ANOTHER awful accident on the notorious Grane Road between Blackburn and Haslingden brings renewed calls for action. This time, frightened residentswant the speed limit outside their homes cut from 50 mph to 30 mph. As yet it is unclear whether speed
AS Councillor Dave Smith (Letters, May 23) is unable to assimilate what he reads, but is intent on trying to score points while being oblivious to the hardship inflicted on pensioner and old soldier Mr Thomas Bywater by a callous council -- the subject
I WAS saddened to read of the way Burnley Wood has deteriorated over the years and of the vandalism to the Over-50s Centre (LET, May 20). My family, the Stephensons/Slingers, lived in Burnley Wood for more than 100 years. I had a very happy and safe childhood
I HOPE that now after the disgraceful actions by the Anti Nazi League on May 15 at Burnley Town Hall, the local council will finally see them for what they really are -- anti-democratic hooligans -- and clamp down on their activities in the town. They
HAMISH McLean (Letters, May 19) repeats the myth that Darwen does not get its fair share of council spending compared to Blackburn. This is not true. Two thirds of the council's mainstream budget goes on education and social services. Exactly the same
PLEASE sir, can we have some more! That's what members of Blackpool and the Fylde Light Opera Company hope their audience will be saying when they perform Oliver next month. The famous Lionel Bart musical -- featuring memorable numbers as Food Glorious
PLANS for a new jobs and benefits centre in Burnley could be scrapped if council bosses don't to sell the town hall car park to developers. JobCentre Plus want to buy the site to develop their new high-tech base and say it is the only site in the town
PEOPLE power has won the day for the Puccino's coffee bar in its year-long battle for the right to stay open. And councillors and the owner at the centre of the wrangle today united to say the decision was a victory for common sense. A meeting of Blackburn
RADCLIFFE has grabbed more power than ever on Bury Council's all-powerful executive. A shake-up following this month's local elections means that the town's councillors now occupy exactly half of the committee's ten seats. Siobhan Costello, who represents
EFFORTS to bring stability and peace to war-torn Iraq were strengthened this week with the deployment of 25 of the borough's young men. The Territorial Army soldiers, members of the Lancastrian and Cumbrian Volunteers (LCV), left Bury on Thursday heading
A VETERAN walker with a head for heights has finally realised his ambition and conquered Britain's highest peak, Ben Nevis. And fellow walkers helped him celebrate on the snow-capped peak with a bottle of champagne! Trevor Williams (57) of Holcombe Avenue
IT was a time of celebration and reflection when East Lancashire Railway staged its annual 1940s Wartime Weekend over the bank holiday. The three-day commemoration of the Second World War took on extra poignance this year, given the recent events in the
BURY hosted a visit by 40 "Table guests" who lapped up Lancastrian hospitality in the true spirit of friendship. Round Table members from France, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Holland spent four days in the town, courtesy of their counterparts in Bury,
BLACKBURN Rovers today announced a major new sponsorship deal for the next two seasons. HSA, one of the UK's leading health plan providers, will be the name on the front of the blue and white shirts at Ewood Park in 2003-04 and the following year. The
BLACKBURN Rovers may have to play a waiting game for Rangers defender Lorenzo Amoruso, according to the player's official representative. The Ewood Park club have made a bid for the Gers centre-half and are waiting for a response from Ibrox. Amoruso's
A PRESTON drum major will be keeping time during this year's Beating Retreat army spectacular -- for the last time. Graeme Lister, 38, from Lea, will be taking up his mace for one final time leading army bands from across the country in the annual parade
A DERELICT church is being converted into an attraction where visitors will be able to watch artists at work, restoring antiques and valuables. The former Anglican church of St Mary's, behind Preston Prison, is being slowly restored by the county council's
DOROTHY Burton was just 47 years old when she died of breast cancer. On the day that would have been her and her husband Alex's 30th wedding anniversary, the Leyland mother-of-three was cremated at St Leonard's, Walton-le-Dale, the church where the couple
AN 82-year-old Leyland woman is still leading the way for her four legged friends, 25 years after she set up a charity to rehome boxer dogs. Marjorie Burnett, of Oakfield Drive, began rehoming boxers in the 1970s with her late husband Stan. The couple
PRESTON could soon be dancing the night away -- in the Harris Museum! In a report this month, council chiefs have set out their plans for the historic Harris Museum and Art Gallery. Part of the scheme, to take place over the next five years, could see
A GRANDMOTHER-of-thirteen is making history as she researches an area of Preston for the first exhibition of its kind. Christine Cromie, 63, is one of six volunteers acting as researchers, writers and oral curators for a new exhibition, to be held at
THE proposed site for Preston's new bus station has been slammed by planning experts at county hall who fear it will discourage people from using public transport. As part of the Tithebarn development, set to transform the city, Preston City Council and
BURNLEY council is to review the number of licences it issues for hackney taxis because it thinks there may be too many operating in the town. The council took the decision to review the number of licences it issues to drivers at its last executive meeting
HOMEOWNERS in the SRB6 areas of Burnley will now be able to get free help and advice to maintain their homes. The Home Maintenance Project will be officially launched next Wednesday at Burnley Business Centre to offer homeowners help to identify repairs
MP Peter Pike and Education and Skills Minister Ivan Lewis have joined forces to praise the Connexions Service in Burnley. The Minister recently visited the new careers, opportunities and skills service in the town following a good initial Ofsted inspection
