Archive

  • East Lancashire events for Thurday, February 15

    Hyndburn Speakers' Club, Accrington Town Hall, 7.15pm. Dancing with Chorley Compton, The Lancastrian Room, Chorley Town Hall, 7.30pm. "Charlotte's Web," Charter Theatre, Preston, 10.30am and 2pm. Big Time Wrestling, Burnley Mechanics, Manchester Road,

  • Bailey's a cut above the rest

    YOU JUST know you are going to come home aching after a Bill Bailey gig. His one-night Charter Theatre appearance on Sunday was no exception. If you catch up with him at any of his forthcoming Wilderness Tour dates prepare to be kick-boxed into delicious

  • It's pretty wild in the town

    Nature watch, with Ron Freethy IN recent years naturalists including myself have spent many happy hours studying wildlife in our towns. In East Lancashire most of our town parks are havens for wintering wildfowl and some factories including Oswaldtwistle

  • Demolition a delight

    WE would like to thank all those who organised the demolition on Sunday of the Mill Hill flats in Blackburn. The work and care taken by the town hall staff and the police was most thorough and deserves praise. We believe in this respect that we speak

  • Get priorities right Peter

    CAN I register my disgust at Hyndburn Council leader Peter Britcliffe's scramble for publicity? He has taken on many duties that should be the tasks of our excellent Mayor and Mayoress and while I appreciate he needs publicity as the Parliamentary candidate

  • Jack failed to get tough

    REGARDING Jack Straw's promise to get tough on illegal asylum seekers (LET, February 6), could he explain why, when 12 months ago he took personal charge of the case of the Afghan hi-jackers and promised the swift response of deportation, about 98 of

  • People won't get a choice

    AT last, I have found something that both the political groups of Blackburn Council are agreed upon -- neither wants the people to decide that an elected mayor should govern Blackburn Council. In the most unlikely event of this option being picked in

  • Council tax rise

    COUNCIL tax payers in Leigh will pay 8.9 per cent more this year -- nearly three times the rate of inflation. Wigan Borough Council has outlined its budget which will see the average household paying £628.21 -- £52-a-year more. Council leader Lord Smith

  • Tales from the Touchline

    "THINGS can turn around very quickly in football." A cliche used by many a pundit but one that rings true for the Sunday League team, Uncle Jack's FC who a few of my Witton team play for. Two seasons ago Uncle Jack's gained promotion from Division Three

  • Whistle Blower with Neil Yates

    AND SO the nightmare season continues. After three months of incessant rain we then get Siberian temperatures and half a foot of snow (so much for global warming). Many local leagues are in a state of near crisis with in some cases a deficit of over 100

  • East Lancs cricket hopes

    VISUALLY impaired cricketers from across East Lancashire could get the chance to represent their country in the World Cup. For a roadshow to look for the best cricketers in the county comes to Burnley on Saturday and budding stars have a definite incentive

  • Goal hero Jason is a water wonder!

    ACCRINGTON AND DISTRICT BOYS LEAGUE UNDER 11S Rishton United 5 Great Harwood Rovers Panthers 0 HAT-trick hero Jason Sarchet was probably one of the few players who was glad this match did not fall foul of the weather. The Rishton hot-shot already had

  • Burnley girls book cup final date

    BURNLEY FC GIRLS U14S A 7 EVERTON GIRLS U14S 0 REIGNING Cup holders Burnley FC GIrls Under 14s A reached the Lancashire Cup Final for the second year running with this sweet victory over the Toffees. With recent signing ex-Evertonian Karen Boyle c tied

  • Teams of four match series

    TEAMS HYNDBURN & BLACKBURN ANGLING ASSOCIATION EVENT organisers teAMS Hyndburn and Blackburn Angling Association (Black) walked away with the spoils -- and rewarded sponsor AMS's self employed Andrew Filbin with a late Christmas present. Andrew has

  • Steve Tinniswood's Park Patrol

    Punchbowl FC have won Blackburn Sunday League's Fair Play Award for December. The Division Three side picked up the award, sponsored by Bleasdales Ltd, for earning maximum points from the three games they played in December. The club won £40 in vouchers

  • And the fairy's gone dotty.com

    IT'S A new breed of panto at Blackpool Grand Theatre this Christmas. Oh yes it is! Robin Hood and The Babes In The Wood has taken all the usual elements of the genre and mixed in the driest wit with the cheekiest charm and genuine acting ability -- something

  • Johnson should be left in suspension

    SO England captain Martin Johnson has appealed against his 35-day ban for a litany of offences he committed in Leicester's Tetley Bitter Cup tie against Saracens last month. The hearing was due to take place today and, if successful, is likely to lead

  • Murder probe: Two arrested

    DETECTIVES questioning two men over the murder of caretaker Bryan "Joe" Platt were expected to make a decision on whether to charge them today. JPs last night granted an order giving police extra time to question one of two Stacksteads men arrested and

  • The train now leaving ...

