IT'S gloves off for round three in the Boro-Farsley saga of everyday footballing folk at Stainton Park on Saturday. The West Yorkshire side sent Radcliffe Borough tumbling to a 3-1 defeat in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup at Throstle Nest earlier
Prescot Cables...1 Ramsbottom Utd...2 MIKE KELLY'S Ramsbottom marauders made it three league victories in a row with an excellent win at title-chasing Prescot Cables. The Merseysiders gave the Rams' defence a scare in the opening minute when Gary Jensen
Unibond League Division One: Ossett Town 2 Radcliffe Borough 2 A POINT taken from your nearest league rivals would normally be most welcome but the mood in the Borough camp following Saturday's draw was decidedly down-beat. Two goals conceded in the closing
North West Counties League Division Two: Stand Athletic...3 Darwen...0 AS local derby's go this was indeed a battle and it seems entertainment is always guaranteed these days at Ewood Bridge, for if the football does not captivate there is still plenty
Bury 2 Bristol City 2 TO concede one late goal once is misfortune, to lose another is carelessness. Or, at least, that's what Oscar Wilde might have written had he been reporting on Tuesday night's clash against Bristol City. After the last-gasp equaliser
MARK Patterson, the former Wanderers and Bury midfield player, is backing the PFA in their current dispute over TV cash. Patterson, who this week shelved his retirement plans to take up a player-coaching role with Conference strugglers Scarborough, is
1852: Britain's first pillar boxes were erected in St Helier, Jersey. 1879: The pencil sharpener was patented by J. L. Love. 1921: American President, Warren Harding, banned doctors from prescribing beer, eliminating a loophole in the prohibition laws
HERO OF THE DAY: A 15-year-old boy was praised by a Bury court for his bravery in chasing the attacker of a terrified girl. Warren McGarry of Hardmans Road, Whitefield ran to the girl's aid after hearing her screaming and pursued the knife-wielding thug
YOUNGSTERS are invited to go to the Central Library in Blackburn town centre on Saturdays in the run-up to Christmas and use computers and other equipment to 'Create a Celebration Card' for Christmas and Eid. On Saturdays December 1, 8 and 15, the Family
DOMESTIC burglary has fallen dramatically in the first two weeks of a county-wide crackdown. Results from the first fortnight of Operation Reassure show a 25 per cent decrease in the number of homes targeted by thieves. Since the launch of the campaign
BOOKWORMS can help raise cash for Queen's Park hospital with the second volume of an historic new book. The result of a meeting between auxiliary nurse Dino Christodoulou and a millionaire patient at Queen's Park, '1963 Blackburn: A Proud Town' is a two-volume
STAFF at the Lancashire Evening Telegraph have helped to swell the funds for the John Mark Riding Fund, after raising more than £200 through a raffle. The fund, launched in a bid to raise enough money to send four-year-old John Mark to America for life
PRIVATE hire drivers in Blackburn could be forced to start carrying guide dogs as council bosses try to get tough on discrimination. Amendments to the conditions of licence are being drawn up by Blackburn with Darwen Council which will mean private hire
Going home, I walk up Penny Street in Blackburn, past Market Way and Thwaites brewery. I don't know about the regeneration of Blackburn, but they could do with a generator in this area. The lighting is abysmal. KEITH HARTLEY, St Michael's Court, Blackburn
EVERY day there are reports of a crisis somewhere in the NHS -- more patients needing treating with fewer beds available, increased waiting times and not enough doctors and nurses. Now Health Secretary Alan Milburn proposes that senior nurses be given
OUR society becomes increasingly bizarre. You published a thumbnail picture of Ryan Giggs, a role model for children on the eve of a major European fixture (LET, November 20) and in the same issue a far larger shot of Peter Howieson duly celebrating being
A DANCING duo are keeping their contemporaries on their toes after winning a regional dance competition. Eleven-year-olds Leanne Storey, of Kensington Close, Greenmount and Hanna Armitage, who lives in Prestwich, are both students at Riches dance studio
WITH news readers being told not to wear poppies and a vicar banning the Union Jack from his church, I wonder what kind of spineless society we are living in. Our grandparents risked their lives to make sure that the people of Britain had their free will
A POST Office was at the centre of an anthrax scare yesterday (Thurs Nov 22) when white powder seeped out of a letter sent from Pakistan. Staff at the Kingswood Road post office, Prestwich, followed procedure and put the envelope in a secure plastic container
TRAVELCARE staff in Bury are launching an appeal for Christmas gifts or toys to fill Santa's suitcase. The branch in the Mill Gate centre is hoping to distribute toys and gifts donated to the When You Wish Upon a Star charity for children with life-threatening
PLANS to breathe new life into Blackburn's historic pavilion buildings have hit a major stumbling block after the cost of the scheme doubled. Now the opening date for the high-class restaurant lined-up to occupy the famous buildings has been pushed back
TWO environmental projects are making others "green" with envy after scooping awards in the Greening Greater Manchester Awards event. The Bury Local Nature Reserve project was presented with a highly commended award for its work in establishing two designated
BURNLEY'S MP Peter Pike said that a victory for the BNP in last night's by-elections would have been a "disaster" for the town -- but the party today refused to go away. The British National Party were booted out of the elections, but did manage to secure
A NEW BBC1 television drama has taken its inspiration from a Radcliffe hairdressing salon. Cutting It, which can be seen next year, stars Amanda Holden and Holby City star Angela Griffin. It has been written by Debbie Horsfield, who is also responsible
THE countdown to Christmas begins in Radcliffe on December 1. Carol singing, Harry Potter competitions, Father Christmas, singing and dancing will infuse the town centre with a festive atmosphere, culminating with the Christmas tree lights switch on.