A PROMINENT businesswoman is calling for measures to be taken to make Burnley a safer place after her son was assaulted for the second time in two years. Angela Batty, the president-elect of the Burnley and District Chamber of Trade, said she now fears
YOUTHS have been accused of terrorising pensioners at a sheltered accommodation complex in Burnley. Residents at Woodbine Court, off Padiham Road, said their flats have been pelted with dozens of mud balls. One 65-year-old man, who did not want to be
PLANS for a new jobs and benefits centre in Burnley could be scrapped if council bosses don't to sell the town hall car park to developers. JobCentre Plus want to buy the site to develop their new high-tech base and say it is the only site in the town
BURY Football Club is being forced to wind down its youth set-up as a cost cutting measure writes Phil Thorp The controversial decision highlights the crippling financial constraints the Shakers are working under 12 months into a four year creditors voluntary
FOOTBALL teams have one last chance to enter one of the borough's biggest sporting events. Ramsbottom Sports Week kicks off on June 8 with a host of sports competitions taking place throughout the town and in Nuttall Park. And the park will be the venue
A GIANT community fun day will be held in Bury this weekend at the Elton Centre to support local schools. The event, on Saturday, May 31, from 11am to 4pm, has been organised by the Bury West Area Board. Taking part will be the police, St John Ambulance
THOSE from Preston Grasshoppers' Under 17s who supplemented the Hoppers Senior Colts' squad attempt to pick up the National Colts Plate have much to reflect on from the season, and much to look forward to in the next twelve months as they transfer into
A LOOK at the latest CD and single releases from the music scene. CERYS MATTHEWS: Cockahoop THE difference between loving and hating this album depends on two things -- your feelings towards country music and Cery's Matthew's distinctive voice. The former
MANY community groups -- which are the focus of our first Pride of East Lancashire award -- are geared towards one particular cause, however great or small. But a number of community and voluntary groups have other positive repercussions. Jigsaw Pantry
ATHERTON churches, schools and the Church Army are combining for a week long series of community events. Mission week runs from June 8-15 featuring visitors from Namibia, daily services, a barbecue, brass band music, a faith lunch and a walk to Rivington
LEIGH'S only multi-storey car park is plagued by vandals. The Bengal Street car park, opened in October 1999, is now a major concern for the Leigh Town Centre Management Group following complaints about drug users, drunks and hooligans by traders and
LEIGH companies demonstrated their healthy appetite for in-house development and training at the launch of a new Leigh Business Academy. More than 100 employees attended the early morning meeting at Hilton Park where one of Leigh's biggest new companies
LOWTON singer Martin Gregory Lambert has cracked the talent trail in his quest for fame. But the 18 stone star has hit out at the image conscious entertainment industry for its prejudice against anyone who is overweight. Martin, who has walked away with
PLANK Lane residents have launched a petition in a bid to rid the area of what they claim is a "blot on the landscape". They allege buildings and land on the Leigh side of the canal bridge are dangerous eyesores. But Alastair Dubbeldam, who owns former
HOW companies can profit in more ways than one from being happier and more successful will come under the microscope at the latest meeting of the Bury-based Greater Manchester Association for Spirit at Work. The event, to be held next Monday (June 2),
MOTORBIKE ace Carl Fogarty has been told to restore an ancient hedge at his Mellor home within weeks, or risk prosecution. The four-times World Superbike champion removed a four-metre section of hedge at his property in Saccary Lane last year so a local
AT BROADWATER on Saturday Fleetwood comprehensively defeated Lancaster in their Northern Premier League clash by seven wickets. Lancaster were put in to bat and were bowled out for just 87 in 47 overs. Fleetwood replied with 88-3 and had the game over
BOLTON and Bury Chamber has warned that those who occupy, manage or have responsibilities for premises which may contain asbestos now need to be fully compliant with new regulations. The Chamber stresses it is important to take steps now to ensure that
THERE was good news off the pitch at Bloomfield Road this week, as Blackpool announced that season ticket sales had broken through the 2,600 barrier. Commercial director, Geoff Warburton, said that sales at the end of the first discount period were well
RED HOT POKER: Pensioners at Wesley House flats in Tottington were just settling down to a quiet game of cards when a team of fire fighters burst into their communal room. However, the only fire they had to deal with was the glowing tip of great grandmother
SEVERAL first and second division clubs are believed to be eyeing up a swoop for Blackpool's John Hills. A Scottish premier league side is also understood to have been in touch with Hills and his advisors about a possible move. Talks with Gillingham are
ST JOSEPH'S Players are hard at work rehearsing for their next production Fish Out Of Water. Derek Benfield's hilarious comedy, produced by Josie Evans, is set in the peaceful, romantic atmosphere of an Italian hotel. But the arrival of unsuitable guests
LEIGH Carnival is back in a big way -- 19 years after the bunting was rolled away for the last time. It is hoped that the three day family event at the end of July will bring back a sense of community spirit and pride to the town. Now the organisers,
REPRESENTATIVE rugby comes back to Leigh's Hilton Park next month. RFL bosses have chosen the Centurions' HQ as the venue for the first of two clashes between a Super League U21s side and at National League U21s on Tuesday, June 10. The games are seen
ANOTHER exciting game saw Leigh Fourths take their second win of the season at home to local rivals Wigan. Losing the toss and being invited to bat, the home team made their all too familiar start, losing two wickets with only nine runs on the board.
