Archive

  • EVENTS taking place in East Lancashire on Wednesday, March 12

    A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. Clitheroe Ramblers, Chester Avenue car park, Clitheroe, 1pm. Women's Aglow Fellowship, Accrington Town Hall, 7.30pm. Chorley Aglow Ladies. All women welcome. Rossendale

  • Why pile on the pressure?

    THE lady who complained about being called cock by a sister at Blackburn Infirmary has been suffering from panic attacks (LET, March 4) but has she stopped to think about the consequences of her action? How many needed resources has this complaint taken

  • 'Cock' is a friendly term

    REGARDING your report headlined "Nurses quip made me flip" (LET, March 4), Mrs Christine Wilkin-Wyke received an apology from the Blackburn Infirmary trust for being spoken to in what I consider to be a widely-used local colloquial manner -- perhaps in

  • Watch out for pensioner power

    IF England follows Scotland and fields a proportionate number of candidates to the 100 or so which the Senior Citizens Unite party is putting forward there, then in the May elections, the present political parties are in for a real shock. The established

  • Destiny is our responsibility

    I agree with Albert Morris (Letters, February 22) -- the Rev Kevin Logan really does live in a world of his own when it comes to humanity and its beginnings. Evolution shows us a crystal clear way how we have evolved into the human species. As we grow

  • Nurses walking on eggshells

    REGARDING the case of a sister in the Accident and Emergency Department at Blackburn Infirmary being criticised for addressing a woman patient as 'cock,' (LET, March 4), I do not know the sister and do not work in A and E, department, but I have been

  • Company will share costs of bus corridor

    A BUS company has agreed to help fund a bus priority corridor between Bolton and Leigh in one of the first deals of its kind in the country. First Manchester has pledged to share the cost of the scheme with the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority

  • Boy injured after letting dog out

    A BOY needed hospital treatment after being attacked by an alsatian dog. The eight-year-old later admitted to police that he and a friend had opened a garden gate to free the animal. Paramedics were called to East Street in Bury on Sunday (March 9) at

  • MP will speak at Iraq meeting

    A PUBLIC meeting is being held in Bury this Saturday (March 15) to discuss the crisis over Iraq. The Mayor of Bury, Councillor John Smith, will chair the meeting which is at the Met arts centre from 10am to noon. Bury North MP David Chaytor will also

  • Body found hanging from bridge

    AN investigation was under way today after a man's body was discovered hanging from a bridge. The body was found above the River Darwen at 7.40am today at Hollin Bridge Street, Blackburn. The area was closed off to traffic from the Ewood triangle and

  • Suite succes

    THE imposing entrance to Radcliffe High School is fitting for its 72-year history. But inside, the school is at the cutting edge of technology. It has officially opened its THIRD Information Technology Suite in a special presentation ceremony attended

  • Give the disabled a chance

    REMPLOY Radcliffe is calling upon businesses in the area to "Double the Opportunities" for disabled people in the workforce. The appeal is part of a national challenge launched by the employers' body, the CBI. Remploy, based in Eton Hill Road, Radcliffe

  • Stig quits football

    BLACKBURN defender Stig Bjornebye has been forced to quit professional football. The former Norwegian international made the heartbreaking decision after finally accepting defeat in his battle to overcome a serious eye injury. The 33-year-old defender

  • Dog attack: Three due to face court

    THREE people are due before court after a pack of dogs attacked a seven-year-old boy Detectives investigating the attack on Sam Leverett on land off Tunnel Street, Burnley, said a man aged 19 and two women aged 16 and 38 have been reported to the court

  • Hi-tech job centre 'a priority' for town

    PLANS to bring a state-of-the-art jobs and benefits centre to Burnley remain a top priority for the government. The news came after MP Peter Pike met with employment minister Nick Brown at Westminster yesterday. Mr Pike wants to see a JobCentre Plus share