OLDHAM Athletic's mascot has finally met his match and she's a diehard Bury fan! But soccer differences between Zoe Skews and Kevin Williams will be forgotten when they walk down the aisle for their wedding next month. Kevin (28), known to the Latics
COMEDIAN Alexei Sayle was well and truly turned on when he visited Bury's Met arts centre. The TV star officially switched on The Met's new neon sign before his performance at the Market Street venue on Saturday (Nov 17). Hed is pictured (right), along
A CHILDREN'S park in Radcliffe resembled a bottle recycling centre after suffering the after-effects of teenage boozers! This was the sight that greeted residents living next to Bolton Road Park after a weekend that saw gangs of drunken teenagers running
BURY health bosses are to get more than £90,000 to fund new ways of looking after patients who need urgent care in A & E departments. The NHS Executive North West has announced that Bury Health Care NHS Trust will receive £17,942 as its allocation
CHELSEA defender Celestine Babayaro has admitted the Blues finishing has been letting them down this season as the Blues look for a home improvement against Blackburn tomorrow. Chelsea have the joint second-best defensive record in the Premiership, having
I DON'T know about you, but I plan to make the most of our game at Chelsea tomorrow because it could be our last taste of football for a while. This time next week, we could be facing strike action after the PFA served notice of industrial action on Tuesday
DOZENS of charity champs across Preston and South Ribble enjoyed a string of fun activities to raise buckets of cash for Children in Need on Friday, November 16. Staff at the Skipton Building Society, Fishergate, donned schoolgirl outfits and organised
A PRESTON soldier, who worked 18-hour days at the height of the foot and mouth crisis, has been rewarded by the army. According to army chiefs, it took three men to replace Staff Sergeant John Campbell when he left Longtown, Cumbria, where he had been
ACCIDENT blackspots in Preston and South Ribble are to get 26 new speed cameras to help reduce casualties. The announcement came yesterday (Wednesday) at the launch of the Lancashire Road Safety Partnership (LRSP) -- a multi-agency group of police, councils
GIRLS -- whip off your tights in the name of art! That's the call from a drama club who are desperate to get their hands on 600 pairs of women's tights, stockings or hold-ups. Organisers of Preston Drama Club's forthcoming pantomime -- Hansel and Gretal
A BURNLEY pub landlord today said he was making every effort to make his customers feel safe after two stolen cars were abandoned and burned on waste land close to his premises. John Duff says that since taking over the Black Bull, in Marsden Road, he
THE brother of a Burnley man captured fighting for the Taliban in Afghanistan has been convicted of possessing a handgun. Hussain Khan, 23, of Kent Street Burnley was convicted by jury at Burnley Crown Court after a four-day trial. He was remanded in
LOCAL environmentalists fear that changes in the law could result in prison sentences for people discussing details about the nuclear industry. The Government's proposed Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act being debated this week will make it illegal
A THIEF burgled a Morecambe home as the family dozed in front of the television waiting for a boxing match on satellite TV. The thief, who had been released from prison just seven days before, was confronted by the householders but managed to make off
A TEENAGE girl was stabbed in the back by four other children on a busy Torrisholme street. The 14-year-old was attacked by the group in a play area off Michaelson Avenue on Tuesday evening. Initially, the group of four girls approached the victim and
A GROUP of youngsters from Walverden Primary School in Nelson got stuck in to a bit of gardening yesterday when they helped Pendle's park rangers plant 2,000 daffodill bulbs. They spent an hour in Walverden Park planting the bulbs along the main drive
PENDLESIDE Hospice, Reedley, is making final preparations for a new Christmas celebration. Sponsored Carols by Candlelight will take place on Saturday, December 1, at the Central Gospel Mission Church, Goitside, Nelson. Church worship group Beracah will
COUNCILLORS in Pendle will be asked to approve two donations totalling £1,000 from the subscriptions and donations budget. Applications for cash were made by Brierfield YASS (Young Asylum Seekers) and the Pendle YELP group. The young asylum seekers support
PRESTON'S Stephen Rowlings has graduated to the ranks of the professionals of world snooker after winning through the amateur stages of the World Championship at Hazelgrove Snooker Club in Stockport. His qualification made up for the disappointment of
Hoppers were never behind in this game until the sixth minute of injury time but just could not hang on to take the points -Sedgley Park 17 Preston Grasshoppers 12. An error strewn first quarter produced no points but by the 26th minute Hoppers had drawn
Preston were made to toil for their win against a well-drilled Plas Coch outfit. But they were up to the task and in an emotional moment Nick Sutcliffe, injured for the past six months, rose from the substitutes bench to claim the winner shortly after
CHORLEY are hoping to add a new face to their squad ahead of tomorrow's home tie against Spennymoor in the UniBond First Division. Ken Wright is on the hunt for a striker as the Magpies look for their first league win in nine encounters. They have lost
COLNE boss John Lister is hoping that his young side will have learned something from last weekend's disappointing draw against Bootle as they travel to Ashton tomorrow. "We have a lot of young players on a learning curve and that probably resulted in
CLITHEROE have missed the chance to pick up two new strikers - but boss Lee Sculpher isn't too worried. They had hoped to attract Ian Vickers from Blackpool Mechanics and Matt Swailes, currently at Darwen, to the NWCL Division One high flyers. But the
