Archive

  • Auditions for 'Calamity'

    AUDITIONS for the principle parts in Greenbrook AOS's production of Calamity Jane take place on Wednesday, December 17 at 8pm at Greenbrook Methodist Church. Anyone interested is welcome to come along. Production dates are April 19 - 24.

  • 'Messiah' at Cathedral

    FRESH from a hugely successful performance at Manchester's Bridgewater Hall, Blackburn Music Society is coming home for their annual performance of Handel's Messiah, in Blackburn Cathedral, on December 13 at 7.30pm. They perform alongside the Lancashire

  • Two lanes into one simply doesn't go

    CONCERNING the letter (LET December 3) on road widening in Eanam. There's a better example of stupid road planning, just travel down Barbara Castle Way to Preston New Road nice two-way road then past Capita's new building then what do you get -- two lanes

  • Homeless have tragic tales to tell

    I SEE that the spirit of Christmas is truly with us; I refer to your anonymous writer of 'There are empty houses in abundance' (Letter, December 3). Why not just call it 'No room at the inn?' It is blatantly apparent that your writer does not, or has

  • Mobile-phone driver jailed for causing biker's death

    A VAN driver who caused the death of an Atherton motorcyclist while talking on his mobile phone has been jailed for five years. Sentencing Kevin Moran for causing death by dangerous driving, a judge warned that similar cases would mean more prison sentences

  • Police drugs find

    A BOX of suspected Class A and B drugs have been seized by police in Ramsbottom. The haul, including a quantity of pills and powder substances, was discovered when officers stopped a car carrying four men early yesterday morning (Mon Dec 8). Four men

  • Biker dies in collision with cement mixer

    A RADCLIFFE motorcyclist was killed instantly when he collided with a cement mixer. Mr Christopher Brophy (35) suffered multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash in Trafford Park on Friday morning (Dec 5). At around 6.20am Mr

  • Emergencies only posters

    AMBULANCE bosses are warning that silly calls for 999 services could cost someone their life. In the past, ambulances have been called for "emergencies" such as hiccups, toothache and broken toe nails, while revellers have dialled 999 for an ambulance

  • Investment scams warnings backed

    TRADING standards officers in Bury are backing Government warnings about investment scams costing UK citizens £350 million a year. Hundreds of thousands of people have been targeted with offers to invest money in art, wine, jewellery, worthless shares

  • Four who caused havoc given custody warning

    FOUR youngsters who have caused havoc on a Burnley estate have signed promises to stop behaving like louts. Burnley's largest landlord, Burnley and Padiham Community Housing, has served acceptable behaviour contracts on the youths who are all from the

  • Jail warning to drinks lorry driver who 'put lives at risk'

    A LORRY driver has been slammed for putting lives at risk after he admitted completing 400 miles in his HGV while over the limit. Alfred Taylor, 63, of Accrington, downed a "fair amount" of whisky before starting his shift at 9pm last Thursday and completed

  • Rovers in Souey appeal

    BLACKBURN Rovers were today considering their next move after the Football Association charged Graeme Souness over his spat with referee Graham Poll. The FA confirmed last night that Souness has been charged with abusive and/or insulting words to a match

  • Appeal for vital witness to come forward

    POLICE investigating a fatal road traffic accident are appealing for a man they believe may be a vital witness to come forward. He was captured on CCTV in the waiting area of the accident and emergency department at Burnley General Hospital around 12.50am

  • £6,000 cash 'found behind wardrobe'

    POLICE found £6,000 stashed behind a wardrobe when they raided the home of a man suspected of selling amphetamine on the streets of East Lancashire, a jury was told. Burnley Crown Court heard how market trader and car dealer Glen Liversidge, 44, disputed

  • Cliviger Bulletin

    CLIVIGER Guides drew to a close their activities for this year with a meal at Carlo's restaurant in Colne. They enjoyed pizzas, soft drinks and puddings, then received a Christmas gift. The leaders hope that some of the girls will remember Church Parade

