Archive

  • Kids don't need all this pressure

    WHEN asked at nursery why she wasn't playing, my three-year-old told staff: "I'm stressed out." They laughed when they told me and so did I, despite being a tad embarrassed - it was obvious from whom she had picked up the phrase. That may have been brushed

  • Drinks drought at hospital

    MY niece was a patient in Queen's Park Hospital, Blackburn, where she was well looked after. But, come supper time, patients could only get tea or coffee. What happened to the milky drinks you could get at one time, such as Horlicks or Ovaltine to ensure

  • Workhouse deserves a recognition

    ASHORT time ago I saw, with mixed feelings, the final despatch to oblivion of the 'lunacy' section of the old Union Workhouse in Blackburn. I, and many others like me, spent the lion's share of a working life there within its wards and corridors. There

  • Young have their say

    YOUNG people in Leigh are getting connected with an event to help other teenagers in the Wigan Council area. Connexions is the new advice and guidance service for 13 to 19-year-olds. Youngsters are invited to help shape the new service and learn what

  • Head-on crash biker (43) dies

    A 43-YEAR-OLD motorcyclist died after a head-on collision with a car. Roy O'Hagan was riding his Honda Fireblade along Bury Old Road towards Ainsworth when the accident happened on Thursday evening (March 7). The Bolton man's machine was in collision

  • Bishop's backing for faith schools

    THE Bishop of Blackburn has backed the establishment of faith schools, saying they are part of the country's development. Speaking in the House of Lords, the Rt Rev Alan Chesters said those who opposed the setting up of faith schools "come close to saying

  • Office murder: Man charged

    A MAN is to appear in court charged with the murder of a Prestwich father, who planned to get married later this year. Nathaniel Jacobs suffered a number of stab injuries to his head and body after the attack at an office in Hulme on Wednesday afternoon

  • Race against time for £400,000

    BURY FC faces a frenetic three days in the club's race against time to reach its £400,000 survival target. And one of the joint administrators who will return to the High Court on Friday (March 15) for a crucial hearing is hopeful the Shakers can give

  • SAS is threat to Rovers

    BLACKBURN Rovers' young guns face an AXA FA Youth Cup showdown with the modern day 'SAS' as they prepare to meet Tottenham Hotspur in the last eight at White Hart Lane tonight. During the 1990s, former Ewood favourites Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton formed

  • Sleeping smoker starts house blaze

    A FIRE broke out at a family home after 20-year-old man who had been smoking in bed fell asleep. The cigarette set fire to his bedding and caused minor damage to the first floor of the house in Shaw Avenue, Burnley. The house's two other occupants --

  • Popular Judge Webster dies at 76

    THE former Honorary Recorder of Burnley, Judge Ian Webster, has died just days before his 77th birthday. Judge Webster -- known affectionately as "Webbie" to those who met and worked with him -- died after a long illness. A father of two and grandfather

  • Wife 'paid cash for £6,000 holiday'

    THE wife of the alleged head of a drugs gang, known as The Firm, paid more than £6,000 in cash for a holiday to Spain, a court heard. The jury in the trial of Matthew Glover and Anthony Lockwood was told that Glover's wife Cathy, booked the Christmas

  • New directory to fight violence

    MEMBERS of a support group for people who suffer domestic violence are celebrating International Women's Day with the launch of a new directory to improve services for victims. Burnley Domestic Inter Agency Violence Forum is funded by Burnley Borough

  • 'We must invest in conservation'

    A PART of Pendle which boasts many listed buildings, a Victorian settlement, Georgian developments and an Area of Special Landscape, has been designated as a conservation zone by the council. The Winewall and Cotton Tree conservation area spreads from

  • The County comics provide the laughs

    IS IT possible there exists a funnier club in the land than Stockport County? Those who regard this as mere mischief-making on my part, need only consider the burgeoning evidence to realise I speak the truth. For example, cast your mind back to Burnley's

  • A night of excitement

    MISTY clouds swept through the Royal Exchange giving a magical air to this production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Shakespeare's tale of love and loss in the land of mortals and fairies, is brought to life with dashes of contemporary Britain infused

  • Johno aims to shoot for Clarets

    DAVID Johnson joined Burnley on a month's loan from Nottingham Forest this morning and could be thrown straight into the heat of the promotion battle. The 25-year-old has teamed up with manager Stan Ternent for the second time and is hoping to face Preston

  • Fine spirit at Octagon

    NOEL Coward's play Blithe Spirit is being staged at Bolton's Octagon Theatre. The story follows the suave and cynical Charles Condomine as he searches for amusing inspiration for his novel about a fake psychic. Blithe Spirit runs until March 30, all evening

  • Destiny calling

    WARRINGTON-based GLR productions present their new showWhen Destiny Calls. The light-hearted musical runs at the Rylands Club in Gorsey Lane on March 18, 19 and 20. The show, written and directed by Golborne man Paul Dawson, starts at 7.30pm and tickets