A LANDLORD has spoken of her shock at returning from a night out to find her pub had been ransacked and thousands of pounds stolen. Hazel Jones saw a side door had been forced off and heard the alarm going as her taxi pulled up to the Acre Gate Hotel,
THE explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE was the guest speaker at an annual awards ceremony last night. The Groundwork Business Environment Association in East Lancashire dinner and awards was held at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel, in Clayton-le-Moors. Rossendale
A PIZZA deliverer was threatened with a knife and robbed of cash and jewellery. Shortly before midnight on Monday two masked robbers approached the man as he tried to deliver a order to an address on Fir Tree Walk at Lowton. He was walking from the house
HERITAGE meetings will help decide what should be preserved for future generations. The Coalfields Heritage project met on Monday at Leigh Miners' Welfare Institute to discover what people from the former coal mining community consider to be their heritage
BAN THE BOMBS! ROCKETING complaints about extended firework festivities have prompted councillors to call for new curbs. Wigan councillors are spearheading a campaign to persuade the government to tackle the problems of noisy fireworks and longer celebrations
A PSYCHIATRIC nurse hanged himself from a hospital bed just weeks after attempting to throw himself from the roof of Leigh Infirmary. An inquest in Leigh was told that 48-year-old John David Gowan, a general nurse with specialist psychiatric qualifications
LEGENDARY comic Ken Dodd will be made an Honorary Leyther on Monday when he switches on the town's Christmas lights. At 6pm on Monday Leigh's favourite Christmas visitor sets the festive ball rolling for the fourth successive year and this time Doddy
SCHOOLGIRL Charlene Dyson was found by her mother, slumped naked on the toilet, a used syringe next to her blackened feet. The bubbly Tyldesley teenager had taken a heroin overdose and choked on her own vomit. It was a tragic end to the 16-year-old's
JOHN Bagguley (Citizen letters) wants to know what I do for a living. I currently work for two days a week on a home office research contract to improve the police's ability to catch murderers. I don't consider that I sponge off anybody. I work part time
WHAT a sad and empty life your regular correspondent Michael Jackson must lead. If he isn't whining about some perceived road planning infringement or criticising an architect for their choice of grey used on a building he can be found in town harassing
HOW sad it was to read in your article (Citizen, Nov 8) "beneath the surface Lancaster is very much a pagan city." It maybe true but there are many Christians in Lancaster and the surrounding district bringing the gospels to everyone. See Market Square
A TAXI driver was punched in the face after pulling up outside a house in Mitton View, Clitheroe, to collect a fare. Blackburn magistrates heard the driver set off with blood streaming into his eyes and had to stop to call the police on his mobile phone
EAST Lancashire MP Nigel Evans is to keep up the pressure for a full scale public inquiry into the foot and mouth epidemic which has devastated the area. He made the pledge after Farming Minister Alun Michael refused his call for an independent probe
I AM curious. A couple of weeks ago a colleague of mine in the Labour party, Mr Ray Hill, had a devastating letter published in your newspaper. Devastating for the Green party, that is. A deafening silence has been their reply. Mr Hill stated a number
I AM prompted to write by the letter published in last week's Citizen, written by the leader of the Morecambe Bay Independents, Cllr Tricia Heath. Like Cllr Heath, I also believe that 'the truth will always find a way out' and I also agree with her assessment
MORECAMBE'S Stewart Drummond and Robbie Talbot joined forces with Lancaster's Andy Whittaker and Farrell Kilbane in the FA XI's 4-3 defeat at the hands of the Unibond league. The Giant Axe pair were picked after being snubbed by the Unibond League side
MORECAMBE has lost the money-spinning Punk Festival to arch rivals Blackpool. Local retailers and hoteliers are angry that the council failed to keep the high profile event, which generated an estimated £1.3 million, in the resort. But the council has
THE temperature is certainly rising when it comes to securing prime new office accommodation in Bury. And one of the town's newest and most distinctive developments has now been let to Bury Council. Inwood House, a detached office building at the junction
A THRIVING Bury company has bucked the trend in the volatile telecoms sector by announcing increased profits. And the achievement by Salford Street-based Pennine Telecom comes against a backdrop of the industry being hard hit by severe competition and
BURY business leaders are backing calls for measures to sustain survival and to build recovery in the country's small firms sector. Bolton and Bury Chamber are supporting the British Chambers of Commerce which wants these issues to be at the heart of
POTENTIAL Clarets target Olav Rastad is likely to be for sale if the first division leaders were to pursue their interest. Sources in Norway confirmed today that the captain of Norway's Under-21 team had turned down the chance to come to Turf Moor on
A COUPLE of former international keepers will be in opposition tonight and both have been in good form this season. Former Tranmere keeper Danny Coyne won his only cap for Wales against Switzerland five years ago but his impressive displays this season
LENNIE Lawrence was the first division's first manager of the month this season but Grimsby Town have struggled ever since he collected the August award. "The way we started the season aspirations became greater than just survival," Lawrence admitted.