  • Reindeer thieves ruin children's Christmas

    POLICE say they have been given a mandate from Santa to track down thieves who stole a 3ft nodding reindeer from a Burnley couple's Christmas display. The party-pooping rotters have now left local children in tears at the prospect of facing Christmas

  • Iron test for the Shakers

    IF revenge is a dish best served cold then the recent sub-zero temperatures could be just what the doctor ordered for the Shakers. Andy Preece's men take on Scunthorpe United on Tuesday night in the LDV Vans Trophy northern area quarter-finals looking

  • Crush man found dead

    A MAN who had a leg amputated when he was crushed in a bin wagon earlier this year, has been found dead in Radcliffe. Mark Wood collapsed and died on Saturday at his home in New Church Walk. He had a history of alcohol abuse. A post mortem will be carried

  • Carry on winter riding

    SAFE and easy guided cycle rides are to continue through the winter after proving popular with Pendle residents. Pendle Forest Cycling Club will lead rides on the third Saturday of each month after being impressed with the friendly atmosphere created

  • Brilliant Blake worth every penny

    Cummings and Goings, with STEPHEN CUMMINGS "A GAME of two halves" runs the cliche, and a more appropriate description of Burnley's victory over Sheffield United you will not find anywhere. The second half performance was instantly forgettable. The 55th

  • 50 years ago

    BLACKBURN doctors' fight against the closing of Springfield Maternity Home was set to reach the floor of the House of Commons. And Blackburn busmen -- 300 strong -- decided at a meeting to line up with Ribble men in contesting the town council's decision

  • 10 years ago

    HARD-up householders were paying more than three quarters of a million pounds every day into North West Water's coffers it was revealed. The water group announced £138.2 million pre-tax profits for the public half the year up to September. Langho Venture

  • Dunny is failing to fulfil promise

    Rover All View, with JASON WHALLEY I'M SURE we can all remember the emergence of David Dunn. I remember his first goal at Villa and the way he bossed games in the midfield in the promotion season. All the talk then was of a new young exciting future England

  • High-speed m-way chase man jailed

    A MOTORIST who smashed into a car at the end of a high speed motorway police chase - putting two children in shock - has been jailed. Burnley Crown Court heard driver Khizar Khan, 21, had his brother and nephew with him when he spun around twice after

  • MP lashes council leaders over crisis

    HYNDBURN MP Greg Pope today slammed the leadership of the borough's council for allowing it to get into a massive financial crisis. Hyndburn Borough Council needs to make £1.8 million savings by the end of the year after spending too much money, it was

  • Clean-up of waste at BNFL

    THE Environment Agency has published its proposals for the future regulation of radioactive waste disposal at BNFL Springfields. The Agency has reviewed existing authorisations at the site in Lancashire and is now seeking comments on a revised draft certificate

  • Anti-social behaviour campaign welcomed

    A RURAL borough council has given the thumbs-up to a national campaign aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour. Ribble Valley Borough Council has welcomed Together We Can Beat It, launched this week by the Local Government Association, National Housing

  • Council fuels talk of new waste park

    A NEW "waste technology park" could produce fuel for Clitheroe's Castle Cement works, Lancashire County Council has revealed. The proposals for dealing with Lancashire's waste could lead to some of it being incinerated, despite the council's original

  • Play-offs is our target, says Blake

    BURNLEY hot-shot Robbie Blake wants the Clarets to achieve much more than just survival this season. Top scorer Blake has Coventry in his sights this weekend as Stan Ternent's men look to continue their march up the First Division table on the back of

  • Ex-soldier has new mission

    COLIN Eastham is a man with a mission. He has taken on a 20-year lease for The Hargreaves Arms, Manchester Road, Accrington, to make one of the biggest pubs in the town also the best. Colin, 29, completed his licensee training after 13 years in the army

  • Play-offs is our target, says Blake

    BURNLEY hot-shot Robbie Blake wants the Clarets to achieve much more than just survival this season. Top scorer Blake has Coventry in his sights this weekend as Stan Ternent's men look to continue their march up the First Division table on the back of

