Archive

  • Events in East Lancashire on Saturday, June 9

    Crowning of Rose Queen and Gala Fair, St Cuthbert's CE School, St Albans Road, Darwen, 1.30pm. Table Top Sale, St Gabirel's Church Hall, Brownhill, Blackburn, 10am-2pm. Proceeds to the Alex Cumberland Fund and Pendlebury Children's Hospital. Ballroom

  • TEXAS CHLOE GOES GA-GA FOR BURY

    OUT of the hundreds of Save Our Shakers donations the Bury Times has received, we reckon there's no one younger to contribute than Chloe Waddington, writes Steve Canavan. For the youngster has stumped up her fiver even though she weighs in at just 7lb

  • RADCLIFFE CLINCH SEMI SPOT

    RADCLIFFE marched into the Wood Cup semi-finals on the back of impressive performances from Stuart Kelley, Nick Kennedy and Steve Dearden at the weekend. Their win over Oldham was the highlight of a good weekend for the Racecourse men -- and it could

  • HODGE AND READ STAR FOR RAMMY

    RAMSBOTTOM will play Colne in the semi-finals of the Worsley Cup after a convincing seven-wicket win against Nelson. The game against Colne, who demolished holders Todmorden, will take place at Acre Bottom on Sunday June 24. Ramsbottom were in top form

  • HARDY'S COUNTY CHALLENGE

    NEILL HARDY will be trying to force his way into the Stockport County first team straight away following his £25,000 move from Radcliffe Borough. Hardy was set to sign for County, barring any complications with a medical he underwent yesterday, but the

  • Today's the day

    1824: The washing machine was patented by Noah Cushing of Quebec. 1896: The first time a car was reported stolen. 1926: Dame Nellie Melba gave her farewell performance at Covent Garden in London. 1966: The Tories demanded a copy of the script for the

  • Relief as marginal is held

    LABOUR retained their seat in the key marginal seat of South Ribble with a 3,802 majority. David Borrow was returned to Parliament with 21,386 votes. It was a huge relief for Mr Borrow as many had predicted that the seat could have fallen back to the

  • Taking care of the carers

    ONE in eight of your readers will be carers -- that is, people who are unpaid, for a relative, partner or friend, or for a child with a disability. During our special awareness week, Carers Week (June 11-17) -- when we celebrate the contribution that

  • Do you fancy a fun run?

    A FIVE mile fun run or, for the less energetic, walk, will take place this Sunday (June 10) in aid of the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust. It will be the third year that the Bury Friends of the Trust have staged the event, which has already raised £11,000

  • Village green project gets cash help

    RESIDENTS in Affetside can be proud of their village green project. And now the Affetside Millennium Green Trust has received a grant of £500 towards the completion of the green. The money was donated by the Volvo Practical Environmental Projects scheme

  • Bikers hope to coast it

    FATHER and daughter Simon and Jennifer Walsh are saddling up for a coast-to-coast display of pedal power for charity. Simon (50) and 13-year-old Jennifer, of The Drive, Seedfield, Bury, will ride 175 miles from Seascale, Cumbria, to Robin Hood's Bay,

  • Teacher's long-service rewarded

    SIXTY-TWO teachers in Bury, who have been long-standing members of the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers (NAS/UWT) have been recognised for their loyalty. They are the first to receive a new long-service award, badge and bottle

  • Recruits needed for prisoner scheme

    RECRUITS are needed to ensure that offenders locked in police cells are being properly cared for. Greater Manchester Police Authority wants members of the public to act as its eyes and ears to monitor the treatment of people in detention centres. The

  • Week of help for carers in town centre

    ADVICE to help carers will be within shopping distance in Bury town centre next week. A series of information events will be staged in the Millgate Shopping Centre throughout the week, supervised by the Carers Partnership, which is based at Seedfield

  • Queen may llisten to Matthew's sounding brass

    A FORMER pupil of the Derby High School in Bury is hitting the high notes in military music circles. Matthew Gray (23) has graduated from the internationally renowned Royal Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, and has now set his sights on joining

  • Couple's fight for poor leads them to Geneva

    THE headquarters of the World Trade Organisation in Geneva is the destination for a Radcliffe couple who want to improve the lot of the world's poor. Mr Les Johnson (55) and his wife, Kathleen (53), of Chapeltown Road, will travel to Switzerland on Monday

  • Lancashire County local election results

    LABOUR kept a tight grip on the county council despite low turnouts -- and it is East Lancashire councillors who are set to be in control. In a poll of few votes and even fewer surprises the ruling group maintained a healthy majority despite losing its

  • Woman driver held at knifepoint

    A 33-YEAR-OLD woman is recovering from a terrifying ordeal after being forced to drive from Bury to Breightmet at knifepoint in her own car. And on the way, the two car-jackers ordered her into a petrol station to withdraw cash from her bank account.

  • Ross left tongue-Thai'd by Jussy

    COMIC Jonathan Ross got more than he bargained for when he met Radcliffe's Thai boxing world champion Jussy Lowe last week. The verbally-challenged star was left "wed"-faced after the 26-year-old woman gave him a playful beating. The former Coney Green

  • Holidaymakers' home from home

    HOLIDAYS really are "home sweet home" for Radcliffe couple Stuart and Dorothy Fairclough. For the 67-year-olds are such loyal customers at a luxury Scottish hotel that they have had their favourite room named after them! The retired couple, who live on

  • Caring mum lends support

    THE mother of a Preston schoolgirl with Down's syndrome is aiming to raise awareness about the condition to promote National Down's Syndrome Week which starts on Saturday (June 2). Preston teacher Cath Noblett, also a member of the Preston branch of the

  • Teachers divided over exams

    SCHOOLS and colleges in Preston are divided when it comes down to deciding what is best for A-level students. The National Association of Head Teachers has called for an inquiry, after claims that the new curriculum is confusing because of Key Skills

  • 'We're being squashed out!'

    SQUASH teams say their local leisure centre is flirting with disaster after hearing another court will be closed. Teams who play at Bamber Bridge Leisure Centre fear there will be nowhere for people to play after leisure chiefs agreed to demolish one

  • Votes for pupils!