THE third team left a chilly overcast Leigh to find a clear blue sky over the west coast town of Hightown. After the weather of recent weeks it was a rare opportunity to play the summer game in summer conditions. Leigh lost the toss and were asked to
IT was a mixed Bank Holiday weekend for E.D.S. Leigh when, after struggling to draw at New Brighton, they finally managed their first league win of the season by 70 runs at home to bottom of the table Newton-le-Willows. Leigh won the toss and asked New
WHAT could be described as the Bolton Association's two most under-achieving teams met on Saturday when Atherton played Clifton at Higham Park. Whereas the visitors looked most likely to win, it was the home side that came out with most credit from a
MUSICAL couple Donna and Alan Lewis are trumpeting the success of their band after it clinched a prestigious national title. The Elton pair joined colleagues from Leyland Band to compete in the All England Masters Competition, held in Cambridge last weekend
FOR once the final score didn't matter when two local football teams took to the pitch. Because the real star at the end of The Rangers versus The Wanderers charity match last Friday was seven-year-old Dana Carroll who is battling against a rare form
POWER by name and power by nature! That is 13-year-old Ryan Power who has proved himself a whizz-kid on the race track. For he has roared into the fast lane to be crowned the North of England junior autograss racing champion. Ryan, of Woodhill Road, Bury
RADCLIFFE firefighter Martin Fisher has returned home after searching for survivors in earthquake-hit Algeria. The 35-year-old lifesaver was a member of a ten-man team from Greater Manchester Fire Service which flew to the capital of Algiers just hours
DRUG users and abusers are being targeted in a fresh crackdown on dangerous driving. While local police continue their round-the-clock fight against drink drivers, officers specially trained in drug recognition will also help screen suspects at the roadside
CARING landlady Linda Price had a close shave, but all in the name of raising money for charity. Staff at The Old Boar's Head, in Heap Bridge, Bury, tied the 49-year-old's hair into pig tails on Sunday (May 25) before spraying them with coloured paints
CLAREMONT old people's home in Prestwich has been sold for more than £2 million to a property firm. The boarded-up building went under the auctioneer's hammer at a Manchester hotel and fetched £2,190,000, some £890,000 more than Bury Council expected!
GARETH Taylor has handed Burnley a summer injury scare after suffering a worrying knee injury on international duty. The Clarets' striker is sweating on the results of a scan after damaging a cartilage during Wales 2-0 defeat to the USA in California
PAUL Roberts's shows involve a lot of wig-wearing. Back in the 70s Paul was a member of one of the first cover bands -- Flying High -- that cast a nostalgic eye back to the music of the 60s. So, in the tidal wave of tribute bands that swept through Britain's
WITH a name like Ignition, puns about this band looking for a push-start trip off the tongue. But the Blackburn four-piece have issued an appeal for support slots to help them get experience in front of live audiences. The band have only been together
I DON'T know how many of you who read these weekly jottings look to them for inspiration with regards to where to go, who to see, what CDs to purchase, etc. I know that some of you do, as I have fielded phone calls, had mail and met you at gigs. This
A GARDEN party opens at 2pm on Saturday, June 7 at Leigh St Peter's Junior School in Leigh Street.
BURY boxer Amir Khan has been hailed as the best in the world after storming to an imperious third national title. The 16-year-old hammered promising Sheffield fighter Nicky Smedley, with a 27-5 points win securing his third Junior ABA Championship in
A STORE giant is offering local producers the chance to showcase their goods. Asda Golborne is inviting suppliers into the store from Friday, June 13 to Sunday, June 15. Anyone interested should contact Sue McCarthy or Kath Reid on 01942 723231.
FOURTEEN members of staff at Golborne Asda are taking a sign language course to help make shopping easier for the deaf. A spokesman said: "Staff will be taking the five weeks of classes because they are always eager to lend a hand to disabled customers
A CHARITY which supports elderly people in Darwen is looking for two volunteers to help it continue its services. Two volunteers at Age Concern's Darwen office, in Union Street, are due to retire, and the charity is hoping to recruit two new members to
CHILDREN in Darwen are to get a brand new play area from a £151,000 fund handed to the council by housing developers. Hargreaves Homes was granted planning permission to build 112 homes off Marsh House Lane, called Hargreaves' Clearwater Village, last
CULCHETH WI are already preparing for 2004 -- with orders being taken for next year's diary. Three resolutions which will be put to the National Federation of WI's annual meeting were supported by members. The Literary Group are to celebrate their first
NEWCHURCH WI will learn about complementary therapies at their next meeting. The talk follows a successful visit by Mrs J Yates whose subject was "Sugar and Spice" -- an introduction to Billington's unrefined sugars interspersed with amusing episodes
LOWTON families are being offered the chance to form a self-help group. Following talks between Wigan and Leigh Housing's Tenants and Residents' Participation Team and Golborne Councillor Peter Franzen a meeting will be held at 7pm on June 10 at Lowton
SNATCHED fake designer gear -- minus labels and logos -- is on its way to the orphans of Romania. Thanks to Leigh and Wigan Trading Standards department stings more goods than ever before have been confiscated this year from illicit traders in the borough
MUTUAL respect and trust are key themes in an exciting new arts venture at Westleigh Methodist Primary School. As part of the school's drive to develop community links, pupils have been working with artist in residence Jane Fairhurst to create a unique
ONE of Leigh Girls' Grammar School's last pupils has gained a degree -- over 20 years on. And it could be the start of 42-year-old Brenda Mills becoming a one woman Three Degrees. After gaining her BSc (Hons) degree in natural sciences from the Open University
LUCKY Brenda Thompson was preparing to leave for a sunshine holiday in Ibiza when she discovered her four-strong syndicate had scooped £167,352 on the National Lottery. After informing Camelot of the matching five numbers and bonus ball she deposited
THOUSANDS of gallons of water have been leaking down a village drain for over two months. Despite calls to United Utilities' Leakline and letters to the company's managing director seeking urgent action, nothing has been done to stem the flow in Mill
A LOWTON mum who lost her 24-years-old daughter to cancer in January has completed a fund-raising run in her memory. Irene Franzen led her 30-strong team of Helen's Heroes in the first Cancer Research UK Women's Race For Life . And joined by 1,000 women
FRIENDS of Mulanje Orphans wish to thank everyone for their kind help, generous gifts and assistance without which, we could not have sent a container loaded with aid to Mulanje on May 7. A very special thank you to our new friends at International Aid
PAUL Roberts's shows involve a lot of wig-wearing. Back in the 70s Paul was a member of one of the first cover bands -- Flying High -- that cast a nostalgic eye back to the music of the 60s. So, in the tidal wave of tribute bands that swept through Britain's
THE spectacle that is Mystique dazzles and delights, radiating loveliness and laughter. Mystique has a magic that appeals to both young and not so young, and its strengths are in its versatility of performance, its ever-changing scenes from Gothic illusions
WITH a name like Ignition, puns about this band looking for a push-start trip off the tongue. But the Blackburn four-piece have issued an appeal for support slots to help them get experience in front of live audiences. The band have only been together
"I AM a celebrity," insists Jonathon Morris, "but I got out of there." In case you're wondering, Jonathon played Adrian in the hit TV comedy Bread back in the 1980s. However since then, he claims, he has moved on to higher things. He said: "As far as
ANIMAL rights activists are calling for a boycott of a travelling circus which, they say, generates more complaints than any other. The Bobby Roberts Circus is at Rossall for ten nights until June 1, with a show which features dogs, ponies and an elephant
FYLDE Borough Council looks set to say goodbye to its historic town hall after striking a deal with developers. The St Annes offices will be replaced with a 'landmark building of high architectural interest' by Deeside based, David McLean Developers.
