AS work progresses on Blackburn's orbital route, the snarl-ups on town centre roads continue to frustrate motorists and worry traders. No doubt about it, it's a difficult time for everyone at the moment. The council, however, is adamant that the pain
IN eight months time, the world's spotlight will be on Asia, where 32 countries will compete in the World Cup finals. Each year in South Korea countless dogs and cats are barbarically tortured, killed and eaten to provide the ingredients for mythical
I HOPE some of the £15 million awarded by the government to improve East Lancashire's poorest areas (LET, October 5) is going to be spent in Little Harwood in Blackburn. Without doubt, it is a deprived area and one that is always left out. There are houses
THE body of a Bury man, who had lain dead for about four days, was discovered in a chair at his home. Mr James Madden (69), was found by a neighbour at the house in Mellor Drive on Friday (Ocxt 12). Police say there are no suspicious circumstances and
TACKLING drug misuse will be one of the main topics at this week's Bury East Area Board meeting. Residents have been urged to have their say on drawing up a list of priorities in an attempt to curb problems caused by drug abuse. Councillor Trevor Holt
TRADERS across Blackburn are pleading with council bosses to lay on free parking throughout December in a bid to woo shoppers back to the town. Months of roadworks throughout the town centre have led to traders claiming there has been a slump in trade
AN international businessman has died in a road accident while working in Spain. Car enthusiast Mobin Ahmed, from Bury, was killed when the sports convertible he was driving overturned last Monday evening (Oct 8), two days before he was due to return
SCHOOLCHILDREN caught up in the breakdown of their parents' relationship can now turn to a specialist advice service in Bury. A handful of Bury schools are already playing a role in helping youngsters cope with family break-ups. Bury counselling service
THIS is the face of the man police want to interview in connection with the rape of a woman in Padiham. The attack took place around midnight on Saturday October 6. The victim, who is not local, had been seeing friends in the town. After a visiting a
THE opening of the Michelin factory in Burnley in 1960 brought hopes of a brave new world for engineering in the town. Against a background of the collapse of traditional industries like textiles and heavy engineering, the arrival of the French multinational
DEVELOPERS working on the Winewall Inghamite Chapel site have been given a reprieve by councillors who are considering enforcement action against them for breach of planning conditions. Amended plans showing changes to the conditions were approved by
A BURY-based social services day nursery has closed as the local authority ushers in a new era in family support services. For conventional nursery provision is undergoing a major shake-up. This is to provide what Bury Council says is an integrated family
"I'M no quitter" is the battlecry from Bury boss Andy Preece ahead of tonight's LDV Cup match at Hartlepool. Despite watching his team pick up just two points from a possible 33 and slump to the foot of the Second Division, Preece says he has no intention
TRADERS across Blackburn are pleading with council bosses to lay on free parking throughout December in a bid to woo shoppers back to the town. Months of roadworks throughout the town centre have led to traders claiming there has been a slump in trade
FOOTBALL memorabilia relating to Blackburn Rovers, Burnley and Accrington Stanley will be among the items coming under the hammer at the Manchester Football Memorabilia Auction at Maine Road on Thursday. The auction is the largest of its kind to be held
BLACKBURN Hawks cruised to a second league win, defeating English National Ice Hockey League rookies Birmingham on their own rink. The Hawks continued their recent good form to overwhelm the Rockets, emerging comfortable winners by four goals to one.