    THE year is 1969 and a diesel loco makes one of the last journeys through Leigh to Liverpool Lime Street along a soon to be redundant rail route. David Norman's photo of a DMU travelling between Pennington and Kenyon on the Manchester Exchange -- Tyldesley

  • A Dunn Deal

    MIDFIELD star David Dunn today underlined Rovers' Premiership credentials by pledging his future to Blackburn for the next four years. The England under-21 captain believes he can realise his top-flight ambitions with Rovers and has signed a contract

  • Johnson aims for World Cup comeback

    NORTHERN Ireland manager Sammy McIlroy is hoping to have fit-again Rovers winger Damien Johnson back on duty for his country's next World Cup qualifier. McIlroy was today due to name his squad for a friendly against Norway in Belfast at the end of the

  • No joke for Doddy

    THE centre of St Helens is in such a mess that we challenge any 'town planner' or any of our Councillors to direct a motorist from points on the edge of our borough to the Theatre Royal ; which was oh so simple to reach, such a short time ago. For goodness

  • Spare a thought for hedgehogs

    ANOTHER soggy winter, and hedgehogs seem as sick of it as the rest of us because they're already out and about. Already we're seeing small bodies on the road. Hedgehogs don't see too well at the best of times, and with the rain pouring down they stomp

  • Action under way to shut sex shop

    ENFORCEMENT action is being taken to shut down an unlicensed sex shop in Burnley. And another sex shop in the town will come under the scrutiny of councillors tonight, when they will have to decide whether to grant it a licence to continue operating.

  • 'First lady' of horseriding dies at 65

    LADY Mary Towneley -- Burnley's "first lady" -- has died after a long battle with cancer. Lady Towneley, 65, a tireless campaigner on equestrian, health and disabled issues, passed away in Pendleside Hospice. The wife of former Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire

  • Bulldogs dumped out of cup

    Blackbrook Bulldogs u/18s 15 West Hull 36 BROOK were dumped out of the National Youth Cup by a Hull side who produced a storming second-half display. Craig Bennett gave Brook an early advantage after good work by Kevin Picton and then excellent defence

  • Finch rue missed chances

    Haresfinch 6 Hindley 8 FINCH were left to rue a couple of missed scoring chances as Hindley went on to record a hard-fought success in this gripping encounter. Winger Ste Ratcliffe and loose-forward Anthony Seabrook both went close for the home side and

  • Easy does it for Crusaders

    Blackbrook Bulldogs 0 Thatto Heath Crusaders 38 CRUSADERS opened up a three-point lead at the top of the National Conference League Division Two with this easy, eight-try demolition of local rivals Blackbrook. With the Bulldogs struggling at the foot

  • Super Saints march on!

    Saints 22 Wigan Warriors 8 SUPER Saints continued to exceed superlatives with this breathtaking fourth round Silk Cut Challenge conquest of the old enemy in the Knowsley Road cauldron on Saturday. Crowned champions of the world after beating Brisbane

  • Chemists on Sunday duty

    THE following duty chemists will be available for dispensing services on Sunday, February 18, between noon and 1pm (unless stated otherwise): Boots the Chemists, 42 Eccleston Street, Prescot; Taylor's Chemist, 191 West End Road, Haydock (10am to 8pm);

  • Who knocked up the knocker-up?