A FORMER Greenmount Primary School teacher whose memory of her wedding day was wiped following a horrific car crash has relived her big day. Mrs Rachel Austen (29) suffered horrific injuries in a motorway crash when returning home from work in March of
A LATE bid to stop the controversial sale of land near a Tottington play area has failed. Tory councillors have now accused Labour of riding roughshod over democracy and making decisions in "smoke-filled rooms". They are annoyed over the proposed sale
A MOTHER told this week how she hung out of her flat window cradling her 16-week-old baby as fire engulfed the shop below. Martina Collins (23), her baby daughter Millie and boyfriend Ben White (25) were trapped in the apartment directly above the blazing
STAND manager Nick Davis accepts that striker Mickey Bartholomew might move on after Bacup Borough placed a seven-day notice on the former Colne Dynamoes striker. "Obviously I would be sad to lose him, but we have Lee Wilkinson and Chris Denham up front
Lancashire FA Marsden Trophy first round: Clitheroe 2 Radcliffe Borough 0 TWO goals from home hitman Neil Spencer ended Radcliffe's interest in landing the trophy sponsored by the Marsden Building Society -- but do they care? It's clear Kevin Glendon's
IPSWICH boss George Burley was hoping to wrap up the signing of Marcus Bent today after a deal for the Ewood hot-shot moved a step closer last night. As we exclusively revealed yesterday, Rovers have accepted an offer from the Blues for the 23-year-old
NORTH End defender Ryan Kidd has urged fans to back the proposed players' strike, telling them to take a look at his plight. Kidd, forced to retire last week just five days after collecting an injury to his neck which meant he could be paralysed for life
ACCRINGTON mods The Itch have announced their final two live dates of the year. It's been a busy 12 months for the band, who, after parting company with lead singer Pat Gallagher have re-invented themselves as a three piece. Once bassist Mark Griffiths
DARWEN quartet Spiral Minds are set to make their TV debut early next next year. Following the success of last month's appearances on Lancaster radio station Bay FM, they're busy rehearsing to take their unique blend of acoustic rock to the Capital in
WHEN you've played the country's top venues, entertaining crowds numbering tens of thousands, a one-night stand at Blackburn's King George's Hall wouldn't seem to be your top date of the year. But for Lorraine McIntosh, the highlight of their current
NELSON businessman Roger Whalley was delighted when he was handed the keys to an £8,936 Volkswagen Caddy van after winning a 'spot the van' competition. Mr Whalley, of Roger Whalley Limited plumbing and heating engineers, in Nelson, entered an Ariston
BURY FC's Robbie the Bobby has threatened to hang up his boots if the Football Association goes ahead with plans to introduce a code of conduct for mascots. The controversial Gigg Lane cheerleader, real name Jonathan Pollard, said he will not enjoy dancing
POLICE are appealing for information after £3,000 of jewellery was stolen from a house. Inspector Graham Ashcroft, of Darwen Police, said a raider removed a pane of glass to enter the house in Sandringham Road, on Wednesday. The raider made off with a
BLOOD proved to be thicker than water for Christine Hurst who was torn between her sons and her lover, a court was told. But magistrates heard that the decision to stand by her children ended with her assaulting her former partner. She went back to the
THE New York atrocities were blamed for having an adverse effect on the usage of Ski Rossendale. Rossendale's sport and leisure manager Ed Travaskis told members of the leisure and recreation committee: "There are several travel companies that are on
A HOUSEBREAKER and ram raider who now wanted to be a 'good dad' has been jailed for four years. Illiterate James Francis 0'Neill, 33, who had been hooked on heroin for 18 years, was responsible for a 'catalogue' of burglaries at houses, schools, nursing
ANY Penwortham resident can't help but notice the profusion of dining places throughout the district. One can choose from many cuisines -- Indian, Italian, Chinese and so on. And there should not be one untidy hair-do in the entire village, the way we
I LIVE in Bamber Bridge and like to go for a walk to get my circulation going. For some years I have walked along Station Road, cut down Brownedge Road, Todd Lane South, on to Lostock Lane and then back on to Station Road. However, in the past year or
I'M afraid Debbie Woodhouse and residents of Langden Crescent, Bamber Bridge, may be in for a noisier surprise than they bargained for with the re-surfacing plans on the motorway near their homes (Citizen, November 8). We've had the same argument with
A MAN who threw a bottle through a friend's window was said to be 'cracking up' when he appeared before Blackburn magistrates. Rama Ali Mohammed, 33, of Pringle Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to criminal damage and was given a conditional discharge
TWO men have appeared before Blackburn magistrates charged in connection with a massive £400,000 contraband cigarettes and tobacco operation. Colin Yates, 41, of Elgar Close, Blackburn, and Francis O'Brien, 45, of Broughton Close, Blackburn, who together
A CALL has gone out across East Lancashire to help millions of starving refugees of war-ravaged Afghanistan. The Lancashire Council of Mosques has launched its own emergency appea l as the bitter Afghan winter -- when temperatures can drop to minus 25C
A YOUTH told a court he was 'glassed' for nothing after he and a friend went to talk to a man who had been chatting up their mate's girlfriend. Mark Peacock, 20, said he was bleeding heavily from the head and told how his night on the town with friends
POLICE are investigating possible links between a suspected anthrax package sent to an Accrington bank and a similar incident involving The Sun's agony aunt Dear Deidre. Officers from Lancashire are liaising with police in Bedfordshire following an anthrax
SACKED Bamber Bridge boss Tony Greenwood has blasted chairman David Spencer for questioning his commitment to the club. "How dare he," fumed the former Accrington Stanley manager who was shown the door on Wednesday. "I've had 21 years on an off at this
IT has taken a few years but Ramsbottom have finally got their man when they snapped up goalkeeper Allan Fairbrother. Former boss Ken Bridge had once tried to tempt the six foot five goalie to the Riverside a few years ago but travel put Fairbrother off
Fixtures for November 26 -- Premier Division: Bishop Auckland v Hyde Utd; Blyth Spartans v Burscough; Burton Albion v Gateshead; Colwyn Bay v Bamber Bridge; Droylsden v Accrington Stanley; Emley v lancaster City; Frickley Ath v Altrincham; Gainsborough
Fixtures for November 26 -- Division One: Atherton LR v Skelmersdale Utd; Congleton Town v Clitheroe; Flixton v Curzon Ashton; Glossop NE v Warrington Town; Great Harwood Town v Nantwich Town; Maine Road v Atherton Colls; Mossley v Prescot Cables; Newcastle