  • Cliviger Bulletin

    TAMMY Smith from the Countryside Agency attended the recent meeting of Cliviger Parish Council to discuss resources available to assist in developing and delivering a local plan. She informed the council on how best to conduct a parish 'audit of needs

  • Mill's mystery of Mary's reference

    STAFF at a Burnley museum were baffled after a job reference written 84 years ago mysteriously arrived in the post. Employees at Queen Street Textile Museum are now intrigued to find out more about the letter, written on notepaper bearing the Queen Street

  • Fozzy aims to take some shifting

    FORGOTTEN man Martyn Forrest was back in the Shakers starting line-up at Hartlepool on Friday and he aims to stay there writes PHIL THORP. Midfielder Forrest started the season as first team skipper but a run of bad form resulted in him slipping out of

  • Chairman backs league initiative

    SHAKERS joint chairman John Smith has given his full backing to the Football League body being set up to help Third Division clubs manage their finances. The Financial Monitoring Unit will be made up of Football League officials, the Professional Footballers

  • Cooking quiz

    THE Pendle Youth Chef Finals, sponsored by the British Army, will take place at Nelson and Colne College tomorrow. Competitors will be using their culinary skills to create a range of food to compete for prizes provided by the Army. The top prize is the

  • Housing shop talk

    BURY Housing Forum holds its annual meeting this Thursday (March 13) at Bury Town Hall. Councillor John Smith, housing spokesman, said: "Over the last 12 months the forum has been tackling a number of issues and the meeting gives everyone the chance to

  • I can't be in two places at once

    REGARDING the peace march due on Saturday in Blackburn, maybe it would be better the following day. This would enable those, such as myself, who have tickets for the 'big match' at Ewood Park and wish to join the rally to attend and would also assist

  • Sister deserves an apology

    REGARDING Mrs Christine Wilkin-Wyke's complaint about being addressed as "cock" by a ward sister at Blackburn Infirmary (LET, March 4), what a load of rubbish! I was brought up in Oswaldtwistle, where she lives, and this was a definite term of endearment

  • Don't let Darreners down

    BEING Darwen-bred, I was disappointed to see (LET, February 22) a court report of an illegal immigrant who reportedly 'had been living in Blackburn' but whose address was given as Britten Street, Darwen. There's not much hope for the campaigners to get

  • How about some cash back?

    LIKE most Hyndburn residents, I have received a waste recycling box and bag and most likely in future will get two wheelie bins. What I would like to know is, what happens to the revenue from aluminium cans, bottles, paper and garden waste, which is recycled

  • Staff putting on fund day

    STAFF at the Skipton Building Society in Colne, hold a fundraising day on Friday, for Comic Relief, with a Big Hair Do at the branch, in Albert Road, which, they said, will be transformed into the "reddest branch in Lancashire." There will be an opportunity

  • Old pals is a real work of theatrical art

    THE phrase "that's what friends are for" will never seem quite the same again after you've laughed your way through this brilliant play that's stormed world stages over the past seven years. Its success is down to the superb English translation from the

  • Five years ago

    HEDGELAYERS from throughout Lancashire turned out in force for a top competition aimed at keeping the ancient skill alive. More than 20 took part in the event near Clitheroe.

  • Ten years ago

    THWAITES transformed St John's Tavern in Blackburn, town centre with French flags, bar staff sporting berets and charged prices based on French duty levels. It was done to highlight the difference in price of beer between the UK and France because of

  • UEFA Cup is worth the effort

    HERE I am placing a £50 charity bet courtesy of Ladbrokes bookmakers. The wager is on Rovers to get into Europe at odds of 4-1, and the NSPCC will be £250 better off if the team bring home the bacon. If the bet goes down, the bookmakers have still kindly

  • Groups focus of network plea

    COMMUNITY groups in Hyndburn are being encouraged to make their voice heard by getting involved with a community network group. The Community Empowerment Network is one of several set up across the country to enable voluntary and community sector involvement