    IN days before reliable alarm clocks were available to the working classes, who knocked up the local knocker-up? That's the tongue-in-cheek question raised in an amusing little letter from Mrs W. Atherton of Leach Lane, Sutton Leach. Picking up on our

  • Chemist rota

    Chemists on duty this weekend are: Morecambe 12.30pm -1.30pm Sunday -- Cohen's Chemists, 99 Lancaster Road Morecambe. Lancaster: 6-7pm Sunday --J N Murray Ltd, 2 Broadway, Skerton, Lancaster Carnforth: Mon, Tues Wed Thurs (except Bank Holiday): Forest

  • Falling compost injures worker

    A MAN was airlifted to hospital after a heavy bag of compost fell on his head as he loaded the sacks at a factory. A spokesman for Joseph Metcalfe Fertilisers, Oswaldtwistle, said the 26-year-old man suffered slight injuries and was discharged from Blackburn

  • Rugby star in big try to boost heart start appeal

    A TOP rugby scrum-half is throwing his weight behind a campaign to increase the numbers of automatic "heart starters" in public places. Former Stonyhurst pupil Kyran Bracken, 28, was hoping to keep hearts beating by backing the St John's Ambulance "Power

  • Hospital could become a health Spar

    HOSPITAL bosses are asking the public to suggest a new name for the huge new extensions to Queen's Park Hospital that will replace Blackburn Royal Infirmary. NHS trust chief executive John Thomas, apparently anxious not to lose the "royal" stamp, puts

  • Firemen should strike back at gangs

    THE anger over firefighters being stoned by teenage gangs after they have been called to sink estates -- usually to deal with arson designed to lure the crews there -- is understandable. And Lancashire fire authority chairman Nikki Penney is right to

  • David plans a gala for all

    IF he's got to work on New Year's Eve, then Blackpool Grand Theatre is the only place David Steadman (pictured) will do it. Out of all the theatres and concert halls in the country, "The Glorious Grand" holds most sentiment for the conductor. The music

  • Added Val for PPE's sales force

    BLACKBURN-based high performance seals specialist Precision Polymer Engineering (PPE) has appointed Valerie Cunliffe as sales office manager. Valerie, who joined PPE from Coloroll Wallcoverings, lives in Accrington. She will be responsible for boosting

  • Just how do you go about looking sexy?

    I'VE decided I'd like to look sexy. So how do I go about it? I could always lose a few stone, stick on a blonde wig, have plastic surgery, pop on the sun bed for a year, slip on a skimpy, peasant-style purple top with rips and tears in a few rather intimate

  • Books warn kids of perils

    MERSEYSIDE Police has joined forces with the Access Partnership to warn primary school children about hazards. Two books, 'Willpower's Early Years' and 'Junior Citizen Handbook', cover subjects such as bullying, stranger danger, drug awareness, road safety

  • Top brass at the double

    HAYDOCK Youth Brass Band have won the Junior Section of the National Youth Brass Band Championships of Great Britain for the second year running. The competition, for youngsters aged between nine and 15, was staged at Salford University and the Haydock

  • College calls for feedback

    STUDENTS at St Helens College have been asked what they think of the college in a bid to improve services. Management will use the students' feedback to compare different courses and programme areas with each other. The data gathered will allow college

  • Tributes to ex-mayor Alex

    A FORMER Mayor of St Helens has died aged 71. Council Leader Marie Rimmer led tributes to Alex Worth who was mayor from 1996 to 1997. "Alex was a dedicated councillor who worker hard for the local community" said Councillor Rimmer. "He was one of our

  • Big bands blow back into town

    ON Saturday February 10, St Helens Town Hall reverberated to the sound of some of the finest big bands currently playing around this part of the UK. This Big Band Festival was organised by the St Helens based Jazz Pack and it certainly succeeded in giving

  • It's a hit for Broadway

    BROADWAY Community High School has become the first school in St Helens to win a Charter Mark. The Charter Mark is awarded for excellence in public service and is judged by independent assessors against ten stringent criteria which are designed to test

  • Lovebirds are 'barred' from Norma's pub

    LOVE may be in the air but lovebirds are definitely not welcome at a pub tonight. The Royal Arms, Tockholes, is a sanctuary for singles who are feeling left out in the cold on the most romantic night of the year. Landlady Norma King has promised there

  • Woman 'fell for cash promises'

    A PENNILESS conman vanished with a single mother's belongings after wooing her with promises of cash and a luxury family home, a jury was told. Burnley Crown Court heard how ex-convict David Tiny' Bannister had wormed his way into the affections of hard-up