  • Laughs and thrills assured at Tyldesley

    TYLDESLEY Little Theatre presents comedy thriller Secondary Cause of Death from March 19. The plot revolves around comedy characters Colonel Craddock and the bumbling Inspector Pratt and the strange situations they find themselves in. Mike Rimmer directs

  • MP urges residents not to pay

    REDVALES residents who faced a demand for ground rent they had already paid are being urged not to shell out for a second time by Bury North MP David Chaytor. After successfully intervening on behalf of one constituent, Mr Chaytor says other residents

  • Interchange in line for revamp

    BURY'S busy Interchange is to undergo a facelift with the first phase costing nearly half a million pounds. Transport bosses have agreed to the initial work which will benefit passenger facilities at the combined bus-Metrolink terminus. Greater Manchester

  • Race against time for £400,000

    BURY FC faces a frenetic three days in the club's race against time to reach its £400,000 survival target. And one of the joint administrators who will return to the High Court on Friday (March 15) for a crucial hearing is hopeful the Shakers can give

  • Johno aims to shoot for Clarets

    DAVID Johnson joined Burnley on a month's loan from Nottingham Forest this morning and could be thrown straight into the heat of the promotion battle. The 25-year-old has teamed up with manager Stan Ternent for the second time and is hoping to face Preston

  • Memorabilia auction can be moneyspinner

    A BURY FC memorabilia auction on the internet to raise funds for the Save Our Shakers fund got underway from 10am this morning (Tuesday, March 12). And there are some wierd and wonderful items to go under the hammer such as an inflatable black pudding

  • Woman's terror attack

    DETECTIVES are appealing for witnesses after a woman was assaulted as she walked in a street near her home. The 47-year-old was returning home along William Street near Blackburn Royal Infirmary at about 12.30am on Sunday when she was approached from

  • Everything in the garden is rosy

    WINNING the Worthington Cup has restored Rovers confidence enough for them to not only utterly defeat Aston Villa but to have them competing equally for a result with anyone they have left to play. The entry into the UEFA Cup and Graeme Souness' own international

  • Make a bid for Pele

    AS A Rovers supporter, I read with interest that Burnley FC were looking to sign Paul Gascoigne to help boost their already-flagging season (LET, March 5). Why stop there, Burnley -- what about George Best or Pele? Both couldn't do any worse than the

  • Director faces worker killing charge

    A COMPANY director from Blackburn has appeared in court charged with unlawfully killing an employee by gross negligence. Peter Preston, of Rowen Park, Blackburn, appeared before a judge at Winchester Crown Court accused of causing the death of Christopher

  • Win was great but what about the tickets?

    MY NAME is in the Rovers encyclopaedia. I have supported them for many years and went to the play-off final against Leicester. However, I feel a great disappointment that the club made no effort to help people like myself who "fell through the net" in

  • Student kidnap suspect stands trial

    A MAN believed to have links with the disappearance of a Blackburn student is due to appear in court today, accused of the kidnap and murder of American journalist Daniel Pearl. Mr Pearl, 38, was the South Asia bureau chief for the Wall Street Journal

  • Nothing to complain about

    DID anybody notice in Sport Letters (LET, March 5) all the complaints from Burnley fans regarding Jack Straw's (misplaced) comments about Burnley fans? No, me neither. Did anybody spot the odd letter of complaint from Blackburn fans because Stephen Cummings

  • We'll wipe out the window cleaner!

    IT'S an invention which could mean curtains for the window cleaner -- glass that cleans itself! Conservatory Coloured Glass (CCG), based in Sett End Road, Blackburn, is the first company in the country to process and distribute special glass which cleans

  • Underwood has got to get out of Town!

    I HAVE been supporting Great Harwood Town FC since I moved to the area five years ago as I think local teams should be supported. Under Denis Underwood, the team has gone from bad to diabolical. Each season under his management has seen Great Harwood

  • Bishop's backing for faith schools

    THE Bishop of Blackburn has backed the establishment of faith schools, saying they are part of the country's development. Speaking in the House of Lords, the Rt Rev Alan Chesters said those who opposed the setting up of faith schools "come close to saying

  • Rovers should take it on the chin

    AS A Burnley fan living in Blackburn, I had to giggle at the full page spread (LET, March 5) of Rovers supporters snapping back at comments made by my fellow Claret, Stephen Cummings. Come on, Blackburn, where's your sense of humour? You've just won the

  • Blues make a move for Dale's Jason

    CLITHEROE have put seven days on Rossendale United's former Burnley defender Jason Heffernen. Heffernen, who plays at left-back, is seen as the perfect permanent replacement for the former Blues defender Barrie Hart, who made the successful transition