LEE Sculpher's unbeaten run since taking charge at Clitheroe came to an end last night at Curzon Ashton. But the Blues player-boss believes his side were unlucky not to have picked up at least a point. "It was a game we should never have lost," said Sculpher
TEENAGE keeper Billy Carrington had never even played a first team game for Rossendale United seven days ago. Now the 17-year-old, who aptly for a keeper works at KwikSave in Rawtenstall, is the toast of the club after almost single-handedly earning Dale
A POULTON man died after his car hit a tree in Singleton on Monday evening. A Lancashire Police spokesman named the dead man as Thomas David Talbot, 43, of Beckdean Avenue, Poulton. The collision happened on Mile Road, Singleton just after 8pm on October
MISSING schoolgirl Nicola Fotherby, whose disappearance sparked a massive search, was found safe and well at lunchtime today. The 14-year-old, who disappeared in Ainsworth after talking to her mother on her mobile phone, was discovered outside fast food
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Learning About Christianity -- How Can I Be Sure Of My Faith?' Ernest Street Baptist Chapel, Church, 7pm. Animal Farm, Burnley Mechanics, Manchester Road, Burnley, 7.30pm
RADCLIFFE Boro went joint top with Ossett Town in the Unibond League Division One on Saturday with a 2-1 home win over Chorley and tonight seek another three points at home to third from bottom Stocksbridge PS. Goalkeeper Danny Hurst is a major worry
I WONDER....if our local tower was situated a little further north, and was called, say, Blackburn Tower, would it have been repaired by now? RAY CHENERY, Bury Fold Lane, Darwen.
IN belated reply to Mr Leslie Jones' criticism of the appearance of the fairer sex of Blackburn (Letters, September 5), I would say that, when the occasion demands it, their dress is second to none. I would also point out that however attractive window
IN citing congestion, pollution and unhealthy lifestyle for the fast food-munching back-seat kids on the school run Eric Leaver (LET, September 26) could have gone further and mentioned that the doting parents may well be killing their children with love
HOME Secretary David Blunkett announced at the Labour Party conference that he would introduce a bill against the incitement of religious hatred. Like most people, I thought this was not a good idea. This type of legislation has been tried before and
REGARDING your reports (LET, October 1 and 2) about the hold-ups being experienced by motorists at Lower Audley, Blackburn, and the trading difficulties of businesses in the area, the Chamber of Trade acknowledges the need Blackburn has for traffic circulation
A TEENAGE thief claimed to be an old family friend before stealing cash from a 79-year-old Whitefield pensioner. The youngster called at the elderly woman's house in Derwent Avenue at 4.30pm on Friday (Oct 12), grabbed £21 from a display cabinet and ran
TWO thieves dragged a man from his car before stealing a quantity of cash from the vehicle. The incident happened when the driver was waiting at the lights at Bury New Road, Whitefield, at its junction with Radcliffe New Road. Police say that two men
A RUGBY union star will make a forward pass through Bury this weekend as part of a mammoth charity walk. Sporting celebrity Jeremy Guscott will stride through Prestwich along Bury New Road on Saturday, (Oct 20), as part of his Tetley's Trek across the
WALKERS, cyclists and horse riders will soon enjoy a bigger and better Kirklees Trail. Work is about to start to extend the trail, which runs along the former Holcombe Brook branch railway, by one kilometre in Tottington. The trail runs from the Bull's
MICHELIN has announced the closure of its Burnley factory with the loss of over 400 jobs. The closure plan foresses production stopping at the end of March 2002 and will see a total of 452 job losses. Employees will be offered redundancy terms well above
A FRESH appeal to solve a 27-year-old Bury murder has failed to uncover new evidence. Tom Hewitt was struck across the head with an iron bar while working in his garage at Bright Street, Bury on 7 September 1974. He later died in hospital from severe
LEIGH RMI hope that they can put their indifferent home form behind them tonight and cash in on a money-spinning LDV Trophy run. In the only all-Nationwide Conference tie drawn, RMI meet struggling Scarborough at Hilton Park (7.45) with the winners likely
ATHERTON LR look to build on Saturday's stunning 2-1 away win at NWCL Division One table-toppers Mossley with a home game against bottom four side Congleton Town Meanwhile, Radcliffe Boro went joint top with Ossett Town in the Unibond League Division
