Archive

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Prosecution a wet decision

THIS week's sudden storms and torrential rain meant a number of East Lancashire folk are likely to have been splashed by passing vehicles in scenes just like the Ford Focus TV ads. Roadside drains are easily blocked by leaves and rubbish and it takes

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'Coming out': Who should decide?

LANCASHIRE police bosses are to ask all officers and staff if they are straight, gay, lesbian or bisexual in the next couple of months. Crime Reporter IAN SINGLETON looks at the benefits of asking such a question -- and whether it should be posed in the

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Cricket: Shetty shines as Mount bounce back

GREENMOUNT put the misery of the previous week's Hamer Cup final defeat to the back of their minds when they picked up an eight-wicket Bolton League victory over Bradshaw at Brandlesholme Road. They had Indian professional Nishit Shetty in fine form taking

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Cycle Speedway: Comeback man Steve does the business

BURY-PEDALSPORT'S other long distance visitors came to Goshen sports centre last Sunday and two mammoth battles ensued with Hellingly Lions from Eastbourne. Both second and first team matches went to last heat deciders and at the end of a very good afternoon's

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Boxing: Amir's Olympic hopes get an Audley booster

AUDLEY Harrison has flown to Cyprus to lend his support to Britain's sole boxing representative, Bury ABC's Amir Khan. The 17-year-old is bidding to emulate Harrison's achievement when he won a gold medal at the Sydney Olympics four years ago, and Britain's

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Life sentences are too short

I WAS shocked to read that the average sentence for a person who has been given a life sentence for murder is between 13 and 15 years. As Norman Bremmen, a spokesman for the Victims of Crime Trust said, our justice system has become a complete joke. I

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Penalised for having babies

I AM writing this letter because I, and others like myself, must be feeling disgusted at the way the pension system is biased against working mums. I will be 60 in November of this year and have brought up two children and worked all my life. I was informed

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Rugby Union: Sedgley boys need your help

RESPECTED sports writer, broadcaster and television presenter John Inverdale has issued a challenge to rugby clubs in the UK. It is to go out to South Africa to lend a developing hand to struggling township clubs. That sporting gauntlet has been picked

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Man cleared of double rape

A MAN accused of keeping a prostitute prisoner in his home and twice raping her at knifepoint has been cleared of all charges. Geoffrey Jones, of Atherton, was cleared of one of the rapes on Tuesday. He was not present in the dock when the final two not

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Youngsters find fun in faith

YOUNGSTERS have been discovering that fun and religion do mix at Bolton Road Methodist Church's summer holiday club. Volunteers from the church, helped by local Christians, have run the club since 1987. Around 90 children aged from five to 11 have attended

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Firebugs are blamed

A FORMER old persons home in Bury, being used as a drugs den, has suffered severe damage by fire. Squatters are being blamed for starting two fires in the disused Primrose Cottage Nursing Home in Hudcar Lane on Wednesday night. Piles of rubbish were set

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Puddled!

POLICE have been slammed for prosecuting an innocent motorist who "completely drenched" an officer by driving through a puddle of rainwater. Driving instructor Tahir Mahmood was charged after creating a "tidal wave" which completely covered PC Anthony

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Lloyd wants your views

WHAT are Bury's must-see attractions and what do you think people should do when they visit the town? The question is posed by writer and broadcaster Lloyd Grossman who has travelled throughout the North West, seeking out and highlighting some of the

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A whole bus load of trouble

A BUS made an unscheduled stop -- in the garden of a house -- when it was involved in a collision with a car. Traffic police, fire fighters and three ambulance crews were called to the accident shortly before 2pm on Monday. The 474 single decker bus was

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Crackdown on summer tipplers

POLICE are warning drivers across the borough that they are clamping down on drink and drug driving throughout the summer. As the temperature rises, so does the tendency to drink alcohol in the day and early evening, at barbecues and in beer gardens.

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Rovers must be quick out of the blocks

IT'S imperative Blackburn Rovers get off to a good start this season and I am sure everyone at Ewood Park will be hoping for three points against West Brom tomorrow. There are no easy games in the Premiership but this is one Graeme Souness would have

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We must beware of the Baggies!

BLACKBURN Rovers know they have to be wary of West Bromwich Albion in tomorrow's Premiership curtain raiser. While the opening day fixture conjures up memories of that glorious sunny day a year ago, when Rovers made it a black day for another bunch of

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Tributes for tragic teenager

FLORAL tributes are still pouring in more than three weeks after a 16-year-old girl died from Toxic Shock Syndrome. Flowers, pictures and soft toys have been placed on a bench at the Ribble Pilot pub, Riversway, Preston, where Finola Tyson worked in the

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Minis in convoy for charity run

PRESTON is set to be transformed into a scene from the classic 1968 film, The Italian Job, as Mini car enthusiasts wheel into the city for a charity run. More than 25 Mini owners have already signed up for the L2/B2 challenge on Sunday August 15 and a