    WHILE the electorate headed to the polling station to vote in the Parliamentary and County Council elections, a local school has devised its own special election to promote issues affecting their lives. As the candidates bite their nails in anticipation

  • Campbell move

    ALASTAIR Campbell, the Prime Minister's no-nonsense official spokesman, confirmed he would be taking more of a behind-the-scenes role from today. Clarets fan Mr Campbell, who for four years has held an iron-like grip on the daily message from Downing

  • MP worried as vote for far right party tops 4,000

    PETER Pike celebrated his fifth successive General Election victory in Burnley - but the win was tarnished by concern over the size of the vote for the far right wing British National Party. More than 8,000 voters snubbed the polls compared with the '

  • Wonder of art

    UP to 80 children from Woodfield Nursery in Brierfield worked with Trawden artist Paul Hartley to create artwork for their 50th anniversary celebrations. Paul spent two hours with both the morning and afternoon groups and showed them how to use polystyrene

  • Three-year-old boy is pulled to safety

    A MOTHER of a three-year-old boy who had to be pulled to safety after falling in the pond in Victory Park, Barrowford, has urged the council to make the area safer. Saika Sabir, of Thomas Street, Nelson, is relieved that her son Hamad Butt escaped injury

  • Majority cut as turnout plunges

    GORDON Prentice warned that the Conservative party was in meltdown after winning Pendle with a drastically reduced majority. But he warned that his own party needed to change its approach in the light of the disappointing turnout and dramatic downturn

  • Priory wins sportsmark award again

    PENWORTHAM'S Priory College has again been awarded the coveted Sportsmark Award in recognition of the quality of its physical education and sports programme. This is the second time the award has been granted to the Penwortham college. The award is made

  • Farington team wins at Arsenal

    THERE are not many teams which win at Highbury, home of the mighty Gunners but a five-a-side team from Leyland have won a trophy at the famous ground. A team put together by Bill Fairman, from accountancy company WFJ Fairman and Co, based in Farington

  • Pub's late opening

    DRINKERS at the Shepherds Arms pub in Colne town centre will be able to socialise for longer after councillors granted an extension to the opening hours. The pub will stay open until 12.30am on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The licensee will

  • Rottweiler owners' language problems

    OWNERS of rottweiler kennels in Earby have revealed that not only have they had VIP dogs among their customers, but the staff went as far as to learn Swedish to make one of them feel at home. When a couple from East Yorkshire bought 12-stone rottweiler

  • Crime rise blamed on recording system

    POLICE are blaming inaccurate recording systems for a rise in crime. New figures published this week show that crime levels throughout Lancashire have risen over the last year, and it is thought the introduction of a new recording system may have pushed

  • Dave leads BMX pack

    A PRESTON cyclist had a wheely brilliant time at the Mid Lancashire BMX Club, in Coppull, near Chorley at the weekend! David Ives from Langfield, Fulwood came first out of more than 50 riders who took part in the latest round of the North West Regional

  • 'Turn that noise down'

    A NATIONAL noise awareness day gave local people the chance to sound off about noise. Appearing on the side of buses around Preston over the last few days have been posters promoting'Noise Action Day', on Wednesday June 6. The aim of the day is to encourage

  • Crafty day out

    LEYLAND'S annual festival may have come to an end, but stall holders from the event's craft tent proved they could still pull in the crowds at the new Leyland at Leisure 2001 on Saturday. Leyland Morris Men, accompanied by Stone the Crows, entertained

  • 'Grim up North' says star Elkie

    NORTHERN rock treasure, Elkie Brooks, is gritting her teeth at the prospect of coming back to her roots 'up North' because of violence on the streets. Salford-born Elkie is hoping to go down a storm on Tuesday July 3 when she performs at the Charter Theatre

  • Ten years ago

    YOUNG Ross Whittaker, of Whitefield Street, Hapton launched his own one-boy 'save the world' campaign. The 11-year-old started his latest project of collecting socks for the Romanians. It was not the first time that Ross had taken action; he had also

  • Carnival route finalised

    ACCRINGTON carnival procession will set off on its new route from the Globe Centre at 10.45am on Saturday June 16. It will then travel down Eagle Street, right on to Blackburn Road, passed the Town Hall and the bus station. Then, instead of turning right

  • High note for church fund-raiser

    THE grand draw 2001 for St John with St Augustine's church restoration fund will be held on Saturday night during a concert by the Readstone Singers. Already £25,000 has been raised through a variety of means but St John's CE Church, Addison Street, Accrington

  • Opening date set for new super store

    THE long-awaited Co-op superstore opens in Great Harwood on June 30 after four years of uncertainty. Concerns over the project led councillors to hold a referendum in Great Harwood, allowing all locals to have their say. In the meantime, Safeway pulled

  • Opening date set for new super store

    THE long-awaited Co-op superstore opens in Great Harwood on June 30 after four years of uncertainty. Concerns over the project led councillors to hold a referendum in Great Harwood, allowing all locals to have their say. In the meantime, Safeway pulled

  • Fingers severed in factory horror

    A FACTORY worker severed three fingers in an accident at a small furniture manufacturing firm in Accrington. The man, who is in his 50s and from Accrington, is thought to have been using a circular saw to cut wood when his right hand caught in the blade

  • Tributes pour in as era comes to an end

    ONE of the Lancashire's last clogmakers, who shod miners, ballet dancers and fishermen, has died aged 73. Clogger Jack Ashcroft was a familiar figure in Leigh, where he made clogs for more than 40 years until his retirement in 1989. After a long period

  • Traders start to celebrate

    LEIGH'S outdoor market stallholders are looking forward to moving to their permanent new site on Monday, ending seven months of heartache. The traders, who were shunted on to the Gas Street car park to make way for a multi-million pound extension to the

  • Tragedy for rugby coach

    A RUGBY coach and ex-professional player was left fighting for his life after an incident outside a town centre night club. Leigh Centurions reserve team coach Mark Bailey, 33, was left in intensive care with severe head injuries after leaving Ruebens

  • Fundraisers vow to save historic tower

    A NINE-strong committee has congregated to save the historic Leigh Parish Church tower. Its mission is to raise the £110,000 needed to make the Grade II listed 16th century building safe by August next year. And the Tower Power group intends to set the

  • Family fight to stay amid ruins

    A FAMILY who faced eviction from their council home have been left stranded amid a pile of rubble. Susan and Robert Thomas were on the verge of being thrown-out of their Atherton home just a few months ago, following a number of complaints made against

  • Face licks led to assault charge for ex-partner

    AN ex-boyfriend set out to humiliate his former partner by licking her on the face when he bumped into her in a Longridge pub. Blackburn magistrates heard that electrician Jonni Eastham then followed Zoe Jones from the Dog Inn, dragged her by the hair

  • Evans almost doubles his majority

    JUBILANT Tories were celebrating in the foot and mouth-ravaged Ribble Valley after Nigel Evans held on to his parliamentary seat for a third term. But the victorious Welshman said farmers had turned their backs on the election in protest at being sidelined

  • Community hit by 21st case

    A NEW case of foot and mouth has been confirmed in the Ribble Valley taking the total to 21. Ministry of Agriculture officials said the latest case was at Part Harpers Farm, in Newsholme, near Gisburn. It was not established how many animals are on site

  • Academy clinched it

    ACADEMY Fleet Services, of Whitefield, has won a coveted vehicle options contract from Bolton and Bury Chamber. Academy, based at the Albert Close Trading Estate, was established in 1990 and brings a wealth of vehicle management experience to the Chamber

  • Stan happy to battle for Clarets

    BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent says money doesn't necessarily breed success -- but may cast an envious glance at the amounts some of the First Division clubs have to spend this season. Portsmouth manager Graham Rix is thought to have a £12m kitty thanks to

  • LOCAL CRICKET: Ribblesdale League Captain's Column

    AS LONG as our young lads stay off the booze this season we will do pretty well I reckon! We have a young squad with just four or five experienced players and my first job as captain is trying to stop the younger players going out every Friday night.