HELPING the families of drug usewrs is the aim of a new support scheme, which starts in Blackpool next week. The 14-week 'Unity' programme will offer 'educational, emotional and practical support' to carers, parents and siblings facing family drug problems
A FYLDE schoolgirl is heading a campaign to halt "rat run" traffic in a St Annes street in a bid to keep her little brother safe. In an impassioned letter to The Citizen, Jemma Brown, 12, of Kendal Road, complained that she is one of around 20 children
BLACKPOOL AIRPORT and Ryanair made air travel history on Thursday May 22, as it launched its first regular flight service between the resort and Dublin So the Citizen got down there just before take off to the 'party capital', Dublin, to find out what
SCHOOLCHILDREN from seven schools across Blackburn with Darwen will be taking part in a new form of physical education. The education team from Groundwork Blackburn will hold a series of four after-school sessions in each of the schools over the summer
A MAN had to be placed in protective custody while in prison because of his brother's involvement with a drugs baron, a court heard. The known hard-man threatened to "slash" Steven Leggat unless he got his brother to visit the jail. And Andrew Church-Taylor
LANCASHIRE Police are one of 23 forces to take part in the second phase of trials of a hi-tech vehicle number plate reader which helps catch more criminals. In trials carried out in nine forces across the UK, including Lancashire, the cutting edge Automatic
PEOPLE power has won the day for the Puccino's coffee bar in its year-long battle for the right to stay open. And councillors and the owner at the centre of the wrangle today united to say the decision was a victory for common sense. A meeting of Blackburn
THE idea of a statue to commemorate the memory of Stan Mortenson, as this scheme gathers momentum one has to ask what has happened to all the other schemes that have been mooted over the years to commemorate other respected people, Reg Dixon or Charlie
WHAT on earth are the Born Free Foundation doing by working with Grant Leisure and Blackpool Zoo? Aren't they meant to campaign for the abolition of zoos? Why are they helping to keep wild animals in captivity? Does the name Born Free now mean something
GEORGIA Elliott, licensee of the new lap-dancing bar, The Velvet Lounge, in Blackburn, is adamant her bar will not lower the tone. She said: "I have spent a lot of time looking at other bars in places like Manchester and in most cases you would not know
COUNCILLOR Connolly has once again (Your Letters, May 16) attacked "single-issue campaigners". What he will not mention is that had it not been for the likes of Bernard Slingsby, Coun Connolly and his Executive would have closed all the residential homes
HAZLEHURST Primary School in Ramsbottom enjoyed a surprise birthday treat of £4,000. The Ramsbottom school, which is celebrating its centenary this year, was presented with the cheque from the Friends of Hazlehurst Primary. Headteacher Mr Stuart Birtwell
MUTUAL respect and trust are key themes in an exciting new arts venture at Westleigh Methodist Primary School. As part of the school's drive to develop community links, pupils have been working with artist in residence Jane Fairhurst to create a unique
RECORD numbers of children have been left without a place at either of a town's two high schools. A group of around 45 disappointed ten and 11-year-olds in Prestwich had set their heart on attending Parrenthorn High or Prestwich Community High School
YOU could have knocked me down with a feather when I learned that the Westleigh estate on which I was brought up has gone upmarket -- in name only of course. I didn't know where a council press officer was talking about when in a conversation he referred
I WITNESSED the joys of a lottery win this week. Though the £167,000 plus scooped by a Plank Lane foursome is not life changing it is certainly enough to relieve any financial pressure. The syndicate, three of whom work at Our Lady of the Rosary RC Primary
A LOOK at what's on around the area. LITTLE THORNTON Little Thornton Women's Institute holds its next meeting at 7.30pm on Wednesday, June 4 at St John's Church Hall, Little Thornton. The speaker will be Julie Brandon on Roses and Castles. Visitors and
The Bolton Evening News is offering a tea towel of historic significance at the low price of just £1.95 plus 50p postage and packing. The tea towel - called 'Looking Back' - depicts four modes of transport: A Horse tram on Blackburn Road, circa 1900.