  • Residents' group vows to carry on

    A RESIDENTS' association has pledged to carry on its work after the chairman and vice-chairman quit. Bernard Sullivan announced his intention to stand down as chairman of West Accrington Residents' Association seconds after being presented with an award

  • Give the disabled a chance

    REMPLOY Radcliffe is calling upon businesses in the area to "Double the Opportunities" for disabled people in the workforce. The appeal is part of a national challenge launched by the employers' body, the CBI. Remploy, based in Eton Hill Road, Radcliffe

  • Farmers get free advice on back-up income

    FARMERS and rural businesses in East Lancashire are set to cash in on a share of a grant to help keep their businesses going. Following a successful six-month pilot the Northwest Development Agency has secured £742,600 towards a further three years of

  • Pompey clash in doubt

    CLARETS top scorer Gareth Taylor is back in the Wales squad for their Euro 2004 qualifiers at the end of the month. The in-form striker was named in the 27-man squad by Mark Hughes yesterday afternoon. He was again watched in action in the FA Cup quarter-final

  • Shakers show their good side

    HARTLEPOOL UNITED 0 BURY 0: HOW Andy Preece must wish his side played the Third Division's top teams every week writes PHIL THORP. The unpredictable Shakers fully deserved Friday night's hard-earned point from the section's runaway leaders. Making a mockery

  • More flights from Blackpool

    ONE of the North West's smaller airports is celebrating the news that a second low cost airline is to operate from it. FlyBe is to launch daily flights to Belfast from Blackpool Airport starting May 19. It follows hard on the heels of Ryanair's recent

  • Lorraine and Philip take over

    The Sparth Manor pub has a new pair of faces behind the Clayton-le-Moors bar. Lorraine Wickham and Philip Wroth took over the pub, on Sparth Road, after spending six months at the Savick, in Ashton-in-Ribble, Preston. They are considering a number of

  • Cabbie to take the driving seat at pub

    A ROSSENDALE cabby is set to swap life in the fast lane to pull pints at one of his favourite pubs. Simon Cox, 35, of Commercial Street, Loveclough, will take over the reins at the Craven Heifer pub, in Rawtenstall, on March 31. The taxi driver, who has

  • Streetwise show

    MEMBERS of a drama group are set to perform their own show on the professional stage when they appear at Manchester's Contact Theatre tonight (Tues March 11). Streetwise, based at the Information Shop for Young People, in The Rock, Bury, was set up in

  • Suite succes for High School

    THE imposing entrance to Radcliffe High School is fitting for its 72-year history. But inside, the school is at the cutting edge of technology. It has officially opened its THIRD Information Technology Suite in a special presentation ceremony attended

  • Bishop in touch

    THE Bishop of Burnley visited Sainsbury's in Darwen in an effort to keep in touch with people in their workplace. The Rt Rev John Goddard met workers at the store and dropped in on call centre workers from Capita, at India Mill. The Rev Kevin Arkell,

  • 'Come and listen' plea over proposed health centre

    DARWEN residents are urged to attend a health centre meeting in an attempt to end fears and confusion about the town's new development. As controversy continues over the location of the £11 million centre behind Darwen Leisure Centre, MP Janet Anderson

  • Pupils find lessons can be murder!

    PUPILS turned detectives at a Rossendale high school as part of National Science Week. A classroom at Alder Grange, Haslingden Road, Rawtenstall, was transformed into a murder scene complete with body as part of the project. The mystery unravelled with

  • Looking for passion in local workforce

    A NEW community and economic regeneration programme is to be pioneered in Rossendale, thanks to £250,000-worth of funding. The programme will involve recruiting 50 people to be part of a local group called Passion at Work in Rossendale, whose aim is to

  • Teenagers mugged in separate street attacks

    POLICE are appealing for witnesses after two teenagers were attacked in Rossendale yesterday. An 18-year-old was approached by two men on his way home from work in Bacup Road, Rawtensall, at 3.30pm. Police said the men stopped him and asked: "What are