  • IT'S that time of year again!

    THE first Bury Carnival of the new millennium takes place at the weekend. The gala will be held this Sunday (June 10) and as usual offers fun for all the family with lashings of entertainment, spectacles, displays and performances to delight the eye and

  • Who will be your choice?

    NOMINATIONS are now being sought for this year's Bury Woman of the Year. Now in its fourth year, the fund-raising event has not only celebrated the achievements of the women of the borough but also raised a staggering £18,000 plus for Bury Hospice. Winners

  • Support grows for school "motivator"

    DOZENS of parents have signed a petition demanding the reinstatement of a headteacher suspended amid allegations of exam irregularities. Headmaster Mr Mike Duce was asked to leave Peel Brow Primary School in Ramsbottom following the allegations concerning

  • Memories lead to a Bright Future...

    SCHOOLDAYS are meant to be the best years of our lives, but how many of us can put hand on heart and actually say it is true? Well, one woman enjoyed her time at Park View CP School so much that she has put her fond memories in print to share them with

  • Stan happy to battle for Clarets

    BURNLEY boss Stan Ternent says money doesn't necessarily breed success -- but may cast an envious glance at the amounts some of the First Division clubs have to spend this season. Portsmouth manager Graham Rix is thought to have a £12m kitty thanks to

  • New equipment to keep firm in front

    BLACKBURN-based Precision Polymer Engineering has invested more than £200,000 in new equipment, as part of its drive to keep at the forefront of innovation. The Clarendon Road company specialises in the design and production of seals for a wide range

  • Romers loud and proud at Games

    BLACKBURN already has one big winner from next summer's Commonwealth Games in Manchester. Romers Electronics has taken the 'gold medal of the PA world' with a £500,000 contract to supply a full sound system at the state-of-the-art stadium currently being

  • Anniversary service

    CHOWBENT Unitarian Chapel's anniversary service on June 10 will be conducted by the Rev John Midgley at 10.45am.

  • Expert advice

    LEIGH Healthy Heart Club will have a trio of guests at its next meeting. Consultant cardiologist Dr Malajo, consultant cardiothoracic surgeon Mr Nicholas J Odom, and cardiac rehab sister Lynne Lee will be at the Bond Street Catholic Club to meet members

  • Trekking for charity

    ADVENTUROUS Leigh residents are needed for a seven-day charity cycle across Egypt. The challenge - which will cover 375kms from November 17-25 - will span the Suez Canal, the pyramids, Mount Sinai and the Red Sea in a bid to raise funds for sports-injury

  • Charity clear-out

    A LEIGH charity shop is appealing to people have a summer wardrobe clear-out. The PDSA shop in Bradshawgate is asking them to spare a thought to donating their goods to help the veterinary charity care for sick animals. Volunteers are also needed for

  • Explosion injures teen

    A TEENAGE boy suffered facial injuries after a petrol container exploded on school playing fields. The 13-year-old was taken to Wigan Infirmary suffering from minor facial injuries after being initially treated by paramedics who raced to Castle Hill Primary

  • Peaceful poems

    BUDDING Leigh poets are required to contribute to an anthology of peace-related poems. Non-profit publisher Crocus is compiling the book of verse in a bid to improve nationwide harmony. Poets can submit up to five poems each for consideration - no longer

  • Can you help house a Spanish student?

    FAMILIES are needed to provide homes for Spanish students visiting Rossendale next month. The trip is being arranged by Stephen Hall, community co-ordinator at Alder Grange High School, in Rawtenstall. He said: "This is our tenth year and we should have

  • Peter bowled over as he wins wife's tribute trophy

    WHEN Peter Williams won a trophy at Gaghills Bowling Club in Waterfoot he accepted it with pride -- because it was the one he donated in memory of his late wife. Peter, 63, is a retired Merchant Navy seaman and his late wife Agnes used to travel everywhere

  • Robbery terror at off-licences

    AN off licence owner who came face-to-face with a masked armed robber said today he will be fitting CCTV to his shop. Azeem Khan had been in the back of The Corner Shop in Burnley Road, Rawtenstall, watching TV when the man entered the premises at 9.55pm

  • From one Centurion to another

    KEEPING in touch with his beloved Leigh RL Club is easy thanks to the Journal, says Eric Harrison, a Leigh winger from the Mather Lane days. Each week, 79-year-old Eric, from Platt Bridge, orders a copy of the Friday edition of the Journal, which at 20p

  • Drivers must be ready for delays

    TRAFFIC delays will be inevitable later this year when a pipe-laying scheme gets under way. Transco is investing £50m on improving the North West's supply network, which will include laying 3,260 metres of pipes costing £416,228 in Mosley Common. But

  • Collector calls for miners' memorabilia

    AN avid collector of miners' tags is appealing for tokens from pits in the Leigh area. West Midlander Peter Wall is seeking to boost his tally of brass embossed colliery lamp checks. The discs - bearing the pits' name and number - were drawn by the miner

  • All change on the buses

    CHANGES to concessionary passes and permits mean more Leigh people will be able to travel cheaply on the buses from this month. Following the implementation of the Transport Act 2000, new groups of people who can apply include the partially sighted or

  • Police warn of drugs hoax

    HOAXERS are thought to be behind a "scaremongering" letter about LSD trips which is being circulated to parents across the region. The fake warning letter, claiming to be from the Metropolitan Police, gives details about forms of LSD, stating that if

  • Pupils will go crazy to help deaf colleagues

    VITAL funding for deaf youngsters is just a hop, skip and a jump away. The National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) is challenging local school children to a crazy mixture of hopping, skipping and jumping to raise money to give deaf children the best possible

  • Call to save historic tower

    A GROUP with a mission has targeted a world record in a bid to raise the £100,000 plus needed to save a historic church tower. The Grade II listed Leigh Parish Church of St Mary's needs urgent work to make safe the tower, which has been a part of the

  • Membership up...thanks!

    ON behalf of Preston Panthers (Preston's Sports Club for people with disabilities) I would like to thank The Citizen for the article in the newspaper about the Panthers (Citizen, May 10). Thanks to the article a great many more children have become aware

  • Day was dream come true

    LAST October I was fortunate to win the Citizen wedding competition in conjuction with Novotel and The Wedding Studio, Chorley. I am writing to express my appreciation to all concerned for our wonderful wedding day on Saturday May 19, 2001. Novotel staff

  • Borrow retains South Ribble seat

    LABOUR have retained their seat in the South Ribble constituency with a 3,802 majority after a 68 per cent turnout. David Borrow was returned to Parliament with 21,386 votes in one of the key marginal seats in the North West. It was a huge relief for

  • Hot on trail of new premises

    LANCASHIRE Police bosses have started considering sites for a new town centre police station when Blackburn Northgate premises closes. The new town centre station will replace the existing building when the planned new multi-million pound station is built

  • 'Get rich' scheme alert

    POLICE and trading standards bosses are warning women not to be duped into joining a widespread money-making scheme believed to be heading for the county. The "Women Empowering Women" pyramid selling scheme invites investors to contribute £3,000 for a