  • CHRISTMAS CHEMIST ROTA

    Chemists open at Christmas and New Year LYTHAM AND ST ANNES December 24: Noon to 1pm -- Alexandria Pharmacy, 11 Alexandria Drive, St Annes On Sea. 1pm to 2pm -- The Clifton Pharmacy, 1 Church Road, Lytham December 25: Noon to 1pm -- Wrigleys Chemist,

  • Local access forum

    LANCASHIRE County Council wants individuals and organisations to get involved in a Local Access Forum. Its primary purpose will be to advise the County Council and the Countryside Agency on how to make the countryside more accessible and enjoyable for

  • Protest over jobs 'Russian roulette'

    MPS and union leaders have urged Aerospace companies to consult workers before shifting jobs abroad. Yesterday, as Rolls-Royce announced it had secured £12billion-worth of orders for its Trent 900 aero engines safeguarding more than 7,000 jobs including

  • Trust targets the ethnic minorities

    A HEALTH trust is appealing for Asian and ethnic minority nurses to apply for jobs, after new figures show there are just 35 in East Lancashire. The Department of Health is launching a £4 million campaign to fill 22,000 vacancies for nurses in England

  • Romantic Rovers stars reveal Valentine secrets

    ROMANTIC soccer stars Marcus Bent and Alan Mahon today handed budding Romeos their tips on how to score on Valentine's Day. The Blackburn Rovers players, both 22, reckon they are true romantics who only ever send one Valentine card -- to their nearest

  • Labour group ruling loo-dicrous!

    RULING councillors have been accused of control freakery after ordering colleagues to tell them when they want to speak at meetings -- and go to the toilet! The instructions were contained in an e-mail to Labour members of Blackburn with Darwen Council

  • Fazal appointed

    PADIHAM have appointed Pakistani all-rounder Faheem Fazal as their new professional. Fazal replaces Ajay Sharma at the Arbories as Padiham look to regain the Jennings Ribblesdale League title they held for two years before Ribblesdale Wanderers' success

  • CLITHEROE 3 MAINE ROAD 0

    Jackson gets first YOUNG striker Gary Jackson scored his first senior goal as Clitheroe ended a run of dismal home form with an emphatic win ahead of Saturday's FA Vase tie against Rushall Olympic. Jackson, leading scorer in the youth team last season

  • PORTSMOUTH 1 BOLTON 2

    Hendry: Fulham in sights COLIN Hendry believes Bolton can still upset the odds and snatch the Division One title from under the noses of Fulham. Wanderers recorded their 19th win of the season last night to move within seven points of Fulham and extend

  • £80,000 grant for Stanley

    ACCRINGTON Stanley have received a grant of more than £80,000 to develop the Crown Ground as on and off the field they begin building for promotion to the Conference next season. The Reds, currently in the UniBond Premier Division, were told they will

  • Healy boosts play-off hopes

    STOCKPORT COUNTY 0 PRESTON 1 PRESTON'S David Healy has made himself a firm favourite with the North End fans -- and watching Northern Ireland manager Sammy McIlroy will feel the same way about the young striker. Healy, a £1.5m record buy from Manchester

  • Veterans hit the road

    A GROUP of St Helens Sutton AC's veteran runners took part in the Northern Veterans10km road race from Stockton Heath, Warrington held in some of the best recent weather conditions. First for the club was John Appleton, much more at home on the road than

  • Irish challengers top De Vere weights

    IRISH Cheltenham Gold Cup hopes Alexander Banquet and Rince Ri top the weights for the £100,000 De Vere Gold Cup at Haydock Park, the most valuable handicap chase of the National Hunt season so far. The race, on Saturday, February 24, is the premier trial

  • LSH thwarted by injury-time score

    Liverpool St Helens 17 New Brighton 21 THIS Merseyside derby lived up to all expectations with the result in doubt right up to the final whistle. A last-gasp injury time try saved the league leaders' blushes and foiled a brave display from a young LSH

  • Cables regain winning thread

    Prescot Cables 4 Abbey Hey 1 PRESCOT'S weekend game at Fleetwood was called off 15 minutes before kick-off because of surface water on the pitch, despite representations from both managers. But they finally managed to record their first win of 2001 with

  • Come clean on the price of art

    PRESENTED, as we have been these past few days, with the sight of a soap and towel posing as a work of art in a Blackburn gallery and by the disclosure that, in Burnley, a grant-aided musician and artist have been chatting to bus passengers to respectively

  • Linda's lucky number's up!

