AS the mum of an 11-year-old who is more into Steps than stage plays, I thought I'd be sat on my own at this year's pantomime at Preston's Charter Theatre, with the daughter complaining she was too old for that sort of thing! How wrong could I have been
A FREE 24-hour helpline is expecting to be inundated with calls from children in trouble or in danger during the Christmas and New Year period. Over the last couple of years, the festive season has become one of the busiest times of the year for Childline
REGARDING Mr R Frankland's remarks about cats (Letters, December 13), I have three (four until recently), all of which were strays in desperate need. A visit to the vet ensured there would be no more kittens and I took them in. Cats, I feel, are much
SAMAD Khan (Letters, December 18) made valid points, as to the causes of the summer riots, in referring to criminal elements and the ineptitude of so-called leaders of the affected towns' Muslim communities, but he was clearly in error to deny that racism
IT'S all go for up-and-coming pop star Emmie! Not content with recording a new single for release after Christmas, the 23-year-old singer is on a promotional tour and coming to Blackpool's Norbreck Castle this Saturday (December 22). But Manchester-born
THE parents of five-year-old brain tumour sufferer John Mark Riding today said a massive thank-you to caring Lancashire Evening Telegraph readers who have raised nearly £3,000 for the tragic youngster. Now the boy's dad John, of Blackburn, and mum Jacqueline
LEIGH RMI go into a pivotal double header with Stalybridge over the festive period in the knowledge that the outcome will shape the rest of their season. The two North West clubs occupy the two places directly above the relegation zone after recent defeats
ALAN Curbishley, Charlton manager was disappointed with the atmosphere during the game against Rovers. He said: "I LOOKED at my watch 15 minutes into the second half and the whole place was flat. "We couldn't get the crowd going and they couldn't get
A PEACE flame which was lit in Bethlehem arrived in Preston to promote the spirit and message of Christmas. Now in its 11th year the Peace Light campaign began in Austria in 1990 as a means of raising funds for needy children. After passing through Israel
TWO Burnley men injured in the M6 smash on Friday in which a man was killed are recovering today in Royal Preston Hospital. Wayne Cole, 22, of Oxford Road, suffered head injuries in the accident but was described by staff at the hospital as 'stable and
A DARWEN couple who lost their nine-year-old son in a hospital tragedy were blessed with the perfect Christmas gift. Roy and Hazel Davis welcomed their new arrival baby Adam John into the world two years after Tim passed away from a drip-feed infection
PUPILS from two Accrington schools will feature in a special edition of TV's popular Songs of Praise, to be broadcast on Palm Sunday. A total of 50 children, aged between seven and 11, from Green Howarth C of E Primary and All Saints' C of E Primary,
FLOORCOVERINGS group Gaskell PLC, based at Altham, is looking to further reduce costs after warning that it expects to make a loss this year. Earlier this year, the company announced more than 100 redundancies throughout the group which employs more than
A PENSIONER may have to pay up to £4,000 after building a garage on land that did not belong to him. Former soldier Bill Lonsdale built the garage on land, which he believed belonged to him, eight years ago. But the 78-year-old built on a plot belonging
HAVING maintained their four point lead at the top of the first division with a 0-0 draw against Millwall the Clarets are ready for the Boxing Day clash at Rotherham. But having failed to beat the Lions they will be hoping that they can find the knockout
ROVERS' hopes of landing former Aston Villa ace Savo Milosevic were today hanging by a thread after a new twist in the transfer saga over the weekend. Ewood chief Graeme Souness wants to sign the Yugoslav on loan after scouring Europe in his search for
PRESTON were held to their first 0-0 draw for 36 games after the Mariners survived 27 efforts at their goal, inspired by great goalkeeping from Welsh international Danny Coyne. Grimsby manager Lennie Lawrence backed his side to build on the promising
BURY boss Andy Preece has hailed midfielder Jason Jarrett as one of the best in the division. The 21-year-old has had a tremendous season, cementing his place in the starting line up and becoming a key man in the side. With injuries to first choice midfielders
Bury 1 Blackpool 1 by Steve Canavan THE result was not the perfect Christmas present but Shakers fans received a much greater gift after the match finished. That was when Blackpool manager Steve McMahon revealed that the Seasiders attempts to sign Jon
CHANNEL 4 Television is producing a 90-minute history and celebration of all types of dancing and we're looking for dance enthusiasts, ex-disco dancing or break dancing champions; and people with home video footage of their school discos or dancing competitions
THE Citizen described a planned new road between Lostock Hall and Walton-le-Dale, part of the proposed £25 million Total Transport Network(TTN) in the article headed 'End of traffic chaos?' ( December 6). TTN's proposal earlier this year, as a solution
POLICE are to launch a crackdown on underage drinkers on a Preston estate Officers will target groups of teenagers who have been creating problems for residents in Lea. The clampdown which starts tomorrow, December 21, will also target rogue off-licence
AS the mum of an 11-year-old who is more into Steps than stage plays, I thought I'd be sat on my own at this year's pantomime at Preston's Charter Theatre, with the daughter complaining she was too old for that sort of thing! How wrong could I have been
AFTER the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, wrapping presents and writing cards -- there is nothing more relaxing than a visit to the theatre to see a ballet. This New Year let the Russian National Ballet company take you on a dreamy trip of self-indulgence