THE latest in a series of maps of Bury at the start of the last century has been published. The 1908 plan of north west Bury includes Elton, Woolfold, Walshaw Lane (as was) and Tottington. It shows cotton mills and associated bleach, dye and printing
CONTROVERSIAL moves to merge the Leigh Amateur Football League with a neighbouring league in Wigan look set to go ahead despite protests from local clubs. The league, which has played host to open age amateur football in Leigh for 100 years, is set to
A LOOK at events, from amateur theatre to rambles through our beautiful countryside. SUNDAY Fluffy Duck Picnic )two-eight year-olds), Martin Mere Waterfowl Gardens. Take along a fluffy duck. "Whiskey Chorus," Marl Pits Sports Club, Rawtenstall, 3pm. Luther
IF Blackburn Council is the exception to the country-wide rule on planning permission for food outlets (LET, May 26), then might I suggest that Blackburn could possibly be out of step? I don't want a long walk away from the shops if I want a coffee, to
ROBBERS armed with a shotgun threatened staff at a bank in Tyldesley on Thursday afternoon before escaping with a large quantity of cash. Two masked men entered Lloyds TSB in Elliott Street at 1.40pm and pointed the weapon at the terrified workers behind
It Runs In The Family on at The Grand Theatre reviewed by Steve Dunthorne I TRIED really hard not to like this play. Not out of malice, of course, but it just didn't feel like I should be laughing at this kind of farce -- it felt like the comedy of another
DURING the 60s the Motown record label evolved a distinctive house sound so instantly recognisable that "Motown" unequivocally became a style unto itself. It was Berry Gordy Junior's baby and it became the biggest independent label in the music industry
HAZLEHURST Primary School in Ramsbottom enjoyed a surprise birthday treat of £4,000. The Ramsbottom school, which is celebrating its centenary this year, was presented with the cheque from the Friends of Hazlehurst Primary. Headteacher Mr Stuart Birtwell
A HOSPITAL for deaf people in Bury is to be redeveloped. The town's planning committee gave the go ahead for the construction of two three-storey nursing blocks at the Florence Nightingale Hospital in Bolton Road, Elton, along with a two-storey sports
FOOTBALL teams have one last chance to enter one of the borough's biggest sporting events. Ramsbottom Sports Week kicks off on June 8 with a host of sports competitions taking place throughout the town and in Nuttall Park. And the park will be the venue
STATE-of-the-art facilities at Bury College have now been given the go-ahead. Bury Council's planning committee approved the application at Tuesday night's meeting after previously turning it down in April because of the height of one of the teaching
CRUSADING Leigh MP Andy Burnham is leading a £100million fight to save grassroots football. Mr Burnham will head a delegation of MPs to Brussels this week in an attempt to win a bigger share of TV money for Nationwide League clubs and the game at the
THE weather could not have been more perfect for this year's Caribbean Carnival on Bank Holiday Monday. The mood hit fever pitch as more than 25,000 funseekers descended on Preston's Moor Park for the annual parade through the streets and party activities
PRESTON'S Caribbean Carnival has become a victim of its own success. This year's colourful spectacular on May 26 pulled in so many revellers that organisers are now planning to move the annual event to a new city centre location for next year's 30th anniversary
A BURNLEY pensioner was robbed of £500 after a youth tricked her into leaving her flat unsecured. The 87-year-old woman opened a secured door at Crow Wood Court after a stranger appeared at her window. The woman, who has not been named, told police a
A SUMMER fayre will be held tomorrow in the church hall at St Mark's Church, Rossendale Road. There will be stalls and a raffle with £100 first prize. ROSEGROVE Action Group wants to thank people who have donated four trays of plants and £29 for the Peace
AN ANTI-phone mast campaigner has voiced concerns over plans to install mobile phone masts on one of the stands at Turf Moor. A planning application to erect mobile telephone masts above the Jimmy McIlroy Stand at Burnley FC's ground was rejected by Burnley
SHAKERS are on the lookout for a new website manager-cum-press officer after Gordon Sorfleet resigned. Sorfleet's decision to leave his beloved Shakers will come as a shock after he picked up the UEFA Fan of the Year award last summer for his work during
A WOMAN'S thumb was injured in a row in which her partner dragged her up the stairs and pushed her against a wall. Burnley magistrates heard Sarah Dyson heard her finger crack and felt tremendous pain as she struggled with boyfriend Christopher Holding
PEOPLE developing environmental projects in Pendle will be able to find out how to access funding for their work at a workshop organised by Pendle's Community Economic Development (CED) Team. Representatives from various funding schemes and bodies will
PENDLE MP Gordon Prentice has welcomed work carried out in the borough as part of the Warm Front Scheme. He said: "The work, which is carried out by Eaga Partnership, is making a difference for many constituents with low incomes. Since the scheme began
AN environmental project to benefit the whole community will be launched at an open day at Hodge House Allotments, Nelson, tomorrow, from 11am to 3.30pm Pendle Community Network will lead a project funded by Pendle Partnership, which will provide an environmentally
ARCHERY is proving to be a hit with people of all ages in Preston according to ace coach Brian Winchester. The 62-year-old has been a member of the bow and arrow brigade at the Bowmen of Pendle and Samlesbury club since he took up the sport 14 years ago
ALTHOUGH a Wigan Warriors fan, I must admit rugby isn't the first sport I would have thought of playing. After all I'm supposed to be a 21-year-old "lady" who took ballet lessons until I was 15. But when I came to university in 2001 I thought I'd give
PRESTON are back on top of the Northern Premier League table after a victory and a winning draw last weekend. On Saturday they claimed a 17 run victory over Kendal after posting a target of 155. Two days later they were one wicket way from defeating St
PENDLE Council leader Alan Davies undertook his first role as chairman of the Executive last night after two weeks of speculation over whether he would resign as leader. But he led a committee consisting of Labour councillors Frank Clifford, Colin Waite
A SUSPECTED burglar butted a police officer after he was arrested and refused to get out of a police van. Burnley magistrates heard Brian Cooper, 26, had been shouting and aggressive and told the officer: "You are going to get it." Cooper, of Railway
THE spectacle that is Mystique dazzles and delights, radiating loveliness and laughter. Mystique has a magic that appeals to both young and not so young, and its strengths are in its versatility of performance, its ever-changing scenes from Gothic illusions
IT'S unlikely that the hallowed surroundings of Old Trafford Cricket Ground have seen anything like it. Last night the great rock and roll revival meeting, that is a Bruce Springsteen gig stormed into town and after three hours left over 50,000 people
SHE'S been the ex-wife from hell who saw her two children die in a car crash, before being accidentally killed by her husband when he pushed her downstairs. Karen Drury certainly ran through the whole gamut of emotions as Brookside's mercurial femme fatale
MYKOLA Makarenko returned to his homeland 50 years after he was forced to leave. The 72-year-old former chip shop owner from Full View, Blackburn, returned to the Ukrainian village where he was born.