    THIS week's lucky £2,000 winner of the Willowbrook Hospice Lottery draw was Mrs Linda Picton of Newtown, St Helens. Other winners were Mr W McDermott of Parr (£200), Mr Michael Gould of Billinge (£125), Mrs F Caffrey of Prescot (£75) and a resident from

  • Workshop hit by blaze

    FIRE crews were alerted to a suspected arson attack on a single-storey workshop in School Lane, Rainhill Stoops, on Tuesday, February 6. Three fire engines from St Helens and Whiston were called to the scene at 10.50pm when part of the building was badly

  • Residents voice worries over traffic

    A MEETING is to take place on Friday, February 16 between MP Gerry Bermingham and residents of the East Sutton area, to discuss the continuing problem of traffic congestion in Mill Lane/Leach Lane. It is being held at The Wheatsheaf Hotel, Mill Lane and

  • Class call for old pupils

    IF you attended St Edmund Arrowsmith School in Scotchbarn Lane, Whiston, between 1975 and 1984, the organisers of a reunion would like to hear from you. The' bash' is being planned by Andrew Montrose ('Monty') and Steve Campbell ('Camy') and anyone who

  • A lead please on families

    I HAVE been trying to locate a family for some considerable time in the Blackburn area and hope readers can help. I am trying to find out what happened to the families of George Fitzpatrick Floyd who married Lily Kellett and Thomas Walton who married

  • No true grit from leader of council

    SO Blackburn with Darwen Council executive director Graham Burgess (Letters, January 10) thinks that the council provides a high standard of gritting during the winter months. Come into the real world. On the Thursday after Boxing Day I left Lammack at

  • 'Soft touch' costs us all

    ONCE more, the Blackburn with Darwen Council Forum was treated to moralising, self-righteous nonsense as various 'lead' members of the Labour group attempted to disguise their expensive, selfish and unhelpful asylum policy. This was in response to serious

  • The Price is right for John

    BLACKBURN AND DISTRICT INDOOR BOWLING LEAGUE ON a day when illness wrecked the opening day of the annual singles tournament, defending champion John Price was in tip-top form to march on into the first round proper. A number of preliminary round matches

  • Derby day bust-up

    Calderstones 2 Rimington 1 EAST LANCASHIRE LEAGUE DIVISION TWO TWO sendings off, three booked and the miss of the season -- just another one of your typical derby clashes! The history between the two clubs goes back a long way and both used to play in

  • Title rivals stalemate

    BLACKBURN SUNDAY LEAGUE DIVISION ONE Old Toll Bar 1 New Gardeners 1 NEW Gardeners underlined their championship credentials when they ended the100 per cent record of leaders Old Toll Bar. Toll Bar dropped their first points of the season in a fascinating

  • Best Christmas movie in years

    AT LAST a children's Christmas movie that is not only released in the UK in time for the season of goodwill but also delivers the goods in abundance. The Grinch is not only is this a great Christmas warmer-upper, it is also the most wonderful piece of

  • Crisp performance from Gary

    GAR Lineker just gets better and better. And what a shame his latest offering on Match of the Day came just too late for inclusion in all those quotes of the year. He would have swept the board. Watching Newcastle United's veteran manager Bobby Robson

  • Better than nothing?

    I WAS suitably appalled when the BBC scrapped an edition of Grandstand last year when they had nothing live to show. Outrageous, I hooted. Anything is better than nothing. Well perhaps I was wrong after all if last Saturday's show was anything to go by

  • Labour group ruling loo-dicrous!

    RULING councillors have been accused of control freakery after ordering colleagues to tell them when they want to speak at meetings -- and go to the toilet! The instructions were contained in an e-mail to Labour members of Blackburn with Darwen Council

  • Spooner signs on at Leigh RMI

    FORMER Bolton Wanderers full-back Nicky Spooner has signed a two year deal with Leigh RMI. He was a promising youngster who had worked his way through the ranks when he broke a leg at Burnley and was unable to fulfill his true potential. Spooner was released

  • Birds will be flocking to school for shelter

    A SPECIAL school is hoping a new project will attract birds to its ground by providing food and shelter. The Townhouse Bird Project, organised by Townhouse School, in Nelson, is a study of birds compared to those at nearby Wycoller as well as trying to