  • Kara-Jane's out to grab your attention

    PEOPLE who don't know local businesswoman Kara-Jane McGill often marvel at her professional appearence and fantastic organisational skills. But behind this young woman's polished exterior lies an inspirational story of drive and determination against

  • Mum's thousands for priceless treatment

    A KIND-HEARTED mum has given a welcome cash injection to a Blackpool hospital ward to thank staff for their compassion for her late mother. Janet Foran donated £3000 win in a company competition to the haematology ward at Blackpool Victoria Hospital saying

  • Ain't no Sunshine since he's gone

    A BLACKPOOL teenager faces an overnight curfew and ban on entering the grounds of a local school after a landmark court order last week. The anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) against 16-year-old Sunshine Wood, of Powell Avenue, South Shore, is only the

  • Broadly speaking we want internet now

    CAMPAIGNERS have pledged to continue to fight for fast internet access across the Fylde coast after winning their battle to bring Broadband to Fleetwood and North Shore. Broadband will go live in those areas on May 21, but Layton, Central Blackpool and

  • Halting the 'new plague'

    A SEMINAR on how to prevent a 'deadly new plague' will be held in Blackburn tomorrow. Health professionals and community organisations will come together to discuss heart disease and how health can be improved to prevent it. Dr Ahmed Shihadah, one of

  • Support group helps to ease families' grief

    A FATHER today spoke of his mixed emotions after 25 people attended the first meeting of his support group for those bereaved by suicide. Myron Kuczer, of Elim Place, Mill Hill, set up the group in memory of his son Lee, who threw himself from Blackburn's

  • Centres boss quits to travel the world

    THE man responsible for the management of Blackburn and Darwen town centres has resigned, prompting calls from traders to make the role more "trader-oriented" in future. Paul Isherwood, town centre manager for Blackburn with Darwen Council, has resigned

  • Tough at the top for Stanley

    BEING top of the league has certainly kept Accrington Stanley on their toes. And manager John Coleman doubts that will change as he takes his side to Altrincham for their hastily re-arranged game tonight. "They'll see us as a big scalp," said Stanley

  • Rams should be fresh

    JIMMY Clarke reckons his players should have fresh legs for their trip to Glossop North End tonight. Ramsbottom's joint manager says some players have been suffering from stiffness as they cram in their remaining games. But a break at the weekend has

  • Dale's Cup final dreams shattered

    ROSSENDALE's cup exploits came to an end at the International Stadium against a very strong Premier Division outfit. Gateshead had suffered just one reverse in 2003 and had thrashed Premier Division leaders Accrington Stanley on their own patch, so defeat

  • PNE players to give their all

    CRAIG BROWN has scotched talk of a late push for the play-offs - but his players aren't so sure! Three wins on the bounce - including two away from home - have lifted the Lilywhites to 12th in Division One, and just nine points adrift of the play-offs

  • Manchester League

    LATEST tables PREMIER DIVISION P W D L F A Pts GD Wythenshawe Amateurs... 25 14 6 5 43 28 48 15 Leigh Athletic... 25 11 5 9 60 37 38 23 Irlam Mitchell Shackleton... 21 11 4 6 41 33 37 8 Dukinfield Town... 23 11 3 9 40 35 36 5 Stockport Georgians... 21

  • A crucial role in borough's future

    THE role of manager for the town centres of Blackburn and Darwen is a pivotal position for the development of the borough. It is important that wealth earned by residents is spent within the area so that prosperity is shared, and that means our town centres

  • The challenge of lone parenthood

    THOUGH the evidence of their own eyes will bear out the findings of the 2001 Census on the rise of the single-parent family in Lancashire, the sheer rate of the increase will surprise many. The number of lone-parent households has almost doubled in the

  • Patients entitled to some respect

    I THOUGHT your comment (LET, March 4) regarding Mrs Christine Wilkin-Wyke's complaint at the way she was addressed when recently attending the Accident and Emergency department at Blackburn Infirmary was pathetic. In my view, she had every reason to complain