A KIND-HEARTED dad ran 14 miles around Coniston Water to thank staff at Blackburn Royal Infirmary for his son. Steve Aspinall's six-year-old son Philip was cared for on ward ten and he presented a cheque of £210 to nurses.
RESIDENTS in Hyndburn are being issued with tips on how to keep noise down in the run-up to National Noise Action Day, which aims to highlight the misery noise nuisance can cause. Among the tips issued by Hyndburn Council to keep neighbours happy are
A COUNCIL leader has slammed county bosses and told them to do their own dirty work after discovering plans to consider the future of a local care home. Hyndburn First Ltd, the borough council's regeneration arm, was going to approve a county council
A SHOPPER has given store bosses the cold shoulder after a mix-up over an insurance policy on a fridge bought from an Accrington shop. Adele Harrington bought the £200-plus Fridgemaster appliance from the town's Iceland store, in the Arndale Centre, last
A FORMER Leigh landlord is seeking the family of a mystery 20th century sporting star. Retired licensee Denis Stanton and ex-policeman pal Vinny Kearns have spent a year trying to solve the riddle of a cap found in the loft at the Sportsman Hotel, Leigh
RESIDENTS living near a restaurant on the site of a controversial former nightclub have blasted the owners for dumping rubbish at the back of the business. The Cafe Bangla opened on Sunday and neighbours say a pile of rubbish from the refurbishment of
CRUSADING Leigh MP Andy Burnham is leading a £100million fight to save grassroots football. Mr Burnham will head a delegation of MPs to Brussels this week in an attempt to win a bigger share of TV money for Nationwide League clubs and the game at the
A HIGH-flying Bury holiday flight company which has soared to success during the last decade is on course to achieving a major milestone this year. Sky Deals, based at Balmoral House in Hollins Brook Way, is confident of carrying in excess of 500,000
THE Former head girl of Oakhill College, in Whalley, is planning to spend three months in Cambodia -- thanks to the help of current students. The country is one of the most heavily mined areas in the world, with some estimates running as high as 10 million
A TALENTED young pianist is taking the musical world by storm. Nine-year-old Mary Ann Wootton pipped students twice her age to some of East Lancashire's most prestigious awards. Now Mary Ann is being hailed as one of a music school's most exciting classical
CRICKET aces Paul Collingwood and Glen Chapple were in Blackpool at the weekend as part of an effort to discover the cricketers of the future. Durham and England all-rounder Paul and Lancashire's Glen were taking part in the Natwest Interactive Roadshow
BLACKPOOL'S Matthew Ellis faces a towering task on Saturday when he takes on Olympic gold medallist, Audley Harrison. It is a massive clash for both men, with Ellis, 29, attempting to put himself in with a chance of a British title shot. For Harrison,
1431: Joan of Arc was burnt as a heretic in Rouen, France. 1889: The bra was invented. 1940: The evacuation of Dunkirk began. 1949: A test pilot made the first escape by ejector seat in Britain. 1955: An advertising hoarding of Marilyn Monroe with a billowing
LEGAL implications of Internet trading and solutions to maintaining in-house computer networks were two of the topics explored at the latest meeting of the BuryBusiness.NETwork & UK online for Business. Around 40 guests attended Tuesday's meeting
STEVE McMahon swooped for a Manchester United defender this week -- and promised more signings to come. Left back or left sided midfielder, Kirk Hilton, signed on Tuesday after a glowing recommendation from Sir Alex Ferguson, and McMahon hopes to beat
GARETH Taylor has handed Burnley a summer injury scare after suffering a worrying knee injury on international duty. The Clarets' striker is sweating on the results of a scan after damaging a cartilage during Wales 2-0 defeat to the USA in California
A 93-YEAR-OLD woman has been left seriously injured after being hit by a police car in Blackpool town centre. Pensioner, Ivy Leonard, of Manchester Road in the resort, collided with the police car on Newton Drive at around 1.15pm on Thursday, May 29.