ROSSENDALE have reported Scarborough to the FA for making an 'illegal approach' to midfielder Mark Patterson writes Dany Robson. The former Rovers and Bolton star has joined the Conference club as player-coach this week and, while Dale don't want to hold
THE memo, which was circulated around all officers in the Lancashire Constabulary, set out a list of things to consider when planning the annual Christmas party to ensure nobody was offended or left out. Included in the checklist -- sent from the force's
I THINK that, due to the many problems caused in the run-up to Bonfire Night, the public should be banned completely from purchasing fireworks. B. SUMNALL
WITH the deepest sympathy for those US citizens who suffered on September 11, I hope for a speedy resolution of the war. However, I have to agree with P. Kaiserman (Your Letters, Nov 2) about the thrust of American multi-national business. One GM president
NEARLY two months ago, on September 27, I wrote to the First Manchester Bus Company to suggest ways of improving the services on the 98 and 509 routes via Ainsworth Road. The letter was acknowledged but there was no response to the particular points made
I SUPPOSE I should not be surprised that my colleague in the European Parliament, Chris Davies MEP, is taking the controversial view that, after just one month, we should abandon our military campaign against Osama bin Laden, his terrorist network and
IT'S coming to something when a man gets sacked for having a fag at home. Mark Hodges was fired when his boss discovered he was a smoker. He said his company didn't employ them, as they made him physically sick. Fair enough, but if he can't smell it on
I HAVEN'T seen any bommies on my travels this year. Time was when there were wooden teepees on nearly every street corner. It seems that the safety message that organised bonfires are best has got through, but they really must be cheaper than doling out
Leigh Centurions 14 Oldham 22 THE jury remains out after the Centurions' solitary pre-season trial. Justifiably Leigh say that the scoreboard is irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. The serious stuff only starts in just over a week and by then coach
GANGS of up to 60 youths are causing mayhem on a Bury estate in the latest spate of teenage disorder. Residents in the Woodhill Road area of Brandlesholme complain that young people are making their life hell. One young mother even says she was threatened
LEIGH RMI'S survival has been guaranteed - for the time being. After recently announcing a round of swingeing pay cuts - up to two-thirds in some cases - the cost-saving measure has been put on hold. To ensure continued payments of wages at their current
East Lancashire's major town-centre regeneration project received a severe setback today, when it was revealed that the restoration project at the heart of the venture had suffered a big cash blow. For the plan by Blackburn Cathedral to breathe new life
All That Jazz - FRED SHAWCROSS brings you all the best from the local scene EAST Lancashire has long enjoyed a reputation for having a number of venues where jazz aficionados can indulge their passion for swing music of all styles. No matter what the
IT WASN'T long ago when I was totally anti-mobile phone. I would sneer at those parading down the streets yapping away seemingly as though to themselves. Every time that tinny shrill would rip through low volume chatter on the bus or train, my teeth would
ANDY Preece has hailed his strike force as one of the best in the division. Jon Newby and Gareth Seddon have formed a fine partnership since becoming the manager's preferred front two in the last four matches. And with Ian Lawson pushing both men hard
RFU National League Two Sedgley Park...17pts Preston Grasshoppers...12pts SEDGLEY PARK were extremely proud of a home record which ran to 21 league victories in succession before this game, but Preston Grasshoppers came desperately close to causing an
Bury...19ps Burnage...14pt North Lancashire League One: Bury 19 Burnage 14 LAST year's fixture saw a similarly close finish when Burnage, on their own ground, had re-arranged the pitch size, giving a playing width of 80 metres. This allowed them to capitalise
AN afternoon of Christmas carols and verse is planned for Tuesday, December 18, at the Central Library on Town Hall Street, Blackburn. St Annes RC Primary School music teacher Stella Birwistle, will take youngsters to the Hornby Lecture Theatre for the
I WAS sickened by the recent press photo of the Taliban captive executed by members of the Northern Alliance. Are these the same people we backed to bring stability to the region? Tear up the treaties on the sanctity of human rights. Burn the Geneva Convention
I AGREE with Mr Rod Wilkins (Letters, November 12). In the past month, I have been a patient in both of the Blackburn hospitals and witnessed three separate instances of elderly people being told which care home they were to go to, not asked, or even
WE are here to help you. Are there any local problems annoying you? Use this space to tell us about them. This is the opening statement on a leaflet sent out by the Labour Party in the Roe Lee Ward, Blackburn. It is an insult to the intelligence of Roe
I RECENTLY wrote to Home Secretary David Blunkett about the nuisance caused by fireworks and the way Bonfire Night goes on for ever. I was sent a fact sheet which stated that throwing or setting off fireworks in any highway, street, thoroughfare or public
FOOTBALL fans didn't bank on a surprise when they visited their local branch of Barclays. The star attraction at Silver Street, Bury, was the FA Barclaycard Premiership trophy. And pictured with soccer's Holy Grail are Barclays Bank cashiers, 19-year-old
AN electrical fault is being blamed for a fire at the Red King pub in Whitefield on Friday night (Nov 16). Firefighters were called to the Bury New Road pub at 7.15pm when a fire broke out in the basement area. A spokesman for the fire service said the
FORMER Tory councillor Sam Cohen hopes to make a comeback in next year's local elections. He has been chosen to contest the Unsworth seat he once represented on Bury Council. At the ward's recent annual meeting, Mrs Alison Roberts was elected chairman
FESTIVE cheer is here and the Christmas spirit is well and truly flowing! For Wednesday (Nov 21) saw the switch on of the Christmas lights in Kay Gardens, Bury, and at the town's popular Mill Gate shopping centre. After the Kay Gardens ceremony, a procession
A BURY-based company which manufactured industrial and works clothing has closed with the loss of 70 jobs. Bolton Protective Clothing, in Whitelegge Street, has shut after 25 years of trading. The company has now gone into liquidation and a meeting of