  • Rovers in Souey appeal

    BLACKBURN Rovers were today considering their next move after the Football Association charged Graeme Souness over his spat with referee Graham Poll. The FA confirmed last night that Souness has been charged with abusive and/or insulting words to a match

  • Market for new contacts in business

    EAST Lancashire's Women into Business Network is holding a Christmas market which will advise on how to get a new business off the ground. The event will allow local businesswomen to build up social contacts in a friendly and informal environment. The

  • Slam dunk sisters shine

    GAMES rarely finish so close, but after playing the game for just eight months, Tottington High School's under 14s girls basketball team pipped Liverpool's St George of England School, 40-38, to become North West champions. There were outstanding performances

  • Ghost of a chance. . .

    GHOST walker Simon Entwistle is hoping the people of Darwen can put him on the right track when he launches a series of walks around the town. Simon has been conducting 'Ghost Walks' around Blackburn for the past two years, taking walkers on a journey

  • Blaze-hit hall cash crusade

    THE MAYOR of Whitworth was in London today to discuss ways of raising funds to re-build the town's burnt down civic hall. An emergency meeting, organised by Whitworth Recreational Leisure Trust Ltd was held last night between councillors, community groups

  • Woeful Boro too casual

    ALTRINCHAM 4 RADCLIFFE BOROUGH 1: BOROUGH contributed to their own downfall with some woeful defending against Altrincham at Moss Lane on Saturday. As early as the sixth minute Borough casually conceded possession allowing Marcus Hallows to round Danny

  • Water company calls for lagging action

    WATER and energy company United Utilities today called on homeowners to take preventative action during the winter months to protect water supplies. The warning comes at the end of one of the driest years on record. Customers are being advised to lag

  • Buy-out firm vows to save steel jobs

    NINETY jobs have been saved after troubled steel stockholders Vernon Stainless were taken over just hours after going into administration. The business has been bought by Leeds-based ASD plc, which has promised to continue the Blackburn operation, which

  • Labour leader hits back at 'spin' jibe

    THE leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council has hit back after his authority was accused of wasting tax payers' money on spin and "scattergun" spending. Labour councillor Sir Bill Taylor spoke after the leader of the Tory opposition, Colin Rigby, blasted

  • SCHOOLS SOCCER: Blackburn looking to make headway

    BLACKBURN under-15s look to make progress in the Lancashire Schools' League when they take on local rivals Rossendale at Fearns High School on Saturday (kick-off 10.30). The local youngsters have made a fine start to their league campaign beating Burnley

  • Big Read gets top vote from town

    THE BBC's Big Read search to find the nation's favourite books culminated in a packed week of events in Bury. The Mayor of Bury, Councillor Wilf Davison, visited the Grundy Day Centre on Thursday (Dec 4) where 12 pupils of St John with St Mark CE Primary

  • Farmer dies in rail horror crash

    A TRAIN driver told of the terrifying moment he realised he was about to hit a Land Rover trying to cross the East Lancashire railway line. Farmer Thomas Holt, of Scout Barn Farm, Turn Village, near Edenfield, died in the collision at the Irwell Vale

  • Polling trust has to be the priority

    WE have stressed before how important it is that people exercise their hard-won right to vote in local and general elections. Greater participation by electors is clearly better for democracy. Trials involving all-postal voting earlier this year boosted

  • Nurses set to get patients' eye view

    MEMBERS of East Lancashire Hospitals NHS trust board are to play doctors and nurses with local community group representatives as part of a revolutionary training scheme. Earlier this year, around 100 nurses took part in pilot schemes for the unique project

  • Players show spring spirit

    OSWALDTWISTLE Players' spring production will be Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward. Catherine Allan directs the production which will be on at Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre from April 21 - 24 April. There will be a read-through for anyone interested in going

  • LibDem's anti-car views no surprise

    IT doesn't surprise me that Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies wants more 20mph zones. The LibDems are anti-car and they and all the other council car-haters who inflict us all with this idiotic road narrowing and speed humps will no doubt soon have us

  • Extra market stall not needed

    AT this time all our thoughts should be concentrating on a new market, with the council yet again involved with a new partner. It has been mentioned that in the new market there will be additional stalls for the use of traders. Why more stalls in the