  • Giving motorists the hump

    THINKING of having a trip to the Pleasure Beach at Blackpool, maybe treat the kids to a ride or two on the roller coaster? Save your money -- pack them all into the family car and ride up and down Rivington Road and get the same experience. Do the politically

  • Atomic 'bomb' with young fans

    WHILE shopping in St Helens on January 29, I was given a flyer advertising that Atomic Kitten were appearing at Music Zone between noon and 1.30pm. I finished shopping and went back home to get my 12-year-old daughter and her friends so that I could take

  • Project helping disabled back into learning

    A PROJECT aimed at helping disabled adults in East Lancashire back into learning has been launched. East Lancashire into Employment (ELE), based at Queen Street Mill, Harle Syke, Burnley, and Lancaster University teamed up to produce an information booklet

  • Behind the scenes

    LANCASHIRE Evening Telegraph's NIE co-ordinator, Rita Shaw, gave the young newshounds -- or rather news pups -- at St James' CE Primary School, in Clitheroe, an insight into regional newspapers as part of a project they are working on in the curriculum

  • Saints head for Twickers!

    WORLD champions and Grand Final Trophy holders Saints will break new ground on Saturday -- at the hallowed Rugby Union shrine of Twickenham! For the record-breaking squad will leave Knowsley Road for 'Twickers' on Saturday morning, and will be among the

  • Impressive win for Vine

    St Helens Vine 32 Folly Lane 0 VINE powered to an impressive win in a game which was cut short due to a neck injury sustained by one of the Folly Lane players. The home side started well and by half-time had raced into a 28-point lead with tries by Wilburn

  • Success at last for Hounds

    Salem Hornets 18 Parr Hare & Hounds 22 HOUNDS finally notched their first win of the season against old rivals Salem Hornets, Games between these two sides are invariably close -- they drew 12-12 at Parr Stocks earlier in the season -- and this was

  • Cup stroll for Haydock

    Batley Victoria 6 Haydock 39 HAYDOCK progressed to the fourth round of the BARLA National Cup with this comfortable victory in Yorkshire. Playing up the slope in the first half the visitors got points on the board after just four minutes when Tither and

  • Shokat boost

    SHOKAT Ali registered his first win against legend Steve Davis in the Thailand Masters. The Accrington-based cue master beat the former World Champion 5-2, after going into the mid-session interval at 2-2.

  • Abbot deal

    SOCCER: Preston are set to sign young Polish striker Pawel Abbot for an initial fee of £125,000. The price for the 18-year-old, who has signed from LKS Lodz, could rise to £250,000. "He is a powerful lad and is one for the future. He has made a big impact

  • Surprise branch on her tree

    THE plea for help in building up her family tree attracted a couple of extraordinary coincidences for Sheila Brown. For Sheila, of Kent Way, Newton-le-Willows, in appealing on this page a couple of months ago for any details about her Victorian grandad

  • The Pudding Bag's comic-swap kids

    RECENT comic-swapping reminiscences have drawn long-distance response -- from a former Sutton lad who became a highly successful business chief in America. Ian Campbell, a proud 'Pudding Bagger' from way back who is now living in some style just outside

  • Swept along by tuneful memories

    THOUGHTS of the famous old St Helens Co-op Buildings bring back bitter-sweet memories for Letty Macdonald. The Co-op (latterly known as Helena House) was demolished in recent years under a philistine re-development plan. But for decades it was a major

  • A tap on time's window

    HE cost a tanner a week. But no-one begrudged paying the local knocker-up for his crack-of-dawn services. "He was far better than an alarm clock", says Jennie Lancaster of Nutgrove. She was responding to a recent query about who the last of these window-rappers

  • Ten years ago

    VALENTINE'S Day lovers were warned that careless kissing could damage their health. Health organisations pleaded with people not to get carried away as hundreds of germs, viruses and bacteria are released each time we pucker up.

  • Five years ago

    A VALENTINE surprise nearly turned into disaster for romantic Dave Davies, of Accrington, when his girlfriend thought he had another woman. Dave won a delivery of red roses in a competition but when a woman rang to give him the good news and would not

  • Forward thinking earns top marks reward

    OVER the last 20 years, Accrington and Rossendale College has seen many changes, from its first computer in 1983, to d partnerships with students from China and Russia and multi-million pound investments in building and technology. An inspection by the

  • Cox puts Trinidad hopes on hold

    IAN Cox has banished thoughts of World Cup qualification to the back of his mind as he concentrates all his efforts on pulling Burnley out of their mid-season slump. The Clarets defender has just spent a couple of days with the Trinidad and Tobago squad

  • WHERE NEXT FOR THE CLARETS?