  • Carden aims to show strikers how to score

    ACCRINGTON Stanley will bid to get back on track in the UniBond Premier Division tonight when they welcome Gateshead to the Crown Ground. John Coleman's side are doing well in the cups - they have reached the final of the Lancashire Marsden Trophy and

  • Reunion for class of '85

    A FORMER Bedford High School pupil is planning a reunion for the class of 1985. Debra Cruse (nee Grant-Salmon), now 33 and a training co-ordinator at a Nottingham laboratory, would like to catch up on the lives of her former schoolfriends after a 17 year

  • Just a small step towards sense

    IN just a few days hundreds of you have backed our campaign to oppose plans by Lancashire County Council to close 35 of their 48 care homes for the elderly. You have made clear that you share our deep anxieties about the ill-conceived and illogical strategy

  • Plight of hare was sad to see

    IWAS saddened to see an item about hare coursing on TV showing two large dogs about to catch and rip to pieces a terrified hare. Those who support this barbaric sport say the hare does not feel anything, so it does not suffer. Apart from the fact that

  • Join us with a song in your heart

    MANY thanks from Great Harwood Male Voice Choir for your continued support of our events and requests. Currently entering its 56th year, the choir continues to provide quality musical entertainment throughout the region and beyond with bookings extending

  • Soccer 'killing' the kangaroos

    MANY readers will be shocked to learn that Britain's favourite sport, football, is playing a major role in the largest wildlife massacre in the world. More than seven million kangaroos and their babies are to be slaughtered this year in Australia for

  • MPs want more homes promises

    HUNDREDS of protesters who have backed the campaign to save 35 of Lancashire OAP care homes today won a partial climbdown from council bosses. But the assurance that none of the elderly residents in the county's homes would be forced into private care

  • Ex-servicemen gather for final meeting

    THEY risked life and limb in the Western Desert to protect world freedom, but now the local branch of the 8th Army Veterans Association is no more. At one time the Bury and District branch, which despite its name had a membership made up mainly of Radcliffe

  • Race equality chief builds bridges

    A BURY racial equality chief is spearheading the building of bridges between the police and the ethnic youth in riot-hit Oldham. Dr Mohammed Sharif Salim has organised a seven-a-side football tournament in Oldham where he is co-ordinator of the town's

  • Dino set to turn new leaf

    STEVE Waywell has challenged striker Dino Maamria to set the record straight against Morecambe tonight after his red card shame for Leigh RMI on Saturday writes Martin Hyndley Maamria was dismissed in injury time after a scuffle with Terry Angus against

  • Jay gets match fitness back

    BLACKBURN Rovers' two Academy sides have both enjoyed excellent away wins over the last seven days. Ian Miller's Under 19s beat Sheffield United 2-1 in a game brought forward to last Wednesday due to Rovers' involvement in the AXA FA Youth Cup. And Rob

  • Bent has no revenge mission

    FORMER Blackburn favourite Marcus Bent today insisted he will not be driven by revenge tomorrow as he aims to fire the goals to plunge Rovers deeper into relegation trouble. Bent admits he was left 'hurt and bewildered' after he was bombed out by Rovers

  • First ban from the centre

    A MAN aged 47 from Burnley has become the first person to be banned from the town centre because of causing damage to a taxi. The interim ban prohibits the man, who has not been named by police, from town centre pubs and clubs. It was served on him by

  • Court hears holiday was paid for in cash

    THE wife of the alleged head of a drugs gang, known as The Firm, paid more than £6,000 in cash for a holiday to Spain, a court heard. The jury in the trial of Matthew Glover and Anthony Lockwood was told that Glover's wife Cathy, booked the Christmas

  • Science in the real world

    ASDA'S "Big Science" week meant a trip to the supermarket for pupils of St Mary's RC Primary School in Radcliffe. Monday (March 4) visit to the town's superstore gave the youngsters from the Belgrave Street school an opportunity to learn about science

  • Life's easy against the claret and blue

    THAT'S definite then. It must be the shirts. Last October I issued a plea for claret and blue garb to be standard issue for the opposition at Ewood. As if to prove the point last week, Rovers notched up their 15th goal in three home outings against teams

  • Missing Kirsty starts mystery

    A YOUNG mother has gone missing from home after a domestic dispute with her partner. Police today appealed for Kirsty Louise Jackson to get in touch and confirm she is safe and well. Kirsty, 21, left her home in Queens Road West, Accrington, after falling

  • Shopkeeper shocked by 'airgun shot' at window

    A SHOPKEEPER today said he feared for his family's safety after louts shot a hole in the window of his premises. Shahnawaz Khan, who owns Ramada Shoes in Blackburn Road, Great Harwood, discovered the hole in his shop window. He believes the damage could