  • Health boss showed a pitiful attitude

    ONLY one person comes out of the 'right, cock' saga (LET, March 4) with a questionable attitude. Not the complainant who obviously wasn't well and certainly not the nurse who was equally obviously simply being kindly and friendly. No, the one person with

  • There must be fairer ways of taxation

    SO here we go again -- the Council Tax! Apart from the taxes that precipitated the American War of Independence, this has to be the most unfair tax ever devised by a British government. It is far more unfair than some form of poll tax, but possibly because

  • Law has priorities wrong

    WITH regard to speed cameras, I wonder if regular drivers through Lancashire have noticed the extended sequence times of traffic signals? We sit watching the glow of the red signal for what seems an eternity. We become bored. In fact, we become very bored

  • All political parties have betrayed us

    WHY do we pay our taxes? We are told that it is for a health service available to all according to their needs -- not true. The fact is that sick people are being left to suffer due to poor management, massive wastage and queue jumping by economic migrants

  • Housing shop talk

    BURY Housing Forum holds its annual meeting this Thursday (March 13) at Bury Town Hall. Councillor John Smith, housing spokesman, said: "Over the last 12 months the forum has been tackling a number of issues and the meeting gives everyone the chance to

  • Gunman escapes with cash

    A ROBBER fled with cash after holding a female worker at gunpoint in a store raid. A man posing as a customer walked into the SR Convenience Store in Young Street, Radcliffe, at 2.25pm on Friday (March 7) and threatened the 28-year-old worker with a handgun

  • School axes teacher

    A SECONDARY school teacher has been sacked over his relationship with a pupil, it was revealed today. Alan Dawson, a maths teacher at Pleckgate High School, Blackburn, was dismissed following a staff disciplinary hearing led by the headteacher. Criminal

  • Police launch firearms amnesty

    A FIREARMS amnesty is to be held in Greater Manchester next month as part of a new initiative to tackle gun crime. Holders of replica and air weapons are also being invited to hand them in. Local police have welcomed the new national firearms amnesty

  • Rovers cut prices to tenner

    COME and watch Premiership football for a tenner. That's the inviting offer Blackburn Rovers are laying on the table as they target the crucial Premier League clash with Charlton Athletic at Ewood Park on Saturday April 12. Rovers have slashed prices

  • School's bid off to flying start

    A SCIENCE fair to celebrate "100 years of powered flight" was held at a Burnley high school yesterday. Habergham High School, Kiddrow Lane, celebrated the event to coincide with National Science week and the school's launch for specialised science and

  • Window smash man severed tendons

    A YOUTH who smashed his next door neighbour's window had found out the hard way crime did not pay, Burnley Magistrates heard. Brian Birtwistle, 20, had severed tendons in his hand, was awaiting surgery and was possibly facing extensive physiotherapy,

  • Residents pick up pieces

    RESIDENTS and motorists told of their shock today after windows and vehicles were damaged in a rampage. Shop windows were smashed and cars attacked during the incident in Abel Street, Daneshouse, Burnley, yesterday. A police vehicle was also damaged after

  • Truancy figures "underline need for action"

    ONE in seven pupils who were stopped in a truancy sweep in Bury were absent without permission. And a poll shows that some parents think this will not harm their education, despite the facts proving otherwise. Bury MP Ivan Lewis, minister for young people

  • Boss still on talent trek

    SHAKERS boss Andy Preece will this week step up his attempts to inject new blood into his promotion chasing side. The Bury manager believes one or two fresh faces could be just what his team needs as the race to get out of Division Three reaches its climax

  • No jail for banned soldier caught driving

    A SOLDIER who got behind the wheel three weeks after being banned has kept his freedom, but faces another year off the road. Mohammed Usman, 19, had been disqualified on February 14 but was caught driving on March 7, Burnley Magistrates heard. The defendant

  • MP will speak at Iraq meeting

    A PUBLIC meeting is being held in Bury this Saturday (March 15) to discuss the crisis over Iraq. The Mayor of Bury, Councillor John Smith, will chair the meeting which is at the Met arts centre from 10am to noon. Bury North MP David Chaytor will also

  • Police hunt for bogus officials

    POLICE are hunting two bogus officials who targeted the homes of an elderly man and woman in Radcliffe in two separate incidents. At about 1.30pm on Saturday, a man and woman posing as water company officials called at a house in Bury Road, Radcliffe.