PARENTS are being warned to check their children's Christmas stockings for a range of potentially lethal sweets which could choke them to death. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) last week ordered the withdrawal of the deadly delights, packaged under a
LANCASHIRE ambulance service is appealing to the public to think before they dial 999 and avoid tying up emergency crews on non-emergency call-outs. And chief executive David Hill said the 'save time save lives' message is even more important over the
LANCASHIRE Constabulary has distanced itself from high-pressure salesmen representing rogue alarm companies. And they have made it clear that the force does not work alongside any private alarm companies. "The force does not promote or recommend any alarm
BARONESS Castle of Blackburn has made a Christmas call for the government to scrap means-tested benefits for pensioners. The veteran Labour politician wants to see the State Earnings Related Pensions Scheme which she devised as a top up for to the state
BUILDERS have moved in to start preliminary work on a site which will see one of Lancashire's largest comprehensives replaced by a state-of-the-art new school. Contractors are operating by floodlight to secure a huge area around the existing St Wilfrid's
IF he sticks his neck out, old Billy could claim to be the only tortoise from East Lancashire who's wide awake and looking forward to the party season. And there's a big shindig in the offing marking the 50th anniversary of when he woke up thousands of
ACCRINGTON Stanley will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to 13 games when they travel to third-from-bottom Bamber Bridge on Boxing Day. John Coleman's men will be disappointed at only drawing against UniBond Premier League leaders Burton on Saturday
BURTON player/boss Nigel Clough scored an injury-time equaliser to upset Stanley - but then tipped the Reds to continue to challenge at the top of the table. The UniBond Premier League leaders were lucky to come away from the Crown Ground with a point
WELL, we have begun the second half of the season as we did the first half -- an away defeat. Not as bad a score line, but almost as bad a performance. The manager says we could have taken something from the game at Rotherham and we agree -- we could
EAST Lancashire teachers are calling for a happier new year in schools which have been hit hard by staff shortages in 2001. And they have demanded an end to the 55-hour working week in a bid to make the profession more attractive and avert another crisis
THE result was not the perfect Christmas present for either side but Shakers fans look set to hold on to Jon Newby, a target for the Seasiders. Blackpool manager Steve McMahon revealed that the Seasiders attempts to sign Jon Newby look like failing and
AS the Christmas and New Year party season takes off, it is encouraging to see schemes taking root in East Lancashire designed to combat the bane that spoils the pleasure for so many people - drink-related violence and anti-social behaviour in our town
HYNDBURN MP Greg Pope swapped the corridors of power for the court corridor when he gave evidence in a trial at Blackburn magistrates. Instead of the speaking at the despatch box he stood in the witness box and gave details of a car crash he had seen
Making the best of a muddle -- caused by her impaired eyesight -- that meant she sent people birthday greetings instead of Christmas cards, Nelson reader Mrs Olive Slater saw the funny side and made light of her plight. For sharing the laugh with our
It is time that people realised just what they are eating on Christmas Day. In an ideal world the turkey would spend its life of up to ten years, roosting in trees and flying at speeds of up to 50mph. But in our world, that is so far from the truth. Farmers
YOUR report on the trade in dog and cat fur -- "Charity in come clean call to shops over fur" (LET, December 10) -- is a welcome reminder of a particularly vile and avoidable form of animal cruelty. Each year some two million cats and dogs are killed
HANG on to your magic carpet and get ready for a magical journey into pantoland. Sinbad the Sailor will be in residence at Lytham's Lowther Pavilion on December 27, 28 and 29. The panto, presented by the Parish Church of St Annes Operatic Society (pictured
MOTORISTS drove past a girl as she lay seriously injured in the road, it emerged today. Police investigating the mystery road accident which left the Blackburn teenager with serious injuries believe at least one motorist went past her as she lay unconscious
ROVERS' hopes of landing former Aston Villa ace Savo Milosevic were today hanging by a thread after a new twist in the transfer saga over the weekend. Ewood chief Graeme Souness wants to sign the Yugoslav on loan after scouring Europe in his search for
BLACKBURN boss Graeme Souness and his players celebrated Christmas early at The Valley in the most traditional way possible -- with an extra large helping of plum Duff! Desperate for goals up front, Ewood chief Souness decided it was time to gamble by
PLANS have been unveiled to merge the area's two main NHS trusts. The proposal to combine the Preston Acute Hospitals and Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trusts into the Central Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust was announced last week ahead of a period
HARRY Potter mania might be sweeping the nation on the silver screen but when it comes to toys for Christmas, interactive games and traditional best sellers rule the day in Preston and South Ribble. With shoppers rushing to stock up on children's presents
A YOUNG animal lover has won a top photography award after snapping some of her 28 pets for a bit of fun. Eleven-year-old Jenny Lea, of Dale Avenue, Longton, Preston, was runner-up in the 2001 RSPCA Young Photographer Award for her picture of Borris the
A PRIMARY school teacher has bid farewell to her class and plans to embark on a trip of a lifetime to educate people on the other side of the world. Walton-le-Dale Community Primary School teacher Gizelle Allin officially left her job on December 20 to