  • Path row going to inquiry

    A DISPUTE over the re-routing of a footpath is set to be decided by a public inquiry. Blackburn with Darwen Council has handed over plans to shut a footpath which runs through the Charles Turner paper manufacturers, Belmont, to the Secretary of State

  • Parking's proving a real pain

    RESIDENTS are calling for action on a road they claim is a death trap. John Walsh, 37, of Buncer Lane, Blackburn, and wife Janet say there are too many cars parked on the road, causing obstructions to fast-moving traffic. The couple have contacted neighbours

  • Couple left cross by post vote error

    DEREK and Lorna Snape turned up at the polling station yesterday -- only to be told their names were not on the list and they were not allowed in. The couple were among the 12,000 who applied to Blackburn with Darwen Council to vote by post. They said

  • New jobs for Straw, Pope in Cabinet reshuffle

    EAST LANCASHIRE'S Labour MPs held on to their seats comfortably despite a swing to the Tories and the failure of many of their traditonal supporters to vote. The low turnouts will concern them as much as a similar picture nationwide will worry Prime Minister

  • LOCAL SOCCER: Rossendale looking to be shining lights

    ROSSENDALE United are ready to get their floodlights up to Nationwide Conference standard -- and hope their team won't be too far behind. The North West Counties League Division One champions have received an award of £22,812 from the Football Stadium

  • LOCAL SOCCER: Coleman calling for Conference change

    ACCRINGTON Stanley boss John Coleman has called for a Second Division of the Conference as the Reds aim to join non-League's elite next season. Stanley are currently in the UniBond Premier Division -- where only the Champions secure promotion to the Nationwide

  • We were quite desperate

    THERE was a day out for all the family in Ramsbottom last week-end with a war time theme for the celebrations. It was quite wonderful and imaginative and very enjoyable. However, one essential was missing. There are no toilets in Ramsbottom and the toilets

  • We were never racist

    AS A child, I lived in Ingham Street, Bury, which has one of the largest Asian communities in the town. There was never any trouble, the children played together without noticing any difference in colour or religion. So what has happened in Oldham? Racist

  • You can't buy this sort of care

    TWO years ago I had a major stroke. From the time my wife dialled 999 until my recent and last visit to my GP, Dr McGowan, I have had excellent care. This letter is a way of thanking all those involved, particularly those in Bury General and Fairfield

  • Hill shouldn't have been shut

    THE people of Holcombe built a bonfire on Holcombe Hill to celebrate the Millennium and a torch-light procession of betwenn 5,000 and 10,000 people (estimates vary) climbed the hill in the dark and the rain to see it lit on New Year's Eve. For the past

  • School is a credit to him

    I AM writing regarding the suspension of Mr Mike Duce, headteacher of Peel Brow, Ramsbottom, over irregularities in the school's SATs (Bury Times, June 5). I am not aware of the full facts of this matter, but I would like to comment on Mr Duce as a teacher

  • Hospitals: turn back the clock

    I WHOLEHEARTEDLY agree with "Patient Patient" (Your Letters, May 11) regarding the disgraceful conditions in many of our hospitals, and Bury General in particular. These conditions will prevail until radical steps are taken to reduce visiting hours; reduce

  • Exam results are not everything

    NEWS of the suspension of headteacher Mike Duce from Peel Brow, Ramsbottom, due to alleged irregularities in the SATs, highlights the way education policies are failing our children. Mr Duce, along with the Ofsted inspector, may well believe that good

  • We didn't "pillage", we borrowed the money

    IN response to Mr Bob Bibby, (Your Letters, June 1) this local authority did not "pillage" (that is to steal) from the Schools Fund. The combined schools' underspend at the time was £2.4 million. We borrowed, for only one year, £1 million and no school

  • Police must be even-handed

    THE racial tension evident in Oldham finally erupted in front of the whole nation with devastating results. Television showed the burning of vehicles and injuries to police and members of the public, which demonstrated the total destruction of trust among

  • Bring back conscription

    A LEIGH resident, sickened by gangs of yobs who go around causing unrest on estates, wants to see conscription brought back. He feels that square bashing from dawn to dusk might cause them the same misery they inflict on other people. Too right, but I'll

  • Shame on me

    TO my shame, I have to admit that I'd never heard Leigh's top folk duo, Gary and Vera Aspey, until Sunday when Billy Maher gave them a spin on his super Radio Merseyside Sunday Jukebox show. There were the twosome sandwiched between late greats such as

  • On a road to nowhere

    THE roads are full of unwelcome markings and speeding and camera signs, yet towns themselves are not very well signposted. Only recently, on a trip to Southport, I struggled to find the lovely village of Churchtown, and my hairdresser this week told me

  • Never judge a book by its cover

    BOOKS are available on a wide range of boring topics, but I received a pamphlet recently advertising one for sale about vinegar. Old wives will know that it had more uses than for being shaken on chips. The acid, dubbed nature's secret weapon, can apparently

  • Such a shame how things have changed

    IN response to the state of Westleigh Park, described in the Journal by reporter and columnist Lesley Richards, the following response was received from former Westleigh resident Alan Goodwin. I'M an ex-pat from Westleigh now living in Germany. It was

  • TV helped make art trendy again

    I WONDER how many local artists have taken up their new hobby thanks to watching two amazing telly painters - Bob Ross (oils) and Frank Clarke (water colours). I had a bit of a talent for drawing and painting as a little 'un , but at Leigh Grammar School

  • Some guys have all the luck

    MY ATHERTON-born cousin, Haydn Rowlands, has the luck of the Irish. He was sitting on the patio of the new cottage he has extended, in the Derbyshire Peak District village of Slaley, when he spotted what he thought might be the UFO he had read about in

  • Magnificent seven!

    THE Centurions came back from their weekend off to be greeted with their toughest training session of the season. "We really put them through it on Monday," admitted coach Paul Terzis. "But it's done the trick because it underlined to the players that

  • Labour cruise to General Election victory

    LABOUR scored another double whammy in Bury as the party crised to a second General Election landslide. David Chaytor and Ivan Lewis held onto their Bury North and Bury South seats on another dismal night for the Tories. Mr Chaytor eased home by a comfortable

  • Labour need to start delivering

    IN the end it was all too predictable: a massive victory for Labour with the Conservatives nowhere in sight. The night represented an almost universal cold shoulder for William Hague's brand of Conservatism which for some time now has been badly out of

  • JUST JAMIE: Oh brother, I think my bubble is about to burst

    AFTER the posing and the posturing, the tears and the cheers it is almost over. As Just Jamie went to press it will all be over bar the shouting. It has been a fraught campaign and -- judging by office talk -- the expected apathy did not arrive. I know

  • SEDGLEY HONOURED

    SEDGLEY Park Rugby Union Club's magnificent achievement in winning promotion to National League Two has received more recognition. Sedgley will be named Senior Club of the Year at the Lancashire Rugby Union dinner being held at Preston Grasshoppers tonight

  • ROLL UP FOR MAN UTD CLASH

    DON'T miss the boat - get down to Gigg Lane for the biggest pre-season friendly clash in Bury FC's history. Carling Premiership champions Manchester United are due in town on Wednesday, August 8 and tickets go on sale today. Your Bury Times - main sponsors