  • Homeless in need of compassion

    THE letter from your anonymous correspondent (Wednesday, December 3) suggests that homeless people should 'get their act together.' In fact, most people become homeless through no fault of their own. The most common causes of homelessness in Blackburn

  • Majority aware of double standards

    REGARDING Shuiab Khan's column 'Don't see old friends as the new enemies,' I would like to express my approval and support for his views. He's right, being a Muslim seems to be offending a lot of people these days in the light of terrorist attacks (both

  • Firefighters tackle blaze at empty flat

    FIREFIGHTERS tackled a blaze at an empty flat after rubbish and furniture caught light. Emergency crews were called to Netley Gardens at 1.15am on Saturday (Dec 6) after neighbours raised the alarm. Two firefighters wore breathing apparatus to enter the

  • Attempted kidnap of boy (12)

    A MANHUNT has been launched following the attempted abduction of a young boy at the weekend. The 12-year-old was walking to a friend's house at 5.30pm on Saturday (Dec 6) when a man jumped out of an alleyway in Bull Hill Crescent, Radcliffe, and grabbed

  • Big Read gets top vote from town

    THE BBC's Big Read search to find the nation's favourite books culminated in a packed week of events in Bury. The Mayor of Bury, Councillor Wilf Davison, visited the Grundy Day Centre on Thursday (Dec 4) where 12 pupils of St John with St Mark CE Primary

  • What Now? adviceis an award-winner

    A COUNCIL'S innovative way to provide young people with advice has won national recognition. The 'What Now?' service run by Lancashire County Council, reached the national heats of British Telecom's Telephone Helpline Association's Annual Awards. The

  • Four who caused havoc given custody warning

    FOUR youngsters who have caused havoc on a Burnley estate have signed promises to stop behaving like louts. Burnley's largest landlord, Burnley and Padiham Community Housing, has served acceptable behaviour contracts on the youths who are all from the

  • Councillors taking tour of grot-spots

    WASTE bosses are to be given a tour of Burnley's fly-tipping hotspots amid claims that new rubbish disposal charges are forcing traders to dump their waste in the back yards of empty properties. Lancashire County Council waste chiefs have been called

  • Cut price at Gigg

    PRICES have once again been slashed for Tuesday night's LDV Vans Trophy northern quarter-final tie against Scunthorpe at Gigg Lane (7.45pm). Entry to all areas of the ground are priced £7 for adults and £2 for juniors, OAPs and students. No family tickets

  • Rail death puzzle

    BRITISH Transport police are still trying to identify a man who died crossing a railway line early yesterday. The incident happened at the foot crossing at Brierfield on the Blackpool to Colne line at 6.20am as the man, thought to be in his 20s, was hit

  • Funding gained for deprived areas

    A SPECIALIST team working to promote the role of social services in some of Pendle's most deprived areas has secured Government funding until 2006. The team of social workers and customer care officers, based at social services in Nelson, does outreach

  • Brave Thomas back after horror smash

    A SOLDIER who was left facing an uncertain future after coming close to death when he was involved in an horrific motorway crash has told how "life couldn't be better." Brave Thomas Oliver, 21, of Calder Close, Nelson, spent weeks in intensive care at

  • Trauma of drunk race abuse sister

    A DRUNKEN woman hurled racist abuse at a taxi driver she believed had run down her sister, a court heard yesterday. Burnley Magistrates heard how Anne Marie Leonard, 38, racially abused the cabbie before turning her attentions on an Asian policeman in

  • 25 years ago

    A 19-year-old son of a Bacup county councillor died as fire swept a bedroom of the family home. Roger Wood was carried from the bedroom by fire men wearing breathing masks but he died in Rochdale Hospital. A crime spree began in the run up to Christmas

  • Santa's festive route

    FATHER Christmas will be out and about around the Leigh area courtesy of Leigh Rotary Club His route and timetable is: Wednesday, Dec 10 Westleigh; Thursday, Dec 11 Lowton; Friday, Dec 12: Nel Pan Lane and Wigan Road; Monday, Dec 15 Chapel Street; Tuesday

