed by millions are as good as the
LEVER yourself out of the armchair after Christmas and you could enjoy a free class in gentle exercise. For everyone vowing to keep fit and well in the New Year, the Fitness League is offering £3 vouchers to people who want to take part in classes in
ACCOUNTANCY student Anthony Thomas Peers went back to the well a second time after successfully pulling off a benefits fraud. Blackburn magistrates heard that peers reported his Giro had not arrived and was sent a replacement by the Benefits Agency. And
THE case of a severely disabled child sex offender who escaped a jail term because of "misleading" information sent to a judge, has had his case referred to the Attorney General. Wheelchair-bound Richard Fitzpatrick, 48, had been due to appear at Burnley
POSTIES in East Lancashire have been coping with more than three million letters and parcel deliveries in the last three weeks. Blackburn has been averaging around one million Christmas items of mail a week while Burnley has recorded two million in the
EXTRA police patrols were put on standby after vandals cut telephone communications on Leigh's largest council housing estate. Phone links went severed on Thursday night when vandals set fire to a cable junction box on the Higher Fold estate. "We want
FOUR-year-old Jamie Graham is looking forward to the best Christmas gift in the world -- being able to open his presents for the first time. Last year his mum Anita had to hold Jamie, who suffers from cerebral palsy, on her knee and open all the presents
EWOOD chief Graeme Souness will not be following in the footsteps of Crystal Palace counterpart Alan Smith by imposing a booze ban on his players this Christmas. Eagles boss Smith has insisted his players undergo daily urine tests to check for drink and
CRYSTAL Palace chief Alan Smith paid tribute to his brave battlers after a stirring fightback nearly rocked Rovers at Selhurst Park last night. Forced to play with 10 men for 80 minutes after Fan Zhiyi's first half sending off, plucky Palace fought back
ALAN Mahon is watching his back. Since his loan move to Blackburn Rovers nothing has happened to him. No practical jokes, no initiation ceremony, nothing. He can't believe it. Back in his Tranmere days he was always looking over his shoulder, sure that
MEMBERS of the public will be given the chance to voice their concerns about proposals to abolish the Community Health Councils during a public debate. Several local organisations and groups have already offered their support for the retention of the
A TEENAGER who attacked his mother's ex-boyfriend was conditionally discharged for 12 months by a stipendiary magistrate, who warned him to behave himself. Jonathan Finestein told Michael Ashley Hart, 19, he understood there was some bad feeling between
A DISABLED man has been left devastated after his puppy was stolen. Philip Snowdon was manning the counter at the Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary Shop in Accrington when two women came in and started playing with his Alsation dog, Sheba. One of the pair was
BOLTON boss Sam Allardyce expects Burnley to be like "wounded animals" when they take on his promotion-chasers at Turf Moor this afternoon. Allardyce has been at Burnley a couple of times already this season to watch games and also knows the Clarets management
HIGHLY-RATED Tompaulin have agreed to release their debut album with Manchester's underground label Uglyman Records, Pulse can exclusively reveal. The deal, which has been agreed over the last fortnight, will see the Blackburn band release two singles
TWO school friends who were left fighting for their lives after contracting meningitis are celebrating the Christmas their families thought they might never see. Bubbly youngsters Michael Turner, five, and David Merry, six, of Abbey Village Primary School