  • Anger at closure of day nursery

    A ROW has broken out over plans to close a pre-school day nursery in Accrington. Hyndburn councillors claim that parents who have children at the Manchester Road Day Nursery will not be able to transport them instead to the Silver Birches family support

  • New role proving great for Joel

    JOEL Pilkington has been making a real impact in his second year at Turf Moor, both at reserve and youth team level. The teenager has moved from playing at full back to a central midfield position and he has blossomed in the new role. And he admitted

  • Taylor's Welsh recall

    GARETH Taylor's current hot-streak has helped him win back his place Mark Hughes's Wales international squad. The striker has been named in the squad to face the Czech Republic at the Millennium Stadium on March 27 and he admitted: "I would love to be

  • Blades prove too sharp

    A STRONG Burnley reserve side missed the chance to go top of the Avon Insurance Premier Division with a disappointing home defeat against Sheffield United. Even the presence of Robbie Blake, Alan Moore, Lennie Johnrose, Andy Payton and skipper for the

  • Singer/songwriter welcomed

    LEIGH Folk Club are welcoming contemporary singer/songwriter Ian Bruce to Railway Road. Ian, who is know for his powerful but sensitive voice, will make his first visit to the club on Friday March 22.

  • Redknapp signs-up for the Shakers

    LIVERPOOL and England ace Jamie Redknapp is the latest star to get behind the campaign to save Bury Football Club from extinction. Jamie took time off from training to sign up for a seat. His support follows both Manchester United and City's decision

  • Redknapp signs-up for the Shakers

    LIVERPOOL and England ace Jamie Redknapp is the latest star to get behind the campaign to save Bury Football Club from extinction. Jamie took time off from training to sign up for a seat. His support follows both Manchester United and City's decision

  • Marcus not hell bent on revenge

    FORMER Blackburn favourite Marcus Bent today insisted he will not be driven by revenge tomorrow as he aims to fire the goals to plunge Rovers deeper into relegation trouble. Bent admits he was left 'hurt and bewildered' after he was bombed out by Rovers

  • Kids don't need all this pressure

    WHEN asked at nursery why she wasn't playing, my three-year-old told staff: "I'm stressed out." They laughed when they told me and so did I, despite being a tad embarrassed - it was obvious from whom she had picked up the phrase. That may have been brushed

  • Windfall cheer for textile mill team

    MORE than 300 employees at a Darwen textile mill are quids as they will share part of a £57.3million profit windfall. Herbert Parkinson Weaving Mill, in Westwell Street, has has bucked the trend after a year in which more than one thousand manufacturing

  • Massive blaze at Leigh garage

    FIREMEN risked their lives tackling a massive blaze at a Leigh garage early on Monday as flames engulfed dangerous acetylene cylinders. Firefighters spent several minutes in the Montfords Yard corrugated metal building on Jury Street before they noticed

  • We cannot make the headlines

    JUST take note of the following: 'Gunners hit winner', 'McAteer winner', 'City close gap', 'Gazza staying at Everton', 'Ferguson accuses Arsenal', 'Paterson strike nets Jags semi spot', 'Clark KO for Cottagers', 'Thomas Fitness Race'. These were the football

  • Revolution coming over lettings

    WAITING lists for rented housing in Blackburn and Darwen are set to be scrapped in a homes-to-let revolution. A ground-breaking, choice- based lettings scheme is to be introduced this summer, after the authority won £450,000 from the government for a

  • Blake a better buy than flop Grabbi

    REGARDING Steven Cummings' article (LET, February 26) on Blackburn Rovers' clown academy going into Europe and being beaten by Swedish carpet layers, it's all true. As a Burnley fan who has gone to every game this campaign, nothing pleases me more than

  • Councils may pick up the party bills

    COUNCILS could foot the bill for street parties to celebrate the Queen's Golden Jubilee later this year. It was feared that costs for a street party could put people off holding events, with third-party insurance to the value of £5million, road closure

  • Moore's diggin' his judo role

    YOU would be hard pushed to find a connection between digging for coal on your hands and knees in a Burnley pit to becoming a top national judo coach with Olympic and Commonwealth Games experience. But that is exactly what former miner Brian Moore did

  • Keith willing to give award to dad

    WHEN you've worked at a football club for 50 years, you might expect to start breaking some length of service records. But Keith Lord, who celebrates his 50th year at Clitheroe this season, has no intention of setting any records - he is happy for his

  • Pay increases for top brass

    TOWN Hall top brass are to get pay increases as part of another shake-up in the higher echelons. The number of departments is being cut from five to four, which leaders say will mean a better and more cost-effective service. A new post of deputy chief

  • Landfill plan is dumped

    CONTROVERSIAL plans to turn a disused quarry into a landfill site have been thrown out. Councillors unanimously rejected the application on Thursday (March 7) at the end of Tony Ingham, a leading campaigner from Ramsbottom Against Landfill (RALF), a protest