GEE-gee whizz! One lucky horse at a Blackpool sanctuary will benefit from a one-off cash gift from a company celebrating its silver jubilee. Penny Farm horse centre at Peel, near Blackpool, could receive up to £3000 from horse security company Farmkey
AN EAST Lancs man visiting Blackpool for a trades fair assaulted a woman chip shop worker and kicked in a door when asked to stop being rowdy, Blackpool Magistrates heard. In court on Tuesday, Richard Potter, 27, of Thomas Street, Oswaldtwistle, admitted
A MENTAL patient who died after plummeting from the roof of Blackpool Victoria Hospital may not have been suicide, a coroner has concluded. Psychiatric patient 59-year-old Alec Anthony Keelan -- a long-term alcoholic -- formerly of Princess Street, died
ASTLEY & Tyldesley Cycle Speedway Club will host the Northern KO Cup Finals at Gin Pit on Saturday. First match on, at 12 noon, will be the Junior KO Cup Final, which will see Sheffield against the winners of the Bury and Hull semi-final tie. The
ATHERTON lost their third round National KO competition game at Clifton on Monday by six wickets but there was still much to be positive about. Minus the unavailable Phil West and David Baines, ineligible pro Mihir Dawakar and with Karl Brown away playing
Division Two - Astley & Tyldesley "B" 204, Atherton Liberals "B" 132; Atherton Conservatives 162, Morgans "B" 201; Atherton Liberals "A" 205; Leigh Cricket Club "B" 170, Leigh Bowling "B" 212; TyldesleyConservatives 168, Leigh Liberals 204; Tyldesley
GOLBORNE CC won their first game of the season by beating Little Hulton with eight balls to spare. Golborne won the toss and asked Little Hulton to bat. They made a good start, putting on 50 in 14 overs, but Golborne put the block on at halfway when Little
A MACABRE vision greeted prospective gamblers when a town centre betting shop was targeted by anti-greyhound racing campaigners. Half-a-dozen protesters against the dog-racing industry gathered outside George Racing on The Rock, carrying a mock severed
PEOPLE wanting to run summer holiday playschemes are urged to come forward as soon as possible. Staff at Bury's Early Years Development Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) warn that some schemes will have to be registered to stay within the law. They also want
RECORD numbers of children have been left without a place at either of a town's two high schools. A group of around 45 disappointed ten and 11-year-olds in Prestwich had set their heart on attending Parrenthorn High or Prestwich Community High School
BLACKBURN Rovers today announced a major new sponsorship deal for the next two seasons. HSA, one of the UK's leading health plan providers, will be the name on the front of the blue and white shirts at Ewood Park in 2003-04 and the following year. The
LEADING Blackburn band The Burn release their second single on Monday. Big Blue Sky is the second track to be taken from the band's debut album Sally O'Mattress, which was released in March this year. The new single will also feature the tracks To Get
TWO piano teachers are working in total harmony to raise money for the Blackpool Victoria Hospital MacMillan Windmill Appeal. Fylde musicians Ruth Bridge and Belinda Jenkins are hoping to strike the right chord when they stage a concert on Saturday June
ATHERTON churches, schools and the Church Army are combining for a week long series of community events. Mission week runs from June 8-15 featuring visitors from Namibia, daily services, a barbecue, brass band music, a faith lunch and a walk to Rivington
LEIGH'S PDSA charity shop is warning supporters to be on their guard against bogus collectors targeting the Tyldesley area. The advice comes from the Bradshawgate boss after police apprehended a woman claiming to be collecting money on behalf of the veterinary
A DARWEN pensioner who was an undercover agent in occupied Norway during the Second World War has spoken of the secret life she led. Sigrid Green, 82, known to friends as Gusta because her middle name is Augusta, joined the WAAF in 1942 and was seconded
AN Astley teenager has become one of the youngest ever people in the history of the RAF to qualify as a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer. Nineteen-years-old Paul Jones completed his training at RAF Cranwell in Sleaford, Lincolnshire last month. He beat
A SALE of bedding and curtains will be held at Bacup Borough Football Club tomorrow, between 11am and 2pm, to raise money for general funds. It is one of several events being organised by the commercial department to ensure the extra funds are in place
BRITISH evangelist and founder of Methodism John Wesley will be the feature of an exhibition at the Central Methodist Church, Bacup, tomorrow. How Great a Flame will look at the life and travels of Wesley, who was born 300 years ago. The event will be
DOCTORS looking to relocate their surgery in a Rossendale village have given up their search. It now looks likely that the GPs based at Stacksteads surgery will move to a new health centre which will open at Irwell Mill in Bacup in 2005. Plans to move
FRIGHTENED residents have pleaded for a cut in the speed limit on a road notorious for accidents, after the latest high speed crash wrecked the front of their homes. The two-car smash, at Virgin's Row, close to the Duke of Wellington public house, on
POLICE are appealing for witnesses after two people were seriously injured in a head-on crash in Atherton. Shortly after 10am last Friday, officers were called to Lovers Lane at the junction with Cromer Avenue after two cars collided as one pulled out
MANY thanks to The Citizen for the tickets for 'The Meatloaf Experience' last week. We really enjoyed the evening and the seats which were right in the middle. I'd never been to the King George's Hall in Blackburn before, so that was nice too. What a
WHAT an amazing story about Father Haigh sending his cruxifix to Sir Edmund Hillary to be buried on top of Everest. Every time I hear Everest mentioned now, I think about St Mary's in Leyland and our cross that's buried up there. It's made the whole mountaineering
TWO schools who were threatened by closure are the locations for planned new nurseries. Among the latest planning applications submitted to Wigan Council are Shakerley Community Partnership's blueprint for a single storey nursery building for 25 children
FOR ten years I've worked in houses for the disabled, in which three to eight people are cared for by one or two duty staff. I've found care in almost all to have been exceptional. I'm now researching the possibility of setting up a similar house for
IT'S unlikely that the hallowed surroundings of Old Trafford Cricket Ground have seen anything like it. Last night the great rock and roll revival meeting, that is a Bruce Springsteen gig stormed into town and after three hours left over 50,000 people