  • PITCH WORK UNDERWAY

    HI-TECH work began this week designed to keep Bury's Gigg Lane pitch in pristine condition for the coming season. A specialist firm from Macclesfield - who have treated soccer grounds throughout the country - arrived at 6.30am on Tuesday to begin tearing

  • This week in 1976 25 years ago

    JUMBO CONTEST: An eight-man tug-of-war team took on a two-and-a half ton elephant in one of the most bizarre contests Radcliffe had seen for many a year. Pegasus, the local team, challenged one of the elephants performing in the Circus Hoffman at Red

  • Mum's the word at Asda store

    ASDA supermarket in Grimshaw Park, Blackburn, will hand over part of its store for a clinic to help expectant mums prepare. Baby product company Johnson's will use part of the store for clinic and qualified midwifes will provide free guidance. Research

  • Brothers swapped identities

    A BIRTHMARK proved the undoing of two brothers who tried to convince police they were each other. Blackburn magistrates heard that Matthew Perkin, 18, was driving while disqualified because his brother Christopher, 25, had drunk too much to get behind

  • Change through colour

    LESLEY Perrin, image consultant from the House of Colour, gave a fascinating talk to 34 members of the Breast Care Support Group at Beardwood Hospital, Preston New Road, Blackburn. Lesley suggested a few solutions to the common problem of 'bulging wardrobes

  • New unit is opened

    A NEW £7million hospital unit was opened yesterday as part of ongoing improvements to patient care. The Acute Mental Health Unit, at Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn, replaces the old Victorian buildings which Trust bosses admitted did not meet the modern

  • Beware of sneak thieves warn police

    DETECTIVES are warning people to be on their guard after a series of sneak thefts at workplaces. Officers say the three break-ins, which all happened during the day on Wednesday, could be linked as all the properties were close together in Blackburn.

  • Mayor doing a good job

    REGARDING Eric Leaver's remarks (LET, May 30), because the Mayor of Hyndburn wears an earring, it does not make him a yob. I have known Councillor David Parkins for 30 years and you couldn't find a nicer or more genuine person than he is. He does a good

  • Tender went to 'local' company

    AS a local employee of the 'world's local brewer,' Interbrew, I think I know why Blackburn with Darwen Council is not supporting local brewer Thwaites (LET, May 29). Could it possibly be something to do with the range of beers and lagers offered by those

  • What possesses church vandals?

    ST James' Church, New Bury, has for several years found itself the focus of vandals. Our congregation continues to worship God but continues to face graffiti, broken gravestones and even the mindless firing of our wheely bin but this week's incident is

  • 'All singing' town sadly out of tune

    ON reading the letter from Councillor John Milburn (Letters, May 29), I must confess to also becoming dispirited, but in my case, it was with the complacency of his response to the constituent who criticised the town of Blackburn. On the other hand, I

  • Burnham clinches fifth Labour win

    ANDY Burnham became Leigh's fifth Labour MP with a landslide victory. The 31-year-old former Government adviser to Chris Smith, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pulled 22,783 votes. Conservative Andrew Oxley was runner-up with 6,421, Liberal

  • Dog's dinner!

    PUPILS at Fishpool Primary School went barking mad when school meals mascot Dexter the Dog paid them a visit. Children at the Parkhills Road school gave the furry figure a rousing reception after they took part in a healthy eating art and craft contest

  • Inquest into hanged church worker

    AN inquest has opened into the death of a respected church worker and school crossing patrol warden found hanged at her home in Ramsbottom. The body of Mrs Maureen Gwyneth Milner (56), of Cotswold Close, was discovered on May 24. Evidence of identification

  • Store to shut for the last time

    IT will be the end of an era tomorrow (Sat June 9) when the Sainsbury's store in Prestwich closes its doors for the final time. But it will be a low-key affair as the Longfield Centre supermarket will operate as normal until the shutters are brought down

  • Election results

    BURY SOUTH Ivan Lewis (Labour)..........................23,406 Nicola Le Page (Conservative).........10,634 Tim Pickstone (Liberal Democrat)..... 5,499 LABOUR HOLD Majority -- 12,772. Percentage turnout -- 59.15 per cent. BURY NORTH David Chaytor (Labour

  • E-mail can not replace popular "postie"

    A MILITARY "postie" from Radcliffe is training hard to send out record numbers of the "blueys" that technology will never replace. Even the invention of electronic mail has failed to halt the British soldier's love affair with the army's free international

  • Crisis talks bring hope for Strebor jobs

    A WORKING party is to be set up in a last-ditch attempt to save a Radcliffe factory. All 98 jobs at Strebor Diecasting on Hutchinson Way hang in the balance as the 70-year-old firm faces the almost impossible task of finding £4 million of new work each

  • Foot and mouth scare at farm

    CATTLE at a Walmersley farm have been put under observation by Ministry of Agriculture officials. The move comes after a tanker which collected milk from Cobb House Farm had apparently been used in a foot and mouth infected area in Clitheroe. A Ministry

  • Headteacher blasts lack of funding

    THE headteacher of a Radcliffe school has written to parents informing them that education is suffering. Mrs Gill Growden, of Radcliffe Hall CE Methodist Primary School, took the unusual step after being exasperated at the poor level of funding for the

  • OAP soccer fans left stranded

    A GROUP of Bury pensioners were left stranded by their coach driver in Cardiff after watching their favourite team win promotion to the Premier League. Bolton Wanderers fan Edith Davis, of Walshaw Road, Bury, had travelled to the Division One play-off

  • RNIB group folds after 17 years and £48,000

    LOCAL members of the Royal National Institute for the Blind have raised their last pounds for the charity. The Prestwich, Whitefield and Radcliffe RNIB Appeals Group wound-up their operation last week after 17 years during which they raised £48, 981.

  • Free condoms "not a solution"

    FREE condoms for the under-16s will not tackle the growing problem of teenage pregnancies, claimed a Ramsbottom councillor. Coun Dorothy Gunther, a staunch critic of the policy of Bury Council and the local health authority to distribute contraceptives

  • Second head is suspended

    THE headteacher of a Bury special school has been suspended while education chiefs investigate the alleged misuse of computer equipment. Mr Bernard Emblem was removed from his post at Millwood Primary Special School by the governing body on May 17, just

  • "Banned" doctor retires

    A DOCTOR suspended from work for allegedly hiring a man with a criminal record has retired on the grounds of ill health. Dr Colin Ogdon, a GP at Prestwich Health Centre in Fairfax Road, was banned by the General Medical Council from practising for 18

  • Ex-Saints star Cunningham gets leading role with Leigh

    TOMMY Cunningham has traded in his players' agent licence to become Leigh Centurions' new chief executive. Cunningham began in his new full-time position on Monday and immediately set to work on steering Leigh towards their Super League goal. With a daily

  • Matt's the man for Souness

    TOUGH taskmaster Graeme Souness today called on Ewood hot-shot Matt Jansen to fire the goals to guarantee Rovers' Premiership survival. Former England Under 21 star Jansen set the First Division alight last season after finding the net 24 times to finish

  • A wheely good book

    GET on yer bike this summer and check out some of Lancashire's finest countryside with the help of a fabulous new book by retired librarian Mike Hutchinson. On Your Bike in Lancashire is packed with circular bike rides across some of the county's most

  • Worried pupils write in

    THE Citizen has once again proved it is at the heart of the community after pupils worried about a vandalised play area sent us nine letters highlighting the problem. In April we told how eight-year-old Rosie Hiles cut her arm on broken glass in the Turpin

  • Big Brother reject praises Preston studies

    THE Lancashire grandmother knocked out of the running for a place in the Big Brother house has told how a university course in Preston helped in her bid for fame . Mum-of-two Anne Edgar succeeded where thousands failed after making it as a finalist on

  • Businesses are in safe hands

    SEVEN local companies have received awards for their safety records in a prestigious international competition. In the latest Occupational Safety and Health awards, three Preston firms and four Leyland-based businesses received recognition. The annual

  • What a generous bunch!