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Club helps cut crime

A COMMUNITY club for young people has scooped an award for its innovative approach to tackling crime and disorder. Callon Kids Community Club, run by volunteers from Contour Homes Housing Association, was awarded the Participation in Practice Award 2004

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Library closes for a day

PRESTWICH library will be closed for one day only next Wednesday (Aug 18) for renovation work. The library will be open as normal on Tuesday, from 9am to 5.30pm, and Thursday, from 9am to 7.30pm. Library staff apologise for any inconvenience this may

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Auction day

AN AUCTION will be held at Stand All Saints Church in Whitefield in aid of the roof restoration fund. The sale will be held in the church hall, in Church Lane, from noon on Sunday (Aug 15) and viewing will take place from 11am. Catalogues will be on sale

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Delayed appeal

JAILED Prestwich security guard Graham Huckerby will have to wait until November for his appeal. His case at the Court of Appeal in London was delayed last month after the sudden death of one of the judges. Now his appeal, and that of Bury man James Power

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Gareth to lead cricket tour of Australia

AN EAST Lancashire cricketer has been named captain of the Great Britain Transplant team to tour Australia in September and October. Gareth Pollard, 31, who plays cricket for Burnley Belvedere in the Ribblesdale League, was diagnosed with renal failure

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Horticultural society prize show

WHITEFIELD Horticultural Society's 90th annual summer show takes place on Saturday, August 21. The show is open to the public from 2pm and features exhibits of vegetables, fruit, plants, floral arrangements, children's classes, cookery and handicrafts

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Pensioners reassured over new sheltered homes plan

A HOUSING company has reassured pensioners in Burnley Wood who feared they would be split up when their sheltered accommodation is demolished. Residents of Gerald Court were concerned the new bungalows to replace their homes, earmarked in the Elevate

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Terror brothers

TWO brothers who terrorised a disabled man and used him as a ready supply of cash have been jailed for five years. Drug users Brent and Robert West befriended lonely victim Andrew Halstead and then took advantage of his vulnerability to get at his savings

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Grief 'led to grandson Adam's slow decline'

THE grandmother of a Burnley teenager found hanging in a detention centre said his "slow decline" started after the deaths of three of his grandparents in just 18 months. Margaret Rickwood, 63, said her grandson Adam, who has become the youngest person

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Northern League 7th August 2004

By Dave Croft Cricket Sunshine fails to lift the gloom Preston fail to shine in the sun ALTHOUGH the sun was shining it failed to lift the gloom at Preston and Leyland Motors on Saturday as both sides were defeated at home. At West Cliff Preston chose

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Shaun makes BMX history

A FORK-lift truck driver has made BMX history by coming out on top in both the World and European Championships for the sport, in the 40-44 year old age class. It is the first time a UK rider has clinched both titles in the same year but not the first

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Defence aim to make Byfield rue his decision

NORTH End set out to Gillingham on Saturday hoping to leave Darren Byfield ruing his decision to turn down a move to Deepdale. The 28-year-old striker, who had a loan spell at Deepdale when David Moyes was still in charge, tried to win over fans at the

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50 years ago

AN apprenticeship scheme for training cotton workers was announced, sponsored by the Cotton Manufacturer's Association and others in the industry. Youths entering the industry at 16 from school would be fully trained by the age of 21. Pupils could attended

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25 years ago

AN Accrington firm which had faced bankruptcy after a fire gutted the building reported business was booming four months later. Griffin Computer Services, of Whalley Road were left with no computer systems in April after they were destroyed by the fire

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10 years ago

GENEROUS blood donors were honoured with golden awards. Six blood donors had been rewarded for giving 50 pints of blood over the years. Vicar's wife, Carol Ratcliffe, of St Paul's Church, Oswaldtwistle had been donating since she was at university and

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Give recycling a go

RESIDENTS in Hyndburn are being urged to give the borough's new rubbish recycling campaign a chance to succeed after scores of complaints. Householders protested when the borough council announced it would be switching from once-a-week rubbish collections

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Hotline to halt saboteurs

THE grouse-shooting season began yesterday, and we have found that extremists involved in hunt sabotage are already recruiting shooting saboteurs via their website. This tallies with an increase in animal rights activity around shooting in recent years

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Anachronistic forgetfulness

PEOPLE who believe uncritically everything they read in the press, deserve the pessimism they end up with. Mr Ryder (Letters, August 6) as a 1939-45 war veteran, knows perfectly well that social cohesion and togetherness was deliberately attacked as social

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Humps are out and psychology is now in

I WOULD like to point readers' attention to a revolutionary development which will turn on its head 80 years of traffic engineering. Experts at the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), on behalf of the Department of Transport, are proposing to abandon

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Dads say thanks

A TRIO of delighted dads are hoping that pedal power will translate into pounds when they take part in a charity bike ride to thank the hospitals which saved the lives of their premature babies. The dads, and six of their former school friends, will be

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Micah could have made it - Lewington

WATFORD boss Ray Lewington believes Clarets new boy Micah Hyde has underachieