Archive

  • EVENTS taking place in East Lancashire on Friday, July 20:

    'Fiddler Duo,' The Dog Inn, Belthorn, 8pm. 'Celebrating Abraham,' Thompson St Church and Community Centre, Blackburn, 7.30pm-9pm. Lunchtime Organ Recital, King George's Hall, Blackburn. Jack Straw MP Advice Surgery, Ivy Street Community Centre, 4pm-5pm

  • Hundred per cent John!

    SCHOOLBOY John McDonald loves learning so much he has not had a day off in the whole of his primary school days. John, 11, a pupil at Shadsworth Junior School in Arran Avenue, Blackburn, leaves for Queen's Park High School tomorrow, having had a 100 per

  • Action Team given Lottery grant

    MEMBERS of Feniscowles Action in the Community Team are celebrating after winning a National Lottery grant. The pay-out, made as part of the National Lottery Awards for All programme, will allow the group to: Work with artists and members of the local

  • Council warning about 'fun in the sun'

    HOLIDAYMAKERS are being warned by Blackburn with Darwen Council's environmental health team that fun in the sun can lead to food poisoning and other bugs. An information leaflet for sunseekers has been launched to coincide with the local holidays. 'Bugs

  • Divorce 'made man turn to drink'

    ALEXANDER Bone McClean turned to drink to drown his depression over an acrimonious divorce. Blackburn magistrates heard that the 35-year-old father of five was found lying on the floor in Fleming Square, Blackburn, and when police approached he was unable

  • Don't mix race and religion

    I FOUND the question by Mrs S Love (Letters, July 13) regarding the identity crisis of young Asian youths quite confusing. "Are they British or are they Muslim?" she asked. How can race and religion be coupled together in this context? For example, we

  • Alley 'danger' overstated

    I FEEL your article on the dangerous alley in Blackburn (LET, July 13) made the situation seem far worse than it is. I use this ginnel every day and have done for many years. True, it is dark, but hardly overgrown. The large tree in your picture is in

  • 'Lion' roars back over food review

    WE wish to complain deeply about the article by Jamie Diffley about our business, The Red Lion (LET, July 14). Who does this Jamie Diffley think he is? -- that he can come into someone's home and insinuate to all your readers that the food is "boil in

  • Traffic policy laughable

    I READ your article "Traffic plans to become reality" (LET, July 12) four times, before I could even begin to understand the reverse logic that our council is now starting to apply to the traffic management problems within Blackburn and Darwen. The problems

  • SUMMER SOCCER: Four star Douglas

    MICHAEL Douglas scored four times as goal hungry Lord Raglan continued their impressive start to this summer tournament. The grandson of Blackburn Rovers legend Bryan Douglas was the tormented-in-chief as the Miners Arms sunk to their first defeat of

  • ICE HOCKEY: Natalie hopes for big break

    A TALENTED ice hockey player is looking for funding to help her realise a dream of becoming a world class star. Natalie Arthur, one of the youngest ever players to represent Great Britain, is hoping to attend an Olympic Training Programme in Canada for

  • LOCAL CRICKET: Eastern suffer Salmon attack!

    THEY'VE called themselves the Sharks and Badgers but it was a Salmon who did the damage against Great Eastern. For Oswaldtwistle Sharks and Badgers kept up their winning run in the Accrington Midweek League thanks to hard-hitting Gary Salmon. The opener

  • Post office raiders snatch £7,000

    POST office raiders grabbed around £7,000 in cash and left a man needing hospital treatment. The 50-year-old postmaster suffered a deep cut to his left ankle after being struck by one of the masked thugs during a raid on Dumers Lane Post Office in Radcliffe

  • 'Mess' of housing rent rise blunder

    A HOUSING company may have to pay back thousands of pounds to new tenants after admitting it got its rent rise procedures wrong. Burnley and Padiham Housing, which took over Burnley Council's entire 5,200-home housing stock early last year, says its procedures

  • Tugay given the all clear

    ROVERS boss Graeme Souness was celebrating today after being given the green light to complete the signing of Turkish midfield ace Tugay Kerimoglu. Ewood officials have been given the all clear to sign the 30-year-old star in a £1.3 million deal from

  • County want Grayson

    STOCKPORT County chief Andy Kilner is preparing to launch a new bid for Ewood exile Simon Grayson. Kilner has been tracking the 31-year-old defender for most of the summer after he impressed during a four month loan spell at Edgeley Park last season.

  • Petrol bomb attack: witness appeal

    POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a petrol bomb and dummy hand grenade attack on the Bay Horse pub at Worsthorne. Three milk bottles containing fuel were thrown through a back window of the village pub and a hand grenade-like object, thought to be

  • Police fear arson after suspect fires

    TWO fires which broke out within 20 minutes of each other just yards apart are being treated as suspicious. Police have been called to investigate after a storage building belonging to Greaves Park Nursery was destroyed following an early morning blaze

  • Clarets' ground has that feel safe factor

    CLARETS bosses have linked with police to bring a feel safe factor to the Turf Moor area. They have launched a campaign to raise awareness of the fact that there are now a dozen CCTV cameras operating in and around the ground, helping to make the area

  • 'Mess' of housing rent rise blunder

    A HOUSING company may have to pay back thousands of pounds to new tenants after admitting it got its rent rise procedures wrong. Burnley and Padiham Housing, which took over Burnley Council's entire 5,200-home housing stock early last year, says its procedures

  • All change! (again)

    THERE'S been more political "realignments" at the city council this week with the Independents expelling the controversy plagued councillor, Carol Broad. Cllr Broad, who hit the headlines after claiming £18 an hour babysitting allowances, will now attend

  • Murder case wife in court

    A WOMAN accused of murdering her husband has made a brief appearance at Preston Crown Court. Mother-of-five Dawn Bracewell, 36, had her case adjourned for plea and directions on September 18. No charge was put to her during the preliminary hearing. At

  • How media handle the big stories

    LOCAL radio man James Wilson gave a talk to a gathering of people from the radio industry. Mr Wilson, of Barnoldswick, was invited by BBC Radio Four to address members of the Radio Academy at the Radio Festival at the G-Mex conference and exhibition centre

  • Hospital top of the baby pops

    AIREDALE Hospital has come out tops in a national survey of quality maternity services. Many mums from the Colne and West Craven areas of Pendle opt to book a berth for their baby's birth at the hospital near Keighley. Now their faith in the standard

  • Ten years ago

    TWO men threatened to kill a garage worker in Huncoat and punched him in the face as they demanded money from the till. The attackers did not understand the employees' instructions on how to how to open the till and fled empty-handed from the Griffin

  • Go-ahead for merge of two school sites

    DEVELOPERS have been given the green light to start work on a project to merge a high school's two sites into one. Senior staff at the Rhyddings High School, Haworth Street, Oswaldtwistle, hope to see the new two-storey block completed by next spring,

  • Gateway spindle

    is unveiled By Lesley Richards A WELCOMING £30,000 artwork, signifying the gateway to Leigh, was unveiled in Bradshawgate on Monday. The specially commissioned 5m high stainless steel cone, the Leigh Spindle 2001, was formally named by Leigh Council Leader

  • Big Geoff loses

    battle Cancer claims former Leigh RL Wembley star By Mike Hulme GEOFF Clarkson, one of Leigh RL Club's Wembley and championship heroes, has died at the age of 57. The popular back-row forward lost his battle with cancer on Wednesday - just a few weeks

  • Traders should stop moaning

    THE punk festival was a great success. It seems to have benefited a wide range of local businesses who I think needed this extra boost. Everyone connected with the organisation of this event deserves a pat on the back. I do not think the market traders

  • Driver blames road for bridge crash

    THE driver of the lorry which ploughed into a bridge blamed constant resurfacing of the road for altering the ground clearance after revealing he had already successfully passed underneath, going in the opposite direction, shortly before the crash. It

  • Travolta boogies on...

    ANY John Travolta fans out there? You'll find a selection of websites but one of the best is ll appreciate his website www.travolta.com The site has some awesome background information on his career right from the never to be forgotten Saturday Night

  • Fun I had as toy boy

    WHEN I was a lad I had a toy which I could wind up really tightly and then set careering around the floor until it fell over, still making lots of noise and sparks. The editorial of two weeks ago reminded me of those happy days, lots of words and clamour

  • Make the holidays a learning curve

    THESE days we seem to be working even longer hours and so it stands to reason that we'll want to spend our precious few weeks holiday doing nothing at all. But this isn't the case, in fact many people would consider two weeks lazing on a beach a scandalous

  • Boardman heads off into the unknown

    RISING racing star Tom Boardman heads into the unknown again this weekend for the next instalment of the 2001 www.theAA.com MSA British Touring Car Championship, rounds 13 and 14 held at Scotland's Knockhill circuit. It will be the teenager's first visit

  • CRICKET: No promotion joy for Lancs

    LANCASHIRE seem certain to be playing Second Division one-day cricket again next season. And the harsh, depressing truth is, that is where they belong. Last night at Old Trafford, they were completely outclassed in all aspects of the game by a Worcestershire

  • Weather reigns supreme

    IT was another case of dodging the showers for Lancaster on Saturday, as it poured at Netherfield. And as if that was not enough, a harsh decision for the result certainly left Lancaster feeling sodden. The home side were put in and made 153/7 from 35

  • Tugay given the all clear

    ROVERS boss Graeme Souness was celebrating today after being given the green light to complete the signing of Turkish midfield ace Tugay Kerimoglu. Ewood officials have been given the all clear to sign the 30-year-old star in a £1.3 million deal from

  • Business Link heads cash aid programme

    GRANTS of up to £15,000 are being offered to help businesses in East Lancashire hit by the financial impact of foot and mouth disease. Business Link East Lancashire is spearheading a recovery campaign for small firms, particularly those in rural areas

  • Burglar still on the run

    A NOTORIOUS Darwen burglar who escaped from prison remained on the run today despite a positive sighting of him by police. Detectives were today continuing their search for Lee Holden, 24, of Vernon Street, Darwen, who has now been missing for 13 days

  • New head makes all the difference

    A SMALL school which has made improvements since a new headteacher was appointed has received a positive report from Ofsted. St Peter's RC School, in Newchurch, has 87 children aged between four and 11. In 1996 it was placed under special measures after

  • 'Come and join us at Radio Rossendale'

    HOSPITAL Radio Rossendale is throwing its doors open and holding an open weekend at the studio on August 11 and 12. Everyone is invited to find out more about the 12-year-old charitable radio by visiting the studio in Rossendale Hospital from 1pm to 5pm

  • Valley hotting up lottery cash bid

    ROSSENDALE is to get its own sports development officer who will fight to get lottery cash to boost facilities in the district's schools. The lack of a sports development officer and up-to-date strategic review of sports facilities have delayed decisions

  • Bike rally is a roaring success

    HEAVY rainfall on Saturday didn't dampen bike show-goers' enthusiasm, but it emphasised why the Fenrir Motorcycle Brotherhood motorbike club calls its annual event the Grim Up North rally. Shiny, thundering custom bikes, rock music and fun was on the

  • Thumbs up

    from tenants for housing COUNCIL tenants have judged Wigan Council's housing service as one of the best in the county. Earlier this year, questionnaires were delivered to almost 27,000 council tenants, asking them how satisfied they were with their accommodation

  • Sweet inspiration

    A VERSATILE addition to your store cupboard this summer has got to be pure maple syrup. It can be used in many different recipes, both sweet and savoury, and can be used instead of sugar in baking. Crispy Maple Spare Ribs 1.4kg (3lb) lean pork spare ribs

  • Hundreds expected at Coun Bancroft funeral

    HUNDREDS of mourners are expected at council leader George Bancroft's funeral on Friday, July 20. Politicians, trade unionists and friends will all be paying their respects to the Blackpool councillor who died last week after a battle against ill health

  • Stay away from motorways

    BLACKPOOL parents are being asked to warn their children to stay away from motorways. Officers from Lancashire Constabulary's Motorway Unit say they are becoming increasingly worried about the number of children playing near the busy roads. In Lancashire

  • Candid cameras!

    IN A crackdown on school holiday crime, Railtrack will have "squads" armed with video and stills cameras throughout the North West. They will be used to identify troublemakers - and their behaviour could be "exposed" when they get back to school. The

  • Leaping lessons!

    WOULD-BE jugglers, acrobats and clowns will be gathering in Blackpool shortly for an intensive training course in circus skills. The course will take place at Bispham High School from Monday to Wednesday next week, July 23-25, and the organisers are looking

  • Don't let money go west

    MP GORDON Prentice is demanding that the cash and assets of the wound-up East Lancashire Training and Enterprise Council (ELTEC) should be spent in the area. He is concerned that the legacy of ELTEC will be swallowed up by the new Lancashire Learning

  • Nightclub owner praises 999 crews

    BUSINESSWOMAN Margo Grimshaw today praised emergency services who dealt with a teenager who was attacked in one of her nightclubs. Shane Brian, who lives in the Whitebirk area of Blackburn, could be scarred for life after he was hit in the face with a

  • Murderers and a piano which plays in the night

    A CHILLING insight into the heroes, villains and cold-blooded murderers of Blackburn will be given on a new ghost tour planned for the town. Those brave enough to withstand the grisly tours will meet at Blackburn train station, before moving on to the

  • Odd jobs help to make ends meet

    THE first farmer in East Lancashire to lose his animals to foot and mouth culls today revealed how the crisis had forced him to give up farming -- and start doing odd jobs for people. Arthur Pooley's Ollerton Farm, off Blackburn Road, Withnell, was first

  • ATHLETICS: What's on

    A NEW race is the Chas Dickinson Memorial Relay next Wednesday, in memory of an athlete who died while out training at the beginning of May, and the event will raise funds for the British Heart Foundation. To be held at Entwistle Reservoir at 7:30pm it

  • LOCAL SOCCER: Schofield lifeline

    CHORLEY boss Ken Wright has offered former Southport skipper Mark Schofield the chance to resurrect his career with the Magpies. Schofield, who led the Sandgrounders to promotion from the UniBond Premier Division in the early Nineties, missed most of

  • Cuts disconcerting

    FURTHER to my letter dated May 17 and in The Citizen June 1, I have a further grievance (if that is the right word) concerning the well-being of my mother and father-in-law who reside in a local authority rest home, and the other residents. In the past

  • Liberal agenda responsible for crime wave

    FOR complacent rubbish, the letter (Citizen, June 28) submitted by Jack Croysdill, Press Officer to Joan Humble, takes the biscuit. He writes of "the foundations for a better country laid over the past four years." Foundations laid? Props knocked away

  • New head makes all the difference

    A SMALL school which has made improvements since a new headteacher was appointed has received a positive report from Ofsted. St Peter's RC School, in Newchurch, has 87 children aged between four and 11. In 1996 it was placed under special measures after

  • Turley set to be prize guy

    RECORD-breaking full-back Neil Turley is in line for two prizes at the end-of-season Northern Ford Premiership awards. The 21-year-old Leigh star, who smashed the club record of 49 tries set by Steve Halliwell in 1996, is nominated for young player of

  • Who is being fooled here?

    REVEALING today that they will not be holding an inquiry into security at the Calderstones Hospital at Whalley, North West health chiefs maintain there are no reasons for concern and no particular problems there that they are aware of. But just how can

  • New craze? No, it's a throwback

    EAST Lancashire is set to go crackers about clackers as the latest 1970s craze bounces back into our toy shops, and our lives. Pauline Hawkins, who had just left primary school when the craze first arrived, went around Blackburn to see how the new millennium

  • Redundancies at refrigeration firm

    AROUND half the workforce at Blackburn refrigeration and air conditioning company Clive Hurley & Co is understood to have been made redundant. A spokesman at the company declined to confirm that 11 workers had been laid off at the company which is

  • Moist owner hoping for dry weather

    CAFE bar bosses in Blackburn are promising to get the town rocking this Saturday -- and keeping their fingers crossed the weather is good. Moist Cafe Bar, in Northgate, will stage a barbecue with lots of offers on food and drink. Rock FM DJ Ian Roberts

  • Blackburn couple's 'Golden' Alaska trip

    RAYMOND and Sheila Jepson celebrated 50 years of happy marriage by meeting up with their best man and his wife while cruising in Alaska. The couple, from East Lancs Road in Blackburn, had not seen Andrew Hannon since he left Blackburn with his wife, Loyola

  • Joint site up for grabs

    BLACKBURN Infirmary is due for closure in 2002 to 2004. Blackburn police station is due for closure in approximately the same period, with a new divisional headquarters being built at another site at an extraordinary cost. Instead of the Infirmary becoming

  • Herd of cattle slaughtered

    A HERD of beef cattle has been slaughtered in the Leigh area's first case of foot-and-mouth in the current epidemic. Following tests on bullocks at Chadwicks Farm at Crankwood, mid-way between Leigh and Abram, 48 beef cattle were culled sparking fears

  • CYCLING: Flying Fraser leads the way

    FRASER Snape is on course to make it three wins on the row in the North Lancs Road Club's time trial competition. Having set a new course record last week, the Simonstone flyer was first home in the 11th of the 16th race series. Snape, a member North

  • ATHLETICS: Mervyn holds the key

    MERVYN Keys won the battle of the East Lancashire clubs after less than a minute separated the first three runners to complete the annual fell race. The Rossendale runner finished ahead of Shaun Livesey of Clayton Harriers and Darwen Dasher Richard Thomas

  • Northern thank the Lord

    BLACKBURN Northern kept up their hopes of finishing as runners-up thanks to fine batting performances from captain Danny Lord and Chris Chambers. Both batsmen batted intelligently to keep the pressure on second-placed Edenfield with two matches to go

  • 'No cause for concern' over 'lost' patients

    REGIONAL health bosses today revealed they are not to hold an inquiry into Calderstones Hospital -- despite seven patients absconding in the past 18 months. The NHS Executive North West -- which monitors the performance of all health trusts in the region

  • RMI spark in opener

    LEIGH RMI gave every indication that they are again going to be a tough nut to crack in the forthcoming Nationwide Conference season with a goalless draw with Oldham Athletic. In the first of nine pre-season friendly outings, RMI kept a near full-strength

  • Spurs still keen on Kelly

    THERE was a new twist to Alan Kelly's on-off move to Tottenham today with Spurs director of football David Pleat insisting a deal is still alive. Talks between the two parties broke down earlier in the week with Kelly claiming the goalposts had moved

  • Time to return pride to resort

    SHOULD the city council's name be changed to reflect the character of the whole district? That's the question currently being raised at the town hall and councillors want to hear what the public think. Should it stay Lancaster City Council or how about

  • Warning of con men on the prowl

    HOUSEHOLDERS in Burnley and Padiham are again being warned against conmen and high pressure sales people. Both police and the local housing company which took over the running of Burnley's council houses the have expressed concerns. Residents are being

  • Assault victim loses fight for life

    A MORECAMBE man has died after a week's struggle against injuries sustained in a violent assault. Andrew Lucas, 40, a resident of the Castelmaine Hotel, Clarendon Road East, was attacked late on Friday, July 6 or in the early hours of Saturday July 7.

  • Women to set up help group

    TWO local women caught up in the retained organs scandal are appealing for others in the same situation to come forward. Rebecca Brier and Tracey Grisedale discovered earlier this year that their children's organs may have been retained by the health

  • Magnificent Seven ride into town hall

    LANCASTER'S seven new cabinet representatives have decided who will take what responsibility under the new regime at the town hall. Led by Cllr Tricia Heath, the cabinet will take most of the key decisions on local government in the future. As reported

  • Parents told to plug generation gap

    MORECAMBE and Lancaster police will write to every parent in the area, asking them to keep an eye on their children this summer. They want parents to take more responsibility for keeping their children on the straight and narrow. They are also keen to

  • Company out to trap young hooligans

    DOZENS of cameras will be used throughout the district to identify troublemakers as the rail industry turns the spotlight on crime during the school summer holiday - and their behaviour could be 'exposed' when they get back to school. Railtrack North

  • Traders gear up for le weekend

    YOU'll be able to pop into Lancaster and buy frogs' legs and snails when an authentic French Market sets up stall in the centre of Lancaster. The market franaise is part stage a major shopping festival planned for the August Bank Holiday aimed at boosting

  • Campaigners get show on the road

    ANTI-BYPASS campaigners are claiming that building either a northern or western bypass would be a waste of £60 million. The environmentalist lobby have been distributing leaflets to counter what they claim is the pro-road bias of the County Council's

  • Load of rubbish on show

    A ROMANIAN asylum seeker who has been living in Nelson for 10 months has seen his art work go on display for the first time. John Sarti, 51, from Transylvania, has produced an unusual collection of around 300 collages made out of rubbish and junk mail

  • Projects aim at improving life

    RESIDENTS in deprived wards of Brierfield and Nelson will be helped to get on the right track to improving their lives through two new educational projects. The projects, which have received £225,000 of funding from Pendle Partnership's SRB6 programme

  • Five years ago

    CAMPAIGNERS against the burning of Cemfuel were calling on County Hall to rule that planning permission must be sought to burn the waste fuel. Protesters said Castle Cement in Clitheroe should not be allowed to burn Cemfuel without planning permission

  • Young carers forge Links

    FIVE young carers from East Lancashire were among more than 1,400 who attended an event in Southampton earlier this month. Along with a worker from the Young Carers Link, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley, the five joined youngsters, aged from ten to 17, for

  • Microsurgery on severed fingers

    A MAN hit by a train on Monday night has had a six-hour emergency operation to save part of his hand. David Whiteley, 39, of New Lane, Oswaldtwistle, was transferred from Blackburn Royal Infirmary to Manchester's Withington Hospital on Tuesday. Doctors

  • Council quits town centre

    PLANS to relocate Hyndburn Council offices to a building away from the town centre have been attacked for taking the council out of the community. But council bosses say moving its Eagle Street offices 500 metres up the road to new premises in Ormerod

  • Clamp down on the do gooders

    I AGREE with John Richards (letters: July 12). It is about time do gooders shut up. Whatever the police do or don't do they are wrong. Clamp down on thugs and vandals, some stupid idiot comes out with 'what a shame, they was not doing any harm they was

  • Desperate, depressed? Try the cyber solution

    TV personality and agony aunt, Denise Robertson, has been launched onto the Internet -- providing advice and her own brand of comfort to a web-friendly generation. The purple, love-heart website, allows you to ask questions to be passed directly to Denise

  • Labour councillors should grow up

    YOUR article about the newly appointed cabinet and Labour's refusal to accept its posts does not do justice to what I consider to be extremely childish behaviour by the Labour group. To say "I'm not going on the cabinet if they're (the Independents) are

  • Don't spoil our village

    RESIDENTS in Halton fear their village could be changed irrevocably if a business consortium which includes a major US corporation gets its way. And they have called for a referendum of all villagers before plans for a housing and business park development

  • Boy shot at Kirkham school

    A 12-year-old boy was shot in the leg by a fellow pupil's air rifle at Carr Hill High School, Kirkham. The boy was taken to hospital by his mother after being injured while playing during the lunchtime break. Police received a call from the school's head

  • Clarets' ground has that feel safe factor

    CLARETS bosses have linked with police to bring a feel safe factor to the Turf Moor area. They have launched a campaign to raise awareness of the fact that there are now a dozen CCTV cameras operating in and around the ground, helping to make the area

  • Clarets lifeline for Alan

    REPUBLIC of Ireland international Alan Moore could be handed a career lifeline by Burnley. The former Middlesbrough winger has linked up with the Clarets and will go to the Isle of Man with Stan Ternent's squad this weekend. The Burnley boss will run

  • LOCAL CRICKET: Nelson to stage Lloyd benefit match

    THE stars will be out for Lancashire cricketer Graham Lloyd's benefit match at Nelson Cricket Club. The match between a Graham Lloyd XI, replete with a string of Lancashire stars, and a Nelson XI, which will feature many of the Lancashire League's top

  • Fears for missing man, 76

    FEARS were growing this week for the safety of an elderly holidaymaker who was last seen leaving his Blackpool hotel a week ago. Thomas Steel, who is aged about 76, was last seen going out of the Galway Hotel on Tyldsley Road at 8pm on July 12. He has

  • Drug rehab centre faces opposition

    PLANNERS look set to allow Lancaster's former women's refuge to become a drug rehabilitation centre, despite protests from some local residents. The refuge on Aldcliffe Road, closed at the end of May and its owners, the New Leaf housing association, want

  • Clarets lifeline for Alan

    REPUBLIC of Ireland international Alan Moore could be handed a career lifeline by Burnley. The former Middlesbrough winger has linked up with the Clarets and will go to the Isle of Man with Stan Ternent's squad this weekend. The Burnley boss will run

  • Monty shoots to the front

    COLIN Montgomerie flew out of the blocks at the Open, storming to a first round 6 under 65, raising hopes that he is on the road to clinching his first major. Huge crowds flocked to the 130th Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes for the first days play today

  • Shakers 'buyer' stays tight-liped

    TURKISH businessman Alex Tarsus - the man heading a consortium on the verge of buying Bury Football Club - was at Radcliffe Boro last night to watch the Shakers first pre-season friendly. He was impressed with Bury's 3-1 win and with the performance of

  • Library doors will go in £10,000 revamp

    VISITORS to Darwen Library have been promised a better service once £10,000 refurbishment works are completed at the centre. The Knott Street-based premises are to close for two days at the end of next month so workmen can replace the historic front doors

  • Brave Jake's Disney dream comes true

    A BRAVE youngster is finally to see his favourite Disney characters face to face after spending the last three years fending off the killer disease leukaemia. Jake Scott, five, is looking forward to the dream holiday to America thanks to the Blackpool-based

  • Quiz is for funding of hospice

    THE People of Bacup are being asked to don their thinking caps and answer questions to raise money for Rossendale Hospice. The Take Your Pick Quiz has been arranged by Bacup Fund-raising Committee for Rossendale Hospice and is available in various shops

  • Council rejects church plans for land

    A CHURCH's bid to get planning permission to develop a piece of land to help pay for roof repairs has been thwarted by councillors. St Saviour's Church, in New Line, Bacup, owns land opposite which currently houses a disused wooden Scout hut. The hut

  • FEMALE CABBIE PUNCHED IN THE FACE

    A WOMAN taxi-driver is recovering from a terrifying ordeal after being dragged from her cab, punched in the face and robbed by two passengers. Sue Simpson, who works for Premier Cabs in Blackpool, was attacked after picking up the men from the Halfway

  • You can't lick carnival fever

    CARNIVAL fun is on its way this weekend (July 21) as preparations for the annual Bispham with Norbreck Children's Gala are finalised. Game-for-a-laugh staff at B & ME Post Office, on Red Bank Road in the village, got into the party spirit early by

  • Down your street...

    WHAT'S happening around the Blackpool area. LYTHAM LYTHAM St Annes Photographic Society's 53rd annual exhibition will take place from August 4-18 at The Drive Methodist Church hall, Clifton Drive South. The exhibition is open Monday to Friday 10am-9pm

  • CRIMESTOPPERS: Man stabbed in hotel raid

    TWO burglars stabbed the owner of a South Shore Hotel during a robbery of the premises. The thieves broke into the Alex Hotel, Blackpool, at 5am on July 7 and went on to break into the bar area where they stole cash and property. A fight broke out when

  • Fever pitch!

    MOVIE stars, golfing pros and fans alike have descended on Lytham St Annes this week as the world famous Open Golf Championship takes off. Everyone is getting into the swing of things and not just going golf crazy as reports of sightings of the stars

  • Casino plans a step nearer

    BLACKPOOL'S planned transformation into a Las Vegas-style casino resort was one step closer to reality this week. A government review proposed radical changes to gambling laws which could end the limit on numbers of casinos allowed. The review on gaming

  • Nightclub owner praises 999 crews

    BUSINESSWOMAN Margo Grimshaw today praised emergency services who dealt with a teenager who was attacked in one of her nightclubs. Shane Brian, who lives in the Whitebirk area of Blackburn, could be scarred for life after he was hit in the face with a

  • Banned driver went on mercy mission

    CONCERNED father Sarfraz Khan drove his sister's car on a mercy mission to visit his critically-ill baby despite a driving ban, a court was told. Blackburn magistrates heard that the child had been born prematurely and had only recently been given the

  • Train drivers to strike in row over 35-hour week

    TRAIN drivers in East Lancashire are to take strike action in a row over hours -- bringing major disruption to travellers and commuters in the region. The drivers' union, Aslef, today announced a series of seven one-day strikes by its members employed

  • Beware 'free' holiday offers

    TRADING Standards has warned people not to respond to flyers which offer a free holiday after a retired man complained he had spent £88.50 in vain. John Wilson, 66, of Hareclough Close, Blackburn, received an offer through the post from Holidays Direct