A PENSIONER woke to discover a man in her bedroom who told her: "I'm here to steal something." Now, police are hunting the burglar, who broke into the 78-year-old partially sighted woman's ground-floor flat at sheltered accommodation in Waverley Place
DETECTIVES have launched a hunt for two men who attacked a Bury teenager with an iron bar, leaving him unconscious. The attack left the 17-year-old victim, who is Asian, needing 12 staples to a head wound. Police say the teenager was walking home through
HUNDREDS more asylum seekers could be coming to the borough in the next few years. Bury Council has agreed to accommodate seekers in 104 of its properties over a five-year period, which started last year. They will be housed in a range of one-bed, two-bed
AN inquest has been opened into the death of a mother- of- three who was believed to have taken drugs prescribed for herself and her husband. Bury District Coroner Mr Barrie Williams was opening the hearing into the case of Mrs Alison Jayne Warrington
RADCLIFFE will come under starter's orders next Thursday (Nov 29) when the possible future uses of the town's Cams Lane running track will be discussed. In fact sports and recreation will figure strongly at the next meeting of the Radcliffe Area Board
TOMORROW'S clash between Chelsea and Rovers brings together an exciting mix of naturally gifted attacking players. But two men in particular stand out from the crowd as potential match winners for their teams -- Rovers' Damien Duff and Chelsea's Boudewijn
IPSWICH boss George Burley was hoping to wrap up the signing of Marcus Bent today after a deal for the Ewood hot-shot moved a step closer last night. As we exclusively revealed yesterday, Rovers have accepted an offer from the Blues for the 23-year-old
JUST when Rovers thought they had seen the back of one of Europe's deadliest strikers, another threatens to stand in the way of three points at Stamford Bridge tomorrow. England golden-boy Michael Owen proved the scourge of Ewood last week. And now Jimmy
LANCASHIRE has received the lion's share of the largest ever lottery-funded sports programme in the North West. The New Opportunities fund -- the biggest distributor of National Lottery good causes money -- has given £11.9m to the 'Red Rose County' from
A PRESTON lecturer is back to the future after a two-week dig in 'Triassic Park'. Gordon Fletcher, a fine art lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire, camped out in the 'Valley of the Moon' desert, in Ischigualasto, Argentina, for the archeological
HALF of the 146 jobs at the Leyland and Birmingham Rubber Company (L&B) could be saved, it emerged this week. It was anticipated that the majority of the workers would made redundant when the Wheelton Lane factory in Leyland closes at the end of January
A SERIAL conman, who once posed as a doctor at the Royal Preston Hospital, has been jailed for nearly three years. Paul Bints was found guilty last week of stealing a £55,000 Aston Martin car from a Glasgow salesroom in July this year by posing as a wealthy
A DAD has mixed feelings as his 18-year-old daughter bids to become a pop star. Chris Jones will watch this Saturday's Pop Idols programme from his Woodplumpton home near Preston hoping Callandria can make it through to the grand final. But another part
BOB the Builder and his assistant Wendy lit up the lives of Burnley children last night when they switched on the town's Christmas lights. After two number one singles and a chart-topping album, Bob has quickly become Britain's number one celebrity. He
A BURNLEY pub landlord has had his application for a late licence refused after a petition from residents was handed to the council. Martin Mulrooney had applied to Burnley Borough Council's Licensing Committee for a Public entertainments licence that
MORE than half the pensioners living in East Lancashire have already had a flu jab this winter -- but health bosses still want to protect thousands more people. But health bosses, although pleased with the take-up, want to see at least 52,000 of the over
A ROW over rowing on the River Lune has turned nasty, with a small group of fishermen casting razor sharp fishing lures at two female students it has been claimed. Two19-year-old rowers had sharp lures cast at them by a small group of fishermen close
A FATHER will have mixed feelings as his 18-year-old daughter bids to become a pop star live on television this weekend. Chris Jones will watch this Saturday's Pop Idols programme hoping former Lancaster Girl's Grammar School pupil Callandria can make
A LANCASTER teacher has been awarded £47,000 compensation after an employment tribunal decided she had been made redundant because she was deemed to be too old. Barbara Staff, 54, was made redundant from her job at Ridge Primary School in August last
YOUNG tennis stars in South Ribble have received ace new shoes to help their fancy footwork after they swept the board in a national competition. Some 3,000 teams took part in the National Junior Club League contest organised by the Lawn Tennis Association
THE NEWS of Ryan Kidd's enforced retirement was a huge blow for the player, the club and its supporters, and the reception the fans gave him at Nottingham shows the esteem in which he is held. Let's hope his testimonial season is a big success. With that
The latest sounds SINGLES: CRASHLAND: The Devoted EP, (Sugar Shack) -- You have to hand it to Crashland, their debut album sank like the Titanic but rather than buckle under the pressure they've replaced one member with two and re-invented themselves
BURY face the long trip to Colchester aiming to avoid their last minute blues. For the last two games the Shakers have conceded a last minute goal. Manager Andy Preece will have made plain his views to his young side especially as Bury's failure to win
GREAT Harwood boss Denis Underwood is giving youth a chance as his side look to halt a run of eight successive NWCL Division One defeats. They face a huge game tomorrow when they welcome Nantwich Town to the Showground. Harwood are currently fifth from
EDUCATION initiatives designed to drive up standards in some cases drove teachers away from life in the classroom, head teacher Peter Donnelly told guests at the annual awards evening at SS John Fisher and Thomas More High School, Colne. The profession
A POLICEMAN had to have stitches after he was abused and assaulted by a man he had just arrested. Burnley Crown Court heard how olive-skinned, half Irish and half Italian Jason Manning had been racially taunted and felt pain in his left shin as he tried
A DISABLED woman left a prisoner in her own home after her motorised wheelchair was stolen has pleaded with the thieves for its return. Heather Ellis, 57, was left stranded after her £18,000 people carrier containing the wheelchair was taken from outside
NORDEN councillor Russell Davies has decided to step out of the running for next year's Rishton ward elections in April. The town is set to lose one of its three seats under a boundary shake-up next year which will transform the area into one ward called