  • Jail warning to drinks lorry driver who 'put lives at risk'

    A LORRY driver has been slammed for putting lives at risk after he admitted completing 400 miles in his HGV while over the limit. Alfred Taylor, 63, of Accrington, downed a "fair amount" of whisky before starting his shift at 9pm last Thursday and completed

  • Investment scams warnings backed

    TRADING standards officers in Bury are backing Government warnings about investment scams costing UK citizens £350 million a year. Hundreds of thousands of people have been targeted with offers to invest money in art, wine, jewellery, worthless shares

  • New vicar is finally appointed for rural parishes

    THE Rev David Crosby has been appointed the new priest in charge of Hurst Green and Mitton. Mr Crosby, 55, was ordained four years ago and is currently senior curate in Farnham, Surrey. Even though David is a relatively new vicar, he should have no problem

  • Will's 'phenomenal' Royal day

    WORLD cup hero Will Greenwood rubbed shoulders with the Prime Minister and the Queen for a teatime reception at Buckingham Palace. Former Stonyhurst College pupil Will and the rest of England's rugby team were heralded during a victory parade in London

  • Free soft drinks if you're a 'Des'

    A BLACKBURN bar manager has a secret way of helping out designated drivers for festive office parties. Tim Norton, manager of O'Neill's in Blackburn, has a special password which entitles the designated driver the chance to drink free soft drinks all

  • Leanne's hot date

    BEAUTIFUL barmaid Leanne Ward, 19, of The Halfway House, Chorley, has made it into a new brewery calendar. Leanne was picked as one of the 12 by Manchester-based brewery JW Lees. Now she will be entered into the competition to become the face of JW Lees

  • Radcliffe Girl's Football Club

    MEDLOCK RANGERS U11 0 RADCLIFFE U11 6: ON a muddy pitch facing the wind and rain, Radcliffe managed to pressure their opponents for most of first half. After numerous chances, Aliye Conway broke the frustration with a delightful curling lob one minute

  • New Mini the lure by hospices

    EAST Lancashire's three hospices have joined forces for the first time ever in a major appeal to raise funds for patient care. Rossendale, Pendleside and East Lancashire hospices are appealing for ticket sellers to help drive their Mini Raffle appeal.

  • Rail firm announces fares rise

    RAIL company Arriva Trains Northern has carried out a review of its fares. From January 4, the company, which runs trains from Blackpool to Yorkshire via East Lancashire, will increase its regulated fares by 4.1 per cent and unregulated fares by 5.1per

  • Driver four times the drink limit

    A DISQUALIFIED driver caught behind the wheel when he was more than four times the legal drink drive limit has been jailed for six months. Blackburn magistrates heard that Stephen Farrell claimed to have been test driving the car for his son when he was

  • Drugs man 'was on a downward spiral'

    A MAN whose partner cheated on him with his best friend while he was working away went into a downward spiral, which eventually led him to heroin, a court was told. Blackburn magistrates heard that Michael Edward Jones had already received two 12-month

  • Driver slammed door into warden

    AN irate motorist who slammed his car door into a traffic warden's leg was jailed for five months by Blackburn magistrates. The court heard that Sajid Khan Akram tore up a parking ticket and yelled abuse at the warden before the assault. And the court

  • Halt to postal votes plan urged

    THE government has been urged to drop plans to expand postal voting in the North West. The Electoral Commission was considering introducing universal postal voting for next year's European and council elections, a move which would see the end of ballot

  • Policeman hurt in 999 call crash

    A POLICE officer was injured after the van in which he was travelling to a 999 call collided with a car in Blackburn. Two officers were travelling in the marked van, which had its sirens and lights on, to reports of a domestic disturbance when the incident

  • Stanley boss hails back four as "magnificent"

    PROUD Accrington Stanley manager John Coleman has praised his team of bravehearts for their continued FA Cup heroics. The Reds defended like giants at Second Division Bournemouth on Saturday, after Paul Mullin's ninth-minute header was cancelled out by