    VOLUNTEERS at Preston's INTAG -- Ingol and Tanterton Action Group -- received a bundle of certificates to celebrate National Volunteers Week from June 1 to 8. The hard-working army of helpers were singled out for praise by staff at the centre, in Kidsgrove

  • Turncoat Woodward wins St Helens South

    FORMER Conservative MP Shaun Woodward, controversially selected as Labour's candidate for St Helens South, held on to the traditional socialist stronghold, but with a vastly reduced majority. The former member for Witney in Oxfordshire, having succeeded

  • Soccer girls skills event

    THE Football Association is holding a girls only football event designed to introduce girls to football or to help with their footballing skills. There will be small-sided competitions which will allow you to put your skills into practice. The event is

  • Barracudas swim to second place

    LEYLAND Barracudas took second place at a recent North Lancs Swimming League match at Lytham St Annes against the Rosegrove and Newton Hall clubs. Taking first places for Barracudas were: Dan King in the 12-year boys' freestyle, Ian Aguilar, Daniel Crook

  • Junior stars net sponsorship deal

    PRESTON Industrial Copolymers Limited (ICL) has sponsored the promising young football team, Bamber Bridge Junior football club's under 13's. The company, based on London Road sponsors the team which are the former champions of the Central Lancashire

  • Preston delighted at first league victory

    Preston 195 all out Fleetwood 110 all out IT WAS very much a case of cricketing suicide by Fleetwood on Saturday which allowed Preston to win the Bay 96.9 Northern Premier League in the final over. Preston had batted first and made 195 all out and Fleetwood

  • Pub boss offers to fund blues festival

    AS councillors decided whether to offer funding to help cover the costs of the Open Door project's stage at the Colne Rhythm and Blues Festival this year, a local licensee volunteered a donation and praised the youth event. Jonathan Tyerman, licensee

  • Badgers in first aid final

    THREE 10-year-old St John Ambulance Badgers from Penwortham have won the North West Regional Badger First Aid competition. Nicola Mills of Whitebeam Close, Lauri Smith of Belgrave Avenue and Abigail South of Hormbeam Close in Penwortham represented Lancashire

  • Sheila's cuppa' cash for hospice

    A WOMAN whose husband died of cancer at St Catherine's Hospice, Lostock Hall, has been able to raise more than £25,000 after organising coffee mornings and other activities. Sheila Greenway, of Beacon Grove, Fulwood, has been organising coffee mornings

  • Fears mount over market

    FEARS over the future of Preston's cattle market are rising after it was revealed that council leaders have recommended the lifting of a rule protecting the site. A spokesman for Preston council said at a meeting on Monday night councillors recommended

  • Cutting edge of styling

    TWO Preston College students are snipping their way to success after being picked as finalists in a national hairdressing competition. Lucy Mills and Tracy Blackburn, both 18, will be competing against teams from top salons including Toni and Guy, and

  • Riviera trip for brave Michael

    A YOUNG boy who has suffered from a rare medical disorder all his life has been given the chance to go abroad for the first time by a charity. Since he was baby, five-year-old Michael Gardner, of Newark Place, Fulwood, has been too ill to leave the country

  • Five years ago

    NIGEL Evans called for extra cash for by-passes in the Ribble Valley. He believed there were several towns and villages that needed to be freed from through traffic. The Tory MP urged Commons leader Tony Newton to hold a debate on transport policy.

  • High note for church fund-raiser

    THE grand draw 2001 for St John with St Augustine's church restoration fund will be held on Saturday night during a concert by the Readstone Singers. Already £25,000 has been raised through a variety of means but St John's CE Church, Addison Street, Accrington

  • Top cop warns riders

    YOUNG off-road bikers are dicing with death and parents are doing nothing to stop them, claims a police chief. Chief Inspector Ken Dickson, second-in-command of Leigh Police sub-division, wants a clampdown on unofficial motorbike scrambling and fears

  • Beauty treatment pays for charity trek

    IMMACULATE finger nails will be the last thing on charity champion Janet Jones's mind as she treks through the mountains of Peru. But the charity fund-raiser is offering backers the chance of manicures, pedicures, facials and cuts and blow-dries as she

  • Grants give sure start to summer

    WIGAN Council is aiming to improve the lives of children and their families in Shakerley and Tyldesley by offering grants to organise summertime fun. GRANTS are being offered to children and their families in Shakerley and Tyldesley to organise summertime

  • Pope's advantage cut by third

    GREG Pope had his majority cut by almost a third as he retained the Hyndburn seat with his third successive victory. But he warned that all parties have a major job to do to halt the alarming trend which saw voters stay indoors. The turnout was around

  • Closure may cause drink and drugs

    A LEIGH homeless project, which has helped hundreds of vulnerable young people, will shut down next month unless a last-minute benefactor comes to the rescue. The doors will close on Bold Street's LEAP centre on July 19, leaving struggling youngsters

  • Residents want evening buses back

    BUS users in Westleigh are furious after two vital nightly services were taken off the road. Now 300 residents of the Abbey Lane estate have sent transport chiefs a petition demanding the return of the 594 and 595 nightly services to Wigan. Doreen Nolan

  • Shouting success

    BURY'S Young People's Housing Link (BYPHL) is raising the roof in celebration. For it has been re-recognised as an Investors in People (IIP) organisation after originally achieving the award first time around. Since it first won the accolade in recognition

  • The way to Cort success

    LEAVING school at the age of 16 without any qualifications is no barrier to launching a successful career. For Bury businessman Richard Cort, who runs a thriving motor group, is enjoying life in the fast lane. His Manchester Road-based Rover dealership

  • Andrea shows the way for all small companies

    A TOTTINGTON businesswoman whose range of services include preparing job biographies for candidates certainly has a pretty impressive CV of her own. For sheer hard work has enabled Mrs Andrea Kinsella to increase her turnover by a staggering 100 per cent

  • LOCAL CRICKET: Captain's plea to a struggling side

    DAVID Howard has called on his Ribblesdale Wanderers team-mates to rally around professional Shahid Nawaz following his poor start to the season. Over the last three years, the Indian run-machine has been the scourge of bowlers the length and breadth