HOPPERS collapsed to a heavy away defeat at the hands of Harrogate, who in the process of scoring seven tries, moved up to fourth in National League Two. Preston now find themselves fourth from bottom with only eight points to show from their 12 fixtures
PRESTON wrapped up their opening half of the season with a comfortable victory over bottom placed Macclesfield, writes Richard Sullivan. Despite missing four first-team regulars, through injury or work commitments, the league leaders scored a goal in
FOR reader Mrs Christine Benn, of Guide, who lends the picture to Looking Back, this 1954 children's outing from Blackburn was something of a mystery trip. For though she was one who enjoyed it -- and is pictured crouched down on the front row -- she
THIS photograph from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's archives stars long-gone character "Owd Chipper," the rag and bone man whose portable peep show was the delight of children in Victorian and Edwardian Blackburn. The picture features today in a best-seller
SHOPKEEPERS across East Lancashire were put on alert after a series of post office raids. Police believed a gang was stalking out branches in the run up to Christmas. In the latest incident £5,000 in £20 notes was taken from a post office van outside
CHEMISTS on duty on Sunday, December 30, 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
TWO privately-run nursery schools in the Ribble Valley have been given the green light to increase pupil numbers. Tiddlers and Toddlers, in West View, Clitheroe, has been granted permission to build a single storey extension and to increase its pupil
BURNLEY extended their unbeaten run to ten games despite failing to score in a home match for the first time this season. In their 25th league game of the season, it was the first without goals as the free-scoring Clarets failed to find a way past a determined
HAVING maintained their four point lead at the top of the first division with a 0-0 draw against Millwall the Clarets are ready for the Boxing Day clash at Rotherham. But having failed to beat the Lions they will be hoping that they can find the knockout
TWO years ago little Laura Graham from Darwen could not even eat her Christmas dinner and was so ill and had to be carried from room to room. This year seven-year-old Laura can't wait until tomorrow to open her presents and has recently joined the school
THE people of Rossendale will have their chance to comment on new rights to walk across countryside and wild, remote parts of the Rawtenstall area during a public road show at Haslingden Library. They will have the opportunity to air their views on increased
GRANDMOTHER Norah Butler has received her best ever Christmas present -- news that her granddaughter's eye, badly damaged in an unprovoked attack, is likely to heal. In November, ten-year-old Nadia Butler was walking into the Day and Nite Store in Bacup
HANG on to your magic carpet and get ready for a magical journey into pantoland. Sinbad the Sailor will be in residence at Lytham's Lowther Pavilion on December 27, 28 and 29. The panto, presented by the Parish Church of St Annes Operatic Society (pictured
PANTOMIME is all about entertaining the kids (oh, yes it is) and on that score Cinderella at Blackpool Grand Theatre got ten out of ten from a cheering young audience last Thursday night. The youngsters were, in fact, the stars of the show, enthusiastically
LANCASHIRE County Council is asking people -- "Do you have what it takes to be part of the Crossing Patrol service?" There are vacancies around Lancashire that the County Council is keen to fill as soon as possible. The posts are regularly advertised
MOTORISTS drove past a girl as she lay seriously injured in the road, it emerged today. Police investigating the mystery road accident which left the Blackburn teenager with serious injuries believe at least one motorist went past her as she lay unconscious
A NURSE who retired after 35 years of service has no plans to rest -- she's going to work harder and for free! Rose Baah, 60, of Dorchester Close, Blackburn, returns to her native Ghana for three months in January to work long hours in poverty-stricken
BLACKBURN'S pioneering bouncers-on-the-buses scheme is proving a success after just two weeks. But today the councillor responsible for implementing the trial project urged revellers to keep on using it to justify the council making resources available
CHRISTMAS will be different for Louise Demaine this year. It isn't because she will be in New York. She has lived there for 15 years. Nor is it because she is working. She never works on Christmas day. This year, for the first time, she will spend December
IT'S known as the Waterloo winter wonderland. And if you take a trip to Sue Severn's amazing Christmas house you'll know why! Sue, 53, and her daughter Sharon, 34, have converted the fronts of their side-by-side houses on Waterloo Road into a Blackpool
THE Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Award was launched across the United Kingdom in April 2000. It aims to recognise and celebrate the outstanding contributions made by secondary school students to their schools and communities. The award is given to
EAST Lancashire's own dedicated research centre into artificial intelligence has helped launch a nationwide competition - to help humans. The Applied Knowledge Research Institute, which is an arm of Blackburn College, joined up with the British Computer
Bowland is a school with a difference. It is one of the smallest secondary schools in the county set in arguably the most picturesque rural location in the North. Its size means all pupils are known by all staff and a real family community spirit prevails
POLICE have arrested 84 people in the borough connected with drug-related crime. Since the beginning of December, local officers have been working on Operation Diagonal, which aims to crackdown on offenders who use stolen property to fund their habit.