YOUNGSTERS have been handed a fresh start in schooling - down on the farm. And MP Terry Lewis checked it out for himself when he opened a new stable block at Leyland's Farm Curriculum Centre at Mosley Common. The "City" farm is a crucial element in the
BABY Elizabeth Trenell's recent christening followed a family tradition. Her big day was conducted at Atherton Parish Church by her 86-years-old great grandfather -- Canon Fred Thorne. Now wheelchair-bound following a stroke 18 months ago, the Canon was
I NOTED last week that Hilton Dawson endorsed John Whitelegg's "sustainable transport plans." However, John Bagguley informed us in the same issue that Arriva cannot recruit sufficient train drivers. This seems to indicate a problem with the sustainability
CHEMISTS on duty on Sunday, November 25, are: Moss Side Pharmacy, Dunkirk Lane, Leyland, 10am-2pm; Boots, Fishergate, Preston, 10.30am-4.30pm; Moss Chemists, Asda, Fulwood, 10.30am-4.30pm; Moss Chemists, Sainsburys, Deepdale, 10.30am-4.30pm; Scholes Chemist
AN appeal is being launched to trace the surviving friends and relatives of a Clitheroe soldier. Bob Grundy, from Bury, is hoping to find anyone with memories of Edgar Coleman, who served in Belgium with the Second or Fifth Battalion of the Lancashire
CONGRATULATIONS to our weak-willed council as they manage to get it wrong once again giving in to the vociferous few market stall holders objecting to having to vacate the festival market building for the punk festival 2002. They knew when they set up
ONE thing stood out for me, during the complex controversy over the disposal of the Brent Spar oil platform. When Greenpeace (an organisation of which I am not a member) realised that it had made a mistake, it went public straight away. Pressure groups
Brentford 1 Morecambe 0 MORECAMBE'S FA Cup hopes came to an end at Brentford on Saturday, but their battling performance did little to dent their growing national reputation. It took a late wonder-goal from Paul Gibb to separate the leading side in the
SIGNED, "sealed" and delivered! That's a Shuttleworth company which has completed a contract to supply tunnel eyeseals for an extension of the Channel Tunnel rail link. Ernest Platt (Bury) have manufactured two of the seals for the massive multi-million
TABLE-TOPPING Clarets take on Grimsby Town tonight in front of a packed Turf Moor and the television cameras. But with the threat of a players strike threatening their next match at Crystal Palace manager Stan Ternent has warned: "The repercussions of
HAVING named an unchanged side for the last four games, Clarets boss Stan Ternent has a key decision to make ahead of tonight's clash with Grimsby Town. Tonight's game offers the Clarets the chance to move five points clear of the pack ahead of tomorrow's
SO the FA Cup second round draw has been made and get this, Lancaster City were still in the hat - Altrincham 1 Lancaster 1. City's place may not be assured yet but Saturday's 1-1 draw gives Lancaster home advantage in Tuesday's replay with full knowledge
RISING local tennis star Francessca Kinsella is this week mixing it with the best after qualifying for the finals of the prestigious Sunday Telegraph/David Lloyd Leisure Junior Tennis Grand Prix. Francessca, 14, from Tyldesley has qualified for the trip
Leigh East 44 Woolston Rovers 10 JOHN Gunning and Darren Hall showed what a key role experience has to play in any successful team's construction by their domination in a runaway National Conference Premier Division victory. All East's youthful enthusiasm
A DEFENCELESS 64-year-old Radcliffe newsagent needed hospital treatment after being brutally attacked in his shop by teenage thugs. Mr Alan Blunt, who owns the shop on Moss Shaw Way, suffered bruised ribs, a black eye and grazing in the early morning
BURY police will soon be on the right wavelength! Greater Manchester Police are launching a new radio system to bring their communications into the 21st Century. Officers based at GMP's Manchester Airport sub-division will be the first to "go live" with
GIVING birth is all in a week's work for Ainsworth mum Karen Derbyshire. For 34-year-old Karen has now given birth to five sons and two daughters . . . one on each day of the week! New-born Connor completed the special family line-up when he arrived earlier
BURY'S schools have been ranked in the country's top 20 per cent in the GCSE performance league tables. Nationally the average percentage of pupils gaining five or more A*- C grades in this summer's examinations was 50, but in Bury it was 54.2. And of
ANDY Preece has confirmed that he is keeping tabs on former Gigg favourite Colin Cramb. The striker was a huge success when he spent three months on loan at Bury from Crewe Alexandra last season, finishing the campaign as the team's leading scorer. Cramb
MEDALS are in the sights of top table tennis ace Andrea Holt again. The 31-year-old former England number one is considering a bid to compete in next summer's Commonwealth Games, most of which are taking place in Manchester. Andrea, who has also made
DEPOSED Bury captain Paul Reid is determined to win his place back after being dropped for the last three matches. Reid has found himself out in the cold since missing the Cardiff City match a fortnight ago when the Shakers demolished the Welsh side 3
TABLE-TOPPING Clarets take on Grimsby Town tonight in front of a packed Turf Moor and the television cameras. But with the threat of a players strike threatening their next match at Crystal Palace manager Stan Ternent has warned: "The repercussions of
PUNK is alive and well in Blackburn at the moment and next week the spotlight falls on the cult heroes of 999 as they join local outfit Boredom at the North Bar. Still boasting the original line-up the band promise to deliver a set of old favourites as
SOLDIER Paul Priest will need plenty of pedal power to complete his latest mission. The 36-year-old from Darwen, currently serving with the Queen's Dragoon Guards, in Bovington, Dorset, has been selected to ride for the Army in the Combined Services Mountain
A HOUSEBREAKER and ram raider who now wanted to be a 'good dad' has been jailed for four years. Illiterate James Francis 0'Neill, 33, who had been hooked on heroin for 18 years, was responsible for a 'catalogue' of burglaries at houses, schools, nursing
A NURSERY school which has struggled for years to make ends meet has been rescued -- thanks to a £4,600 grant. Children First, which dispenses Government cash in Lancashire in a bid to improve child care, has awarded the money to Cherry Tree Pre-School
BACUP's fountain is going to burst into life once again -- but not as we know it. It had been hoped that the fountain would be able to be restored and a survey was carried out by Ustigate, a firm of water display specialists. But the surveyor's report
I WOULD like to take the opportunity to thank all those wonderful volunteers who helped us with our house-to-house collections in Chorley, Preston and South Ribble and those who donated so generously. In total £28,500 was collected -- enough to run the