    Kilby - Stan's the best boss we have had for 20 years THE Clarets may have been hit by a case of the mid-winter blues as the harsh reality of life in Division One kicks in. But it will take more than a blip in form for Turf Moor chairman Barry Kilby to

  • Schools squad do double' over neighbours

    THE St Helens Schools Primary team travelled to Victoria Park, Warrington for a league game and scored a 3-0 win to follow up their narrow cup success of the week before. Ben Foster (Haydock English Martyrs) opening the scoring for St Helens and was then

  • It's easy - when you know how!

    SO how was it for you? Christmas I mean. The festivities 2000. Went fairly quickly in my house I must admit. Makes you wonder why you spent three months preparing and organising with military precision really doesn't it? I was up and about before Santa

  • Talk of the town

    THREE youngsters from Newton-le-Willows Community High School are the talk of the town after reaching the regional final of a Public Speaking competition. Lisa Molyneux, Kim Whittle and Michelle Cunneely will take part in the final at Bury Town Hall on

  • Plea for witnesses to attack?

    POLICE are appealing for anyone who saw a vicious wounding take place in the grounds of Asda car park, Kirkland Street, St Helens, on Sunday, January 28. The incident happened at about 11.20pm when a man who had been out for the evening was approached

  • Preece hopes to end Oxford jinx

    SENT off, pipped for promotion and half a dozen defeats. Yep, Andy Preece sure does not like Oxford. And the Bury boss is determined to put one over on his bogey side this Saturday at Gigg Lane. On a day when the Shakers will let kids into Gigg Lane for

  • Free neutering to control cats

    THE rapid expansion of the cat population poses a big problem locally as in many other areas of the country. The Cats Protection League, the UK's largest feline charity, this week launched a free neutering scheme in St Helens for cats belonging to owners

  • Crime-hit traders call for action

    LIBERAL Democrat Councillor, John Beirne has called for "urgent action" to combat crime on an industrial estate being targeted by thieves and vandals. Following a series of ram-raids and break-ins, business tenants in Baxters Lane on Sutton estate are

  • Murder probe: Two arrested

    DETECTIVES questioning two men over the murder of caretaker Bryan "Joe" Platt were expected to make a decision on whether to charge them today. JPs last night granted an order giving police extra time to question one of two Stacksteads men arrested and

  • Driver, 61, dies in crash with van

    A 61-year-old woman was killed when her BMW crashed into a van on a bend today. The woman, who has not been named but is believed to be from the Hoghton area, was driving along the A675 Blackburn Old Road near Hoghton Tower when her car collided with

  • Woman suffers sex attack in club

    A WOMAN suffered a serious sexual assault in a ladies' toilets at Generation nightclub, Fleming Street, Blackburn. Police said the woman, who is in her early 20s, suffered minor injuries in the attack at 1.30am yesterday but did not need hospital treatment

  • Top civil servants meet up

    BLACKBURN with Darwen Council's chief executive was among a select group to attend a prestigious gathering of senior civil servants in London. Phil Watson was the only North West council boss to join leaders from top performing councils at the Civil Service

  • NEWCASTLE TOWN 2 RAMSBOTTOM UTD 1

    RAMSBOTTOM paid the price for not taking advantage of their chances as Newcastle came from behind to book their place in the next round of the Worthington Challenge Cup. Ramsbottom took the lead three minutes before the break when Darren Bowman and Danny

  • Double red

    BACUP 1 CHADDERTON 2 BACUP boss Brent Peters was left fuming after his Bacup side gave away a late goal and all three points in NWCL Division Two. Chadderton went ahead as early as the seventh minute after Jimmy Gemmill, playing against his former club

  • Precious point

    ABBEY HEY 1 GREAT HARWOOD 1 GREAT Harwood picked up their first point on the road this year thanks to second half performance boss Denis Underwood described as their best this season. The Showground men went behind after 15 minutes when they paid the

  • Baker woe

    CASTLETON GABRIELS 1 DARWEN 1 IT was an eventful night for Darwen striker Paul Baker who grabbed an equaliser before being sent off for the first time in his career. Manager Steve Wilkes, who was also sent off for coming on to the pitch to console Baker

  • OLIVERS TWIST

    Hunter shows it's a young man's game IT wouldn't have happened in Doug Mountjoy's day. Proof, if ever it was needed, that snooker is now a young man's game came in the revelation of Paul Hunter's secret of his success in the final of the Benson and Hedges

  • Back with a flourish

    St Helens Schools u/13s 48 Salford 10 THE first game back since December saw the home side dominate from start to finish against a gallant Salford outfit. One Stop Convenience Store man-of-the-match was Sam Melia, closely followed by Matti Halliwell,

  • St Helens McDonald's JOL

    RESULTS Under 16s: Rainhill United 10 Bleak Hill Rovers 0, Penlake Juniors 2 Knowsley South 3, Blackbrook Juniors 4 St Annes Rovers 0. Under 14s: Alder Athletic 3 Rainhill United 3, Pilkington 0 Captains Lane 1, Prescot Cables 2 Blackleyhurst 3, Young

  • Park topple title rivals

    West Park 38 Aldwinians 6 TENSIONS ran high in the early stages of this all-important league meeting between first and second in North Two West and the first quarter brought a flurry of penalties. Using wind advantage Aldwinians mounted a strong forward

  • Rainhill Junior League

    RESULTS Mini Soccer Week Four Division One 9.30am: Lane Ends Athletic Rangers 3 Captains Lane 1, Lane Ends Athletic Celtic 0 Rainhill United Rangers 0, Eccleston United 3 Haydock Juniors 0. Premier 10am: Whiston Juniors Rangers 3 Young Gate 1, Whiston

  • Seventh away draw for Town

    ST HELENS Town will face an incredible SEVENTH successive away tie in this year's Carlsberg FA Vase -- providing they can overcome either Hornchurch or Berkhamstead in this Saturday's delayed fifth round tie. The two Rymans League outfits will hopefully

  • St Helens Combination

    THE much-delayed Hospital Cup 3rd round clash between Pilkington A and Hammer finally got underway on a heavy pitch at Ruskin, with Pilks winning 4-1 thanks to goals from Andy Smith, Barrie Devlin, Joe Hand and Dave Cottington. At Premier Division level

  • Blunt's Bullets

    IT made me laugh -- the landlord's petrol-crisis sign outside the Robin Hood Inn, Helmshore, as hoarders hit the filling stations and supermarkets . . . "Panic drinkers welcome." Short of marshals, the organisers of next Sunday's annual Rossendale Motorbike

  • Protest on fuel was by and for majority

    WITH the petrol crisis now as good as over, numerous inquests have been held, aimed as absolving the government from blame as it gets the fright of its life in the ensuing opinion polls -- actually trailing the Tories in one of them for the first time

  • What's on with Sue Gerrard

    MUSIC, magic and mystery are just some of the attractions on the local entertainment scene in the next few weeks. On Sunday, February 18 there is a treat in store for youngsters at the Theatre Royal when 'The Ugly Duckling' waddles into town for one day

  • Ofsted report a 'cracker'

    A PENDLE primary school has been given a glowing report by Ofsted inspectors. Reedley Primary was found to be a good school with many strengths where pupils preparing to go on to high school were above the expected levels in English, maths and other subjects

  • Police salute for quartet

    FOUR St Helens-based police officers have been awarded the Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal by the Earl of Derby at Knowsley Hall. DS Stephen Reynolds, DC Gerald Belger, DC David Roberts and PC Kenneth Ashbridge were among 26 members of Merseyside

  • Hooded man is wanted for robbery

    POLICE are hunting a man wanted in connection with a robbery in Canal Street in the early hours of Thursday, February 1. He is described as white, about 5ft 8ins tall with a very slim build and a spotty complexion. He spoke with a Liverpool accent and

  • Africa help from students

    A CHARITY concert will be held at Carmel College, Prescot Road, on Monday, March 26, in aid of the college's Lasallian Project to build a school in Africa. Featuring Liverpool singer Martin Fletcher and band, the event, from 1.10 to 2.10pm, and will feature

  • Fares cheap at half the price

    BASIC concessionary fares on buses, trains and Metrolink are set to increase from April. The increases coincide with a change in Greater Manchester's concessionary fares scheme. This is to enable it to comply with the National Minimum Travel Concession