A LOVE of Minis drew a Los Angeles man back to his home town of Blackpool this week for the start of a major charity fund-raiser. Michael J Walsh emigrated to the USA 22 years ago having been brought up in the resort. He is now the president of the Mini
SHE'S been the ex-wife from hell who saw her two children die in a car crash, before being accidentally killed by her husband when he pushed her downstairs. Karen Drury certainly ran through the whole gamut of emotions as Brookside's mercurial femme fatale
HE MAY be Britain's best known talk show host, but Jonathan Ross could soon be swapping his spangly suits for the life of a seaside hotelier! Ross and his wife, Jane Goldman, are reported to have asked estate agents to hunt for a suitable bed and breakfast
AN 83-YEAR-OLD pensioner has had jewellery worth thousands of pounds stolen over the bank holiday after playing "good samaritan" to a man claiming to be a broken down motorist. More than £9,000 worth of diamond and gold jewellery was stolen from the elderly
RESIDENTS were forced to paddle through raw sewage after floods which could have been avoided, a leading councillor has claimed. Norbreck ward councillor, Peter Callow, has lashed out at United Utilities for failing to clear flooding in Norbreck and Anchorsholme
A CLUB featuring male lap dancers entertaining 400 women at a time would be one club too many for Blackpool. Police are objecting to a full licence for the Wicked club, in which up to 15 male dancers would give a main show and also private sessions with
LEIGH Centurions will be putting on a Super League-style pre-match entertainment programme this Sunday ahead of their clash with Doncaster. The pitch-side fun and entertainment will include music, bouncy castle, Parky Pig, an entertainer plus a new-look
A MAN has died after being found collapsed in a Blackburn street. Police have launched an investigation after the 35-year-old man was found lying on the ground in Brookway, Waterloo, at 9.15pm yesterday. Ambulance crews took him to Blackburn Infirmary
AN annual football tournament aimed at promoting racial harmony among children kicks off this weekend. And this year police plan to talk informally to youngsters during half-time breaks to challenge any prejudices they may have. Some 150 white and Asian
A 44 year old woman claimed more than £18,000 in housing and council tax benefit, after claiming she was renting the house she owned, a court heard. Blackburn magistrates were told that Samim Umerji Mohmed claimed the benefits in the name of Samim Ahmed
A FATHER who appealed for a retrial a year after being convicted of a New York street shooting has had his request thrown out. A Brooklyn judge has ruled that there are no grounds to hear a new trial for Manzoor Qadar, of Blackburn. Now the father-of-six
POLICE have lost their battle to get an over-21s policy introduced at Blackburn's first lap-dancing bar. Councillors have given permission for Cubes nightclub, in Duke Street, Blackburn, to become a lap-dance bar after meeting as Blackburn with Darwen's
A ROW has broken out over how two poem-inscribed benches costing £40,000 were authorised without opposition councillors being informed. Details of the spiral benches, set to be the centrepiece of the renovated Fleming Square in Blackburn town centre,
ON BEHALF of the Mayoress and myself can we thank everyone for their cards, flowers and telephone messages following our inauguration on May 19. It will be impossible to respond on an individual basis, as there have been so many. We feel extremely humble
I AM still waiting to see an explanation from Rossall School and the Norbreck Castle Hotel on their selfish and stupid decision to put children in to quarantine for the deadly SARS virus at the hotel. If the school and the hotel still do not think they
BLACKPOOL is very fortunate and socially beneficial in having two very active MPs as Gordon Marsden and Joan Humble. Whilst Joan lives in Blackpool, serving folk, MP Marsden also reputedly spends the week in Parliament and devoting his weekends to serving
THE prospect of Blackburn's first lap-dance club opening up has raised concerns from many people, not least health bosses. They have concerns that it will send out the wrong message to people. Dr Jim Paris, Blackburn's director of public health, said:
THE letter from "Summerseat Resident" (May 16) is typical of the paper-pushing middle-class type engulfing our once working class village. Personally, before illness forced me to retire, I worked for 35 years in council maintenance. People like me, who
WHAT a wonderful facility the Kirklees Trail has become. I really must congratulate the council on a job well done. The hardcore trail from Greenmount to Woolfold is a tree-lined oasis in the ever-increasing urban landscape. It is a joy to stroll along
FOR several months, Bury Council has spent a considerable amount of money, time and effort creating new children's recreation facilities on Bolton Road West playing fields in Ramsbottom. Yet in just a few weeks yobs have already torn up some of the safety
CONSIDER this. Ramsbottom is built along the A676 Bolton to Burnley Road and has grown over the centuries. This thoroughfare in Bolton is named Ramsbottom Road. In Ramsbottom it goes under many guises, namely Bolton Road West, Bolton Road, Bolton Street
HORRENDOUS reports on car parking and the issuing of penalty charge tickets have taken up much space in our newspapers recently. There have been stories of mothers collecting young children, van drivers unloading in authorised areas, funeral mourners,
TWO schools who were threatened by closure are the locations for planned new nurseries. Among the latest planning applications submitted to Wigan Council are Shakerley Community Partnership's blueprint for a single storey nursery building for 25 children
CALLING all language students, regular poser setter Norman Wilcock has struck again. He wants to know the origin of the word fawce. I know it means cunning, sly, devious etc, but how did it come about? Can anyone help?
NO wonder our entry "Cry Baby" scored a shameful nil points in the awful Euro song contest. I've not watched the thing for years but witnessing Jemini's out of tune performance in a repeat showing on Tuesday morning TV I can't say I'm surprised. The Liverpool
MEMBERS of the Bolton, Bury and Manchester branches of the Coldstream Guards Association were shown an automatic rifle during their meeting at Fletcher Street Barracks, Bolton, in June, 1967. They were to use this rifle on camp later that year.
A LANDLORD is calling time on his Bury pub after efforts to boost trade were thwarted by residents. The Elton View Hotel in Eagley Drive will close early in June after a series of applications for late night and public entertainment licences met with