  • Informality eases the tension

    I CANNOT believe that Mrs Christine Wilkin-Wyke complained about the way she was addressed by a sister at Blackburn Infirmary (LET, March 4). My father recently had a brain haemorrhage and was admitted there and I think the informality and friendly nature

  • Sums getting confused

    REGARDING Donald Jepson's comments on the BNP win in Blackburn last November (Letters, February 25), what everyone is too blind to see is that if the BNP won with 'only' one third or a quarter of the votes, the other political parties combined only pulled

  • Political correctness gone mad

    HAVE we lost all sense of proportion? Have our priorities gone out of the window? Are we so affected by the scourge of political correctness that the ancient Anglo-Saxon word "cock" is now considered offensive? (LET, March 4). I am quite sure that no

  • Care for me - call me what you want

    I READ in disgust and dismay yet another story about 'offence' at 'the way I was addressed' (LET, March 4). I am an 'Ossier' born and bred and never ever would I take offence at being addressed as 'cock' or 'mate.' I'd be more concerned about the level

  • We are not scroungers

    HOW dare your very anonymous correspondent, commenting on sickness levels among Blackburn with Darwen Council employees (Letters, February 21) call me a scrounger? I and my colleagues in our particular part of the council work very hard indeed. Our times

  • Your homes are safe, tenants told

    TENANTS today spoke of their joy after hearing the future of their homes was safe. Neighbours in Duke Street, Winewall Lane and Hawley Street, Winewall, and in Wood Street, Colne, contacted their landlord West Pennine Housing Association after they became

  • Figure in dead teenager's flat too tall to be her

    A PERSON caught on CCTV in the flat of former Colne teenager Kim Newson was too tall to be her, a court heard. A jury was shown an enhanced image, which the prosecution said shows Stephen Charles Hughes on March 5 last year -- the day Miss Newson, 18,

  • Coming week is going to be tough

    WITH around 10 minutes remaining and Burnley trailing 1-0 to Watford, a huge bank of dark cloud rolled over what had been a glorious sun, casting an imposing shadow over Vicarage Road and the 4,200 Clarets in the away end. With the benefit of hindsight

  • Betting scam man awaits sentence

    A PROFESSIONAL gambler nicknamed "The Pencil Man" for a betting scam which included defrauding an East Lancashire bookmakers, has been arrested after more than a month on the run. Conman John Bailey, 32, brazenly wrote to a judge in January saying he

  • Bus bosses hit out at cramped station

    TWO bus companies fined thousands of pounds for running unreliable services today blamed Accrington bus station. M&M Coaches and Pilkington were fined 20 per cent of their fuel rebate -- money refunded by the Government to help pay for services --

  • BNP scraps bid for council seats

    THE British National Party has scrapped plans to target Hyndburn in this year's local elections because they could not find enough candidates. But they have pledged to be back next year, and say it is only a matter of time before they register their first

  • 'Betrayal' letter led to attack on ex

    A MAN felt betrayed after reading a letter which detailed how his former girlfriend had cheated on him with his best friend, Blackburn magistrates were told.. The court heard that Christopher McManamon was incensed by the contents of the letter, sent

  • Clarets' make or break week

    THE Clarets prepare for the visit to Bramall Lane tomorrow evening knowing that they have got three games in six days that could make or break their season. Following the trip to the Blades, they travel to Walsall on Saturday and then host Leicester City

  • My money's on Freddie for captain

    ALL the talk is of who the skipper should be for the England one-day side - why don't they pick the side first? I know that it is obvious to say copy the Aussies, but there is a good reason to do that - they are the best side in the world. The talk has

  • Blackpool-London flights takes off

    LOW-COST airline Ryanair announced today that it is to launch twice-daily flights linking Blackpool airport with London Stansted. The seven days a week service starts on May 1 -- three weeks before the airline starts service from Blackpool to Dublin.

  • Darting for a good cause

    CUSTOMERS at the Fort Arms pub, on Lower Barnes Street, Clayton-le-Moors, stood at the oche for a charity darts night to raise money for a cancer charity. They managed to raise £369 for Christies Against Cancer, a charity supported by pub tenant Barry

  • Town could be a model of recycling

    RESIDENTS in Ramsbottom are still living under the shadow of having a landfill site near their homes. This is the stark warning from Ramsbottom Against Landfill (RALF) which is urging people to help lift the threat by recycling their waste. They want

  • Unsworth sign up Big Mac by STEVE BOTT

    UNSWORTH Cricket Club have signed up 25-year-old South African spin bowler Robert MacQueen as their professional for the 2003 Central Lancashire League season. MacQueen, who has played at Under-19 level for his country, hails from Durban and is a regular

  • Clarets' make or break week

    THE Clarets prepare for the visit to Bramall Lane tomorrow evening knowing that they have got three games in six days that could make or break their season. Following the trip to the Blades, they travel to Walsall on Saturday and then host Leicester City

  • Stig quits football

    BLACKBURN defender Stig Bjornebye has been forced to quit professional football. The former Norwegian international made the heartbreaking decision after finally accepting defeat in his battle to overcome a serious eye injury. The 33-year-old defender

  • Sports quiz planned for big awards evening

    TICKETS are now on sale for the town's sporting night of the year, the Bury Metro Sports Council Gala Awards. The annual event will be held at the town hall's Elizabethan Suite on Friday, April 4 from 7.30pm to 10.30pm. The night will incorporate a sports

  • Comedy next

    DARWEN Library Players have announced a change to their second production of the year. Instead of the advertised Trio, a triple helping of one-act plays, the group will perform a comedy by Bettine Manktelow, entitled Curtain Call. The play depicts a chaotic

  • Bid to repair beauty spot seats

    FRIENDS of Sunnyhurst Wood are looking to repair two well-used benches in the beauty spot. Brian Winder, Friends secretary, said: "Two of the benches near the reservoir are used so much that they are in desperate need of repair. "The paintwork has been

  • Parking petition launched

    TRADERS in Bridge Street, Darwen, have started a petition to set up limited parking spaces. The street was pedestrianised 18 years ago and ever since then, traders have complained business has dropped dramatically. Eileen Helliwell of Helliwell's Shoe

  • Dedicated Alex maps out right route to funds

    A KEEN walker from Tockholes has put pen to paper in an attempt to preserve the village's beauty and raise £3,500 for the local school. Alex Heede, 60, has spent £5,000 of his own money writing and printing a guide to Tockholes for walkers. After starting

  • Pupils warned of stranger danger

    PRIMARY school pupils have been given emergency safety advice after an eight-year-old girl was the victim of an attempted snatch in Darwen. A specially trained police officer visited three schools near the Monton Road area after the girl was dragged into

  • Women learning new skills

    WOMEN enjoyed learning new skills at a special workshop designed to coincide with International Women's Day, at Whitewell Bottom Youth and Community Centre in Burnley Road East. It was was held on Saturday for women and girls. The courses included car

  • Former P&P staff invited to reunion

    COMPUTER entrepreneur Peter Fisher is trying to track down the workers who helped him build the P&P empire. He has organised an open week at his former headquarters at the Carrs Industrial Estate in Haslingden and wants to see as many of his former

  • It just gets worse as Jody goes too

    Matlock Town...2 Radcliffe Borough...1 by IAN HANNAY JUST when it seemed things couldn't get any worse for Radcliffe Borough, they did! Having slumped to their second defeat in four days they were dealt another blow after the final whistle when 33-goal