WEREN'T we told that the planned Tesco superstore would be open by Christmas? Is it just me, or do other people think the idea of building one of the biggest out-of-town type of Tescos in the country, slap bang in the old village area of Leyland, is bordering
A FORMER firefighter, who claims he was subjected to a barrage of abuse while stationed at Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service's training centre in Euxton, near Leyland, is threatening to publicise his experiences on the Internet. Lee Forshaw, a homosexual
A FATHER of three who got "wound up,"and attacked a man and a woman in a club has escaped a jail term. Burnley Crown Court heard one of Derek Calvert's victims, Stephen Smith, 23, had deliberately been bumping into the defendant and his wife on the dance
A CALL has gone out across East Lancashire to help millions of starving refugees of war-ravaged Afghanistan. The Lancashire Council of Mosques has launched its own emergency appea l as the bitter Afghan winter -- when temperatures can drop to minus 25C
THE success of 20 mph zones in Lancashire is set to be reviewed next year, before a decision is taken to introduce any more. Some 70 areas across Lancashire have been designated low-speed zones over the last two years by Lancashire County Council. The
CASUALTY departments in Blackburn and Burnley are set to get almost £36,000 in an effort to cut waiting times. The money, which has come from the Department of Health, will see both Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust, and Burnley Healthcare
A NIGHTCLUB boss has been refused a new public entertainment licence after he failed to convince councillors he was tackling noise problems. Scott Moon, who runs Cubes nightclub in Duke Street, Blackburn, was today staying tightlipped about his future
DARWEN boss Steve Wilkes has had plenty of time to think about this week's team tactics as they take on Chadderton at the Anchor Ground. The Post Office worker has gone back on his rounds for this week and, after Chadderton beat them with a last minute
BACUP boss Brent Peters is hoping to boost his strikeforce after putting seven days on Stand's striker Micky Batholomew. The well-travelled frontman, who lists Colne Dynamoes, Buxton, Lancaster, Curzon Ashton, Chadderton and more as his former clubs,
GRAHAM Howarth is hoping he has found the answer to his striker problems as the Anthony McCluskey and Ian Pilkington partnership has so far paid dividends up front. Former Burnley trainee McCluskey missed the start of the NWCL Division Two season with
STAND manager Nick Davis accepts that his striker Micky Bartholomew might move on - but doesn't want to lose him. Bacup have placed seven days on the former Colne Dynamoes striker. "I would be sad to lose him but we have Lee Wilkinson and Chris Denham
ONE of Mark Shirley's proudest moments was running out onto the Crown Ground in last Saturday's match against Blyth Spartans. It probably wasn't that memorable for anyone else but for the Stanley striker it meant everything especially because of the cheers
IN SUCH a diverse and modern world as the one we now live in, not everybody is the same. Dietary habits vary, religions are different and tastes have always been very much down to the individual. It was with this in mind that the memo was sent out in
IF you're feeling flush with a few thousand pounds spare you can snap up a freehold toilet block, offered with vacant possession, in a popular area of Leyland! Around half a dozen developers have already eyed up a 'bog standard' opportunity in Leyland
WHILE agreeing with P. Kaiserman's contention (Your Letters, Oct 30) that the dropping of the atom bombs on Japan may not have been necessary, one point Miss Rudyard made earlier is valid. If I remember rightly, she wrote that if Germany or Japan had
SEPTEMBER 11 was an obscenity, a crime against humanity, an uncivilised act. But has the politician's response been any more civilised? In Afghanistan so-called "smart bombs" have been replaced with cluster bombs, which in turn have been replaced by carpet-bombing
I SYMPATHISE absolutely with recent correspondents who are having problems with roaming youths. I live in Heywood and have had my car vandalised seven times. The police always seem to have an excuse for not doing anything, such as their hands being tied
MY wife and I purchased our maisonette from Bury Council, many years ago. My wife has lived here 40 years, and I have lived here 26 years. During this time, we have created a lovely home, for ourselves. However, during the past 15 years or so, Bury Council
READING in the Bury Times about the latest in a long line of financial fiascos involving Bury Social Services, it is difficult to know whether to laugh or to cry. As someone who for many years banged his head against the brick wall of Bury Social Services
OVER the past few weeks, the news pages and the letters columns of the local press have focused on the problems of local youths and the lack of an adequate police response. This is hardly a new phenomenon. I have been writing letters of complaint for
I WONDER how many poor little Potters born now will have the bad luck to called Harry after the newly released blockbuster. It'll certainly be a name to remember. I only hope parents are not daft enough to give in to their offspring's plea for owls. They're
POPPING down to the pub is good for men, but they don't all go for the drink! Pardon. A survey revealed that 46 per cent would go even if it did not serve alcohol. I don't beeeelieve it. The Leeds psychologist who compiled the study said the main reason
I'M going to avoid the bypass in future -- and surely that defeats the object of it. The changes at the Firs Lane end have added another few irritating minutes on to my journey to work. It's infuriating what a difference a cycle lane can make. I'm sure
I'M delighted to see the council is spearheading a campaign to persuade the government to tackle extended firework celebrations. Something really might get done at last. As a result of growing public complaints, it will ask local MPs and other councils
IN an incredible match Leyland Barracudas took fourth place in the ASC Speedo Junior Inter-League Swimming Competition Northern regional final in Lincoln. Leyland had to make fourth place or above in order to qualify for the national finals but faced
A DAVID Brown hat-trick, a Stuart Pickup strike and Chris Stanley own goal gave Courts a 5-0 home win over Three Crowns B to go two points clear at the top of Division Two. Leaders going into the weekend, Howe Bridge Mills, were held to a 1-1 home draw
Both sides played their part in an entertaining 90 minutes, although the game's main talking point arose from a controversial refereeing decision midway through the second half. Formby were the better side in the first half, and were good value for their