  • Golborne reach semi

    GOLBORNE completed a 147-run romp at Astley and Tyldesley on Sunday to reach the Cross Cup semi-finals. Chris Benbow's 84 plus Ian Seddon's 66 enabled Golborne to reach a 231-7 total, Astley and Tyldesley's only success coming with the bowling figures

  • Black day for title hopefuls

    ATHERTON CC's Redmayne Bentley Bolton Association title aspirations suffered a setback on Saturday when, in a low scoring match at Blackrod, they were beaten by three wickets. On arriving at the ground it was obvious that the winning of the toss would

  • Moving on, moving up

    THE phrase 'historic day' in a sporting parlance is often used but seldom true of meaning, however at Well Street, the home for over 100 years of Tyldesley Rugby Union Club, it could not be more appropriate. Firstly it was the last-ever game of rugby

  • Last pair halt victory charge

    LEIGH CC's highly-anticipated derby match with Wigan turned out to be a bit of a dour affair with the match ending in a draw. Batting first, it was Andy Batterley who, once again, led from the front. He ignored the loss of Tim McKiernan and Dave Dove

  • Cancer beats Hollies road manager

    A FORMER Bury garage owner, who was at the heart of the 1960s pop explosion, has lost his brave fight against cancer. Derek Whyment, who was the road manager for The Hollies for more than a decade, died on Monday (June 4) in Bury General Hospital. He

  • New "high frequency" bus service

    MISSED the bus? Don't worry as they'll be another along in ten minutes! That's the boast from transport operators First Manchester who are poised to launch their "high frequency" service on certain routes throughout the Bury area. And for many commuters

  • Girl Guides face "999" challenge

    GIRL Guides from Radcliffe were faced with the daunting task of treating a group of workmen seriously injured in a building site accident. They had to answer the call of duty as part of a mock emergency staged by Greater Manchester's ambulance, fire and

  • Swim club mourns death of president

    MEMBERS of Bury and Elton Swimming Club are mourning the death of their president and honorary life member, Mr Jack Dighton. The 81-year-old, who was chief photographer with the Bury Times and Bolton Evening News, died on Sunday (June 3) after suffering

  • My fare baby!

    A SINGLE fare quickly turned into a double for taxi driver Paul Prentice when his passenger gave birth in the front seat of his cab. And 27-year-old Paul had no choice but to become emergency midwife as the distressed mother-to-be was his wife! Paul,

  • Carnival fever takes hold!

    THE first indication that it was not a normal Saturday afternoon (June 2) in Radcliffe was the sight of men and women standing on street corners clutching dozens of brightly coloured balloons. The second was the amount of people walking up Ainsworth Road

  • Matt's the man for Souness

    TOUGH taskmaster Graeme Souness today called on Ewood hot-shot Matt Jansen to fire the goals to guarantee Rovers' Premiership survival. Former England Under 21 star Jansen set the First Division alight last season after finding the net 24 times to finish

  • Will Moyes stay?

    UNCERTAINTY still surrounds the future of Preston boss David Moyes. Officials at the club have rubbished recent media reports linking the Preston manager to the vacant position at Premiership club Southampton. But speculation still persists that Moyes

  • Where service is Reality

    REALITY, the business services group that employs more than 900 people in East Lancashire, has closed its first year of trading with a turnover of £476 million and a profit of £5.1 million. The company was formed out of the restructuring of Great Universal

  • Tooling up for the customer

    BUSINESS people in East Lancashire have the opportunity to obtain a new toolkit -- one that will be invaluable in ensuring they have an effective customer care strategy. It is a well-known business maxim that it costs five times as much to attract a new

  • Pulling strings

    LEIGH Salvation Army has organised a coffee morning between 10am and noon today in the Cook Street citadel to raise funds to buy puppets for children's work.

  • Safety first

    A MOTORING charity is helping make Leigh a safer place for drivers. The next meeting of registered charity, the Wigan and Leigh Advanced Motorists, will be held at Priory Wood in Orrell, Wigan, from 8pm on June 19. Motorists interested in advanced driving

  • The full monty

    MALE strippers will be hot favourites among racegoers tonight when the first ladies' evening of the season is staged at Haydock Park. The stripping Centurions are just part of the entertainment on offer, with half-price entry tickets and Pimms reduced

  • BHUTIA TO STAY WITH BURY

    INDIAN captain Baichung Bhutia has decided to ignore interest from a host of clubs in Singapore and instead stay at Bury and fight for his place. Bhutia rang Shakers chairman Terry Robinson yesterday to announce he will arrive back in Bury on 1 July ready

  • Author shares experiences

    CHRISTIAN writer Anne Simpson will speak at the next meeting of Leigh Aglow. Author of "Can I Really Know the Holy Spirit", Anne will share her testimony, and pass on tips to budding scribes, at Leigh Cricket Club on Thursday, June 14, at 7.30pm. Tickets

  • Stars of the future

    BUDDING television stars in Leigh are being asked to submit their videos, comedy shorts and clips for a new TV series set to be shown later in the year. Clips will be used on Adam & Joe's Takeover TV, a popular E4 and Channel 4 show which prides itself

  • Love thy neighbour

    A CHARITY is scouring Leigh for good Samaritans. The Care for the Family charity is seeking nominations for ten 'Neighbours from Heaven' awards. They will receive their awards from former Blue Peter presenter Diane Louise Jordan during 'Neighbours from

  • Pupils discover the power of ballot box

    ELECTION fever has prompted staff at one Darwen primary school to launch a student council -- with the added promise of new school toilets. Pupils at St Edward's Primary School, in Blackburn Road, took part in the project which involved 33 year five and

  • Lions gala set to go completely quackers!

    ORGANISERS of Darwen Lions Gala have abandoned plans for a sheep dog display because of the foot and mouth crisis. The talented canines have been replaced by Bill Heslop, of Baxenden, who will perform his one man and his dog routine with ducks and geese

  • Hospice fair

    A CRAFT and gift fair in aid of Derian House, the children's hospice, opens at Leigh Library tomorrow to help boost the £980,000 funds needed to keep the doors open each year. The Chorley-based haven cares for more than 350 local families a year with

  • Raiders attack man and steal his car

    FOUR men broke into a photographer's studio and attacked the owner before stealing his sports car last night. Police said the men, three wearing balaclavas broke into Malcolm Birkett's studio at Newhallhey Road, Rawtenstall, at 9.19pm. They attacked the

  • Become a Popstar

    THE soft drink company which sponsored TV hit Popstars is searching for fresh local talent. T&T Beverages will be at Manchester's Trafford Centre from noon on Saturday, June 23, offering wannabe stars aged 10-16 the chance to show off their performing

  • Islamic centre go-ahead

    PLANNERS have given a Rossendale councillor the go-ahead to use part of his restaurant as a educational centre for Islamic teaching. Coun Abu Asad Choudhury is delighted to have received consent for the change of use of part of his restaurant Saffron,