  • Council could face bill for cock-up

    WYRE Borough Council may be forced to pay compensation to a resident whose house value plunged after a council cock-up. The man said he had also lost the view across fields from his house because a developer was wrongly allowed to cross his property and

  • Man dragged from church 'like terrorist'

    POLICE dragged a worshipper out of a St Annes church 'like an international terrorist' this week, a court has heard. Six police officers in two vans turned up at Our Lady of the Sea Roman Catholic Church to apprehend Simon Frodsham on Tuesday. Frodsham's

  • Women join forces for worldwide celebration

    THOUSANDS of women around the globe gathered in celebrations to mark International Women's Day. More than 300 guests attended workshops and activities in the Windsor Suite at King George's Hall, Blackburn, where the attractions included a Blackburn Rovers

  • Cyclists raise £10,000

    ELEVEN cyclists have raised £10,000 cycling 200 miles for Cancer Research and the Anthony Nolan Trust. The three-day coast to coast cycle began at St Bees Head in the Lake District and finished at Robin Hood's Bay, south of Whitby. It was organised last

  • Body found hanging from bridge

    AN investigation was under way today after a man's body was discovered hanging from a bridge. The body was found above the River Darwen at 7.40am today at Hollin Bridge Street, Blackburn. The area was closed off to traffic from the Ewood triangle and

  • Single parent families double

    A CHANGE in lifestyles is being blamed for a huge increase in single parent families across Lancashire. Figures from the 2001 Census show the number of lone parent households with children with Lancashire County Council's boundaries almost doubled in

  • Man jailed, 20 years after sex attacks

    A MAN has been jailed for nine years for sex offences carried out more than two decades ago. A court heard that Norman Heaps' crimes had had a severe effect on his two young victims. The judge who passed the sentence at Preston Crown Court told the 59

  • Phoenix night-mare!

    A COPPER came a cropper when his attempts to imitate one of his favourite TV characters for a charity fundraiser turned into a Phoenix nightmare. Keith Rimmer joined colleagues from Blackburn CID in fancy dress as characters from the hit Channel 4 comedy

  • School axes teacher

    A SECONDARY school teacher has been sacked over his relationship with a pupil, it was revealed today. Alan Dawson, a maths teacher at Pleckgate High School, Blackburn, was dismissed following a staff disciplinary hearing led by the headteacher. Criminal

  • First half double seals win for Blues

    CLITHEROE bagged another three points on their travels with a convincing win at Curzon Ashton. With the title almost conceded by manager Lee Sculpher, runners up spot to likely winners Prescot Cables is the aim of the Blues boss. "If we can't win it,

  • Hosting trophy is great for clubs... and referees

    SOME of these television pundits do talk a load of rubbish! They said James Beattie wasn't getting any support up front in Southampton's FA Cup quarter-final win over Wolves. But I thought our old boy Brett Ormerod had a great game and did really well

  • Rams to the slaughter

    PRESTON took their chances and had led the Rams like lambs to the slaughter by half-time. Confident from defence all the way to the front, North End were the brighter side from the start. It was Graham Alexander who put Preston into the lead after just

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    AN Atherton woman who could not read until she was nine has picked up a prestigious award for helping children to learn to read. Mrs Noreen Farnell is the first person to receive the Bolton Literacy Trust Award, sponsored by the Bolton Evening News, to

  • Suite succes for High School

    THE imposing entrance to Radcliffe High School is fitting for its 72-year history. But inside, the school is at the cutting edge of technology. It has officially opened its THIRD Information Technology Suite in a special presentation ceremony attended

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    SOCIAL services bosses will delay making a decision on two threatened old folks homes by three months. Campaigners accuse them of putting off the controversial decision until after the local elections, a charge they deny. The future of Warthfield in Bury

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    THEweather might have decimated the Manchester League programme, but it did leave the top two to go head to head at Madley Park where Leigh Athletic entertained current leaders Wythenshawe Amateurs. The incessant rain eroded the chances of a free-flowing