  • 'No cause for concern' over 'lost' patients

    REGIONAL health bosses today revealed they are not to hold an inquiry into Calderstones Hospital -- despite seven patients absconding in the past 18 months. The NHS Executive North West -- which monitors the performance of all health trusts in the region

  • Police chief highlights crime rise

    LANCASHIRE'S chief constable today admitted to a "worrying" rise in underlying crime levels in the county. Pauline Clare commented as figures were released showing Lancashire crime up by eight per cent year on year -- the highest increase in the country

  • ATHLETICS: Lobo blow

    THE Norwich Union AAA's event at Birmingham over the weekend doubled as the trial for the World Championships, but our only representative from two years ago didn't make it this time. Eight hundred metre runner Jason Lobo, the Blackburn Harrier life member

  • ATHLETICS: Becky's making big steps forward

    REBECCA White won a bronze medal in the ladies triple jump at the Norwich Union AAA's Championships on Saturday. Television viewers had a rare chance to watch the event as Becky, from Haslingden, set a personal best of 12.85 metres, adding one centimetre

  • LOCAL SOCCER: Magpies face test against Marine

    CHORLEY, who are aiming to return to the UniBond League premier division after three seasons in the first division, will meet Premier league side Marine at Victory Park in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, July 28. It will be an intriguing test for Ken

  • ATHLETICS ROUND UP: Powell power

    PAULINE Powell, Blackburn Harriers' England International, was fourth in Sunday's Tesco Women's Great North Run in Manchester. In the televised event, Olympic 5000m silver medallist Sonia O'Sullivan made light of her pregnancy to win the 5.25 miler in

  • LOCAL SOCCER: Gates 'fitting tribute' to Ken

    RAMSBOTTOM United are to erect wrought iron gates at the Riverside as a memorial to former manager Ken Bridge. Bridge was the most successful manager in the club's history, spending almost six years in charge at the Riverside, where he led the side to

  • ATHLETICS: Green's enjoying American dream

    TWO years ago Michael Green ran his first half marathon at Fleetwood and finished a mile and a half clear of the field -- and that after winning 1500m and 5000m races for Blackburn Harriers the previous day. Local fans have not seen much of one of our

  • Excellent flag day

    ST ANNES Amnesty International group would like to express their appreciation of the very generous response to their flag day on Saturday, June 30 which raised the excellent sum of £621. Brid Jos, Amnesty International Press Officer.

  • Answers that are needed on Europe

    CHRIS Davies' assumption that only one per cent of voters want to veto the Euro and come out of Europe shows that he does not understand the mood of the people. Those who didn't vote and many who voted Conservative also agree. A pity we can't put our

  • Bus station warning to town

    AS the town of Basingstoke has been developed by the people wanting to do the same to Preston, I wrote to a colleague of mine at the Gas Pension Unit there, and asked if he would send me a photograph of their new bus station. He replied by phone today

  • Rest homes list was not available

    MAY I add my comments to G. E. Kennedy's excellent letter in The Citizen (July 12). Mr Pullan has said that if anyone wants a full list of rest homes it is available on request, but this has not been my experience. Twice I have asked at the social services

  • The root of trouble in towns

    TO people of my generation, or for that matter any Northerner over the age of 40, Accrington, Burnley, Bradford and Oldham etc. will always be remembered as small townships inhabited by hardworking, warm and friendly people who after a hard day's work

  • Why it's not a fair match!

    THE Justification part of the Tithebarn SPG Report, compares Preston unfavourably with Chester. One could say that Preston and Chester are not comparable towns. Chester's historic buildings and boating on the River Dee, adds something to the shopping

  • Female cabbie punched in the face

    A WOMAN taxi-driver is recovering from a terrifying ordeal after being dragged from her cab, punched in the face and robbed by two passengers. Sue Simpson, who works for Premier Cabs in Blackpool, was attacked after picking up the men from the Halfway

  • Fingerprint blunder ruined my life

    BLUNDERS which linked a Radcliffe man to a burglary through fingerprints found at the scene ended up costing him his job and his family. Now Stephen Wallace is planning to sue Greater Manchester Police after he was wrongly accused of burgling a local