  • Call for Europe to help end crisis

    LORD Smith of Leigh this week joined a north west delegation to seek European support for areas devastated by foot and mouth. Lord Smith, leader of the NW Regional Assembly, welcomed the invitation arranged by Leigh's MEP, Terry Wynn, who accompanied

  • Pupil strips off for charity

    HAVING his legs waxed was a pain Adrian Davies was happy to endure to help underprivileged African youngsters. Tyldesley Fred Longworth High pupil Adrian, 15, is trying to raise £2,800 for a trip to Namibia next year, when he will be in a group of young

  • History leads to star show

    KEALY Leake proved she was hot on the trail of heritage by winning a competition on local history. The competition, which was part of the Atherton festival programme, led contestants around the town to answer question on the its past. The Atherton Traders

  • Charity seeks volunteers

    THE Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) is seeking volunteers to help change the lives of people with sight problems. They want helpers to place and empty Sooty collection boxes in shops, pubs, clubs and garden centres throughout the area. Training

  • Victorious Janet gets notice to quit from opponent

    FILM and Tourism Minister Janet Anderson retained her Rossendale and Darwen seat but her Tory rival issued her with a notice to quit after her majority was slashed by half. Janet Anderson was the first female MP to be elected to serve the area when she

  • Crowds will line up to dance

    ONE of America's latest country music and dance stars is set to mosey into Lowton with the UK's number-one Line dancing tour. Ronnie Beard will be the headline attraction on June 22 as the Superkings Superline Gala Night's fourth big tour rolls into Lowton

  • John wins Hope Carr Ward

    LABOUR'S John O'Brien is the new Hope Carr ward councillor on Wigan Council, following yesterday's by-election. Mr O'Brien polled 2,569 votes, ahead of Peter Hough (Lib Dem) 1,887, James Grundy (Conservative) 1,002 and Keith Fry (Socialist Alliance) 82

  • You should make time for the people

    I wrote to the Journal of May 18 charging the candidates in the election with apathy, and I think the fact that only one candidate bothered to reply just about makes me correct. There are four candidates fighting in Leigh not just one, so I would like

  • There's always a first time

    A LIFE-long dream has come true for one Leigh pensioner who, at 72, is celebrating at having her first book published. Hazel Wellings, of Orchard Close, Leigh, launched her debut poetry book, Shadows, this week at Leigh Library, in what she hopes will

  • Society wages war on town's derelict homes

    A LEIGH-based housing society is playing a key role in the renovation of eyesore homes. The County Palatine Housing Corporation is using Housing Corporation cash to buy and renovate derelict properties across Leigh and Wigan. Together with council chiefs

  • Thanks for coming!

    THE birthday cake was on us. Loyal readers flocked to Railway Road to celebrate the Journal's first birthday. We gave away limited-edition alarm clocks to every Journal reader who bought a copy of their favourite weekly read. Leigh Centurion Liam Bretherton

  • Agency vows to catch illegal anglers

    ANGLERS in the North West are being urged to make sure they hold valid rod licences before going fishing. The Environment Agency announced a blitz on illegal angling following an upsurge in the number of people caught fishing without valid rod licences

  • New bid to stop burglars

    BURGLARS are having a field day locally because of poor home security. Now Greater Manchester Police's Leigh sub division has introduced a revised burglary-reduction strategy and is urging residents to make things more difficult for thieves. It has been

  • Well done on supplement

    PLEASE allow me to congratulate the Citizen on your editions of Senior Citizen, (Citizen, May 17). Yours is the only paper I have seen that will bring some enlightenment to our pensioners. Keep up the good work! We are the lowest paid in the EU, apart

  • Victory for Labour two

    THE Labour party were celebrating in Blackpool as Gordon Marsden and Joan Humble were relected MPs for Blackpool South, and Blackpool North & Fleetwood, respectively. In both areas, just over 50 per cent of the electorate turned out to vote in the

  • Neighbour 'at end of his tether' is fined

    BERNARD Kilroy reached the end of his tether with a neighbour, whom he claimed had tried to sell him drugs and made sexual advances towards his partner, a court was told. Blackburn magistrates heard that Kilroy 'snapped' and attacked Martin Kelly as he

  • Frozen assets for 999 crews

    NEIGHBOURHOOD Watch leaders are preparing for the launch of a new scheme which will make the household fridge the latest tool for the emergency services. The Datalink scheme involves people writing down their important details on a recognised form, placing

  • Icing on Hoyle birthday cake

    LINDSAY Hoyle, who swept into Parliament on the New Labour tide in May 1997, was on the crest of a wave again when he secured another term as MP for Chorley with a majority of 8,444 over Conservative candidate Peter Booth, slightly down on the last election

  • Lancashire County local election results

    LABOUR kept a tight grip on the county council despite low turnouts -- and it is East Lancashire councillors who are set to be in control. In a poll of few votes and even fewer surprises the ruling group maintained a healthy majority despite losing its

  • MOTORSPORT: Hodgson facing tough weekend

    THE A14 autobahn between Berlin and Dresden passes through a small town called Donington, writes NEIL BRAMWELL. And how Neil Hodgson must wish that he were back at his favourite track this weekend. For the World Superbike championship has crossed the

  • Fly our flag with pride

    THERE is a disturbing trend very evident in our country today, a lack of national pride in everything that stands for Britain. Not least, is the denial of our national flag, the emblem of our country. This denial has recently been compounded by the agreement

  • Hello, hello?

    HURRAH. Relief is at hand to silence loudmouth mobile phone users. A gadget the size of a cigarette packet has been invented which can cut off noisy nuisances at the flick of a switch. They've only just started surfacing in Britain, where they have yet

  • Who's party is it really?

    THE lengths today's parents go to to provide their offspring with birthday parties with a difference never ceases to amaze me. They dress up to the nines and head off for organised dos in restaurants or at skating rinks, or have clowns and magicians put

  • It's got his name written all over it

    LAST week, in the light of a revamped pub in Wilmslow being named "The Man in the White Suit", in recognition of the one-term work of sleaze busting MP Martin Bell, I asked what similar tribute could be paid to our long-serving Leigh MP, Lawrence Cunliffe

  • Six of the best by Academy kids

    LEIGH Centurions' young Academy side clocked up their sixth wins from six starts as they hammered York by 62-12 away from home. Leigh touched down for 11 tries with stand-off Alan Kilshaw collecting a hat-trick for the second week in succession. The other

  • Lee stars in Alliance romp

    LEE Sanderson turned in a five-star show with a hat-trick of tries and seven goals as Leigh's Alliance side thrashed third placed Oldham 54-18. Sanderson ripped an experienced Oldham side to shreds as Leigh bounced back from a heavy defeat at Widnes.

  • Will country follow county?

    NEIL Turley has put himself in the reckoning for full international honours after a dream debut for Lancashire in Tuesday's Origin game against Yorkshire. Leigh Centurions' boom full-back played a starring role as a first half substitute as the Red Rose

  • LR show they are on the way back

    THIS season has seen a remarkable turnaround in the fortunes of Atherton LR in the North West Counties League. In December the club lay fifth from bottom of Division Two, having been relegated the previous season, and knocked out of all Cup competitions