GRAEME Souness's first team squad weren't the only ones banging in the goals for Rovers this weekend. Ian Miller's magnificent Under 19s thumped Wrexham 11-1 on Saturday to cap a goal-den couple of days for everyone connected with Blackburn Rovers. And
ROVERS winger Damien Johnson plans to let his boots do the talking as he sets his sights on winning a new deal with the Ewood club. The Northern Ireland international's current contract expires next summer and Rovers boss Graeme Souness has yet to open
CAN we make sure the opposition have to wear Claret and Blue at every home game please? After all that's 12 goals in the last 180 minutes against teams in that colour-coded situation. Sunday's goal fest was especially satisfying for your correspondent
A FORENSIC expert told a murder jury that footprints found at the scene were probably made by trainers believed to belong to defendant Gavin Cox. Burnley pensioner Brian Platt, known as 'Joe,' sustained 43 head and neck injuries in what was described
A WAGON driver was today being questioned about the death of a schoolboy who died after being knocked down on a pelican crossing. Gary Lee Ormerod, seven, suffered multiple head and body injuries as he crossed the A56 Burnley Road near the junction with
A VERY youthful Clarets side lost 4-2 at Preston North End in the Youth Alliance Cup. Manager Terry Pashley opted to leave his more experienced young players on the bench after they performed well for the reserves last Wednesday and he admitted: "We were
THIS wasn't supposed to happen. One point from 12, a goal drought and two of the teams most influential players sidelined through injury. Of all the Clarets current problems, the lack of width is perhaps the most pressing. It is beyond coincidence that
ANGRY Clarets chairman Barry Kilby believes the Football Association has ignored the needs of most of the clubs in the country by staging England's friendly with Sweden at 3pm on Saturday November 10. And he has written to the Football League asking them
"WE don't seem able to close a game out," lamented Colls secretary Emile Anderson after seeing Woodley equalise five minutes into injury time. Colls scored on 65 minutes when Steve Denny and Stuart Shepherd combined to put Ian Gibson through to finish
ROVERS winger Damien Johnson plans to let his boots do the talking as he sets his sights on winning a new deal with the Ewood club. The Northern Ireland international's current contract expires next summer and Rovers boss Graeme Souness has yet to open
ANGRY Clarets chairman Barry Kilby believes the Football Association has ignored the needs of most of the clubs in the country by staging England's friendly with Sweden at 3pm on Saturday November 10. And he has written to the Football League asking them
MARK Rankine is hoping Preston just have that little bit of luck tonight when they make the trip to struggling Sheffield Wednesday. A run of four games without a loss came to an end on Saturday when Crewe scored in the last minute through a controversial
IT COMES as no surprise - salesmen and women who clog the middle lanes of Britain's motorways are the country's most hated drivers. Mondeo and Vectra-driving reps - typified by comedian Steve Coogan's spoof character Gareth Cheeseman - are the least popular
A 41-YEAR-OLD woman and a 31-year-old man have appeared in court charged in connection with the abduction of four young girls, including 13-year-old Melissa Strickson who died after taking a suspected drug overdose at their Darwen flat. Sally Corkhill
LIVERPOOL'S main postal sorting office was evacuated today in a terrifying new anthrax scare. A chemical incident unit raced to the building after white powder was spotted leaking from a package. The area has been sealed off and mail deliveries to Liverpool
MORE than 1,000 pirated CDs were confiscated when a house in Barrow Ford near Preston was raided by police and trading standards officers. The raid, last week, followed a joint investigation with the Mechanical-Copyright Protection Society (MCPS) Anti-Piracy
GO for gold -- that was the message to East Lancashire businesses as 2002 Commonwealth Games organisers launched their pioneering Legacy project in Manchester. And it was revealed that local aerospace companies are already benefitting from the Games bonanza
A PENSIONER drove his car at a traffic warden after threatening to run her over when she gave him a parking ticket, a jury has been told. Glyn Shaw, 65, swore at Rosalind McInulty, and told her all traffic wardens were "bent", the court heard. The court
MARK Rankine is hoping Preston just have that little bit of luck tonight when they make the trip to struggling Sheffield Wednesday. A run of four games without a loss came to an end on Saturday when Crewe scored in the last minute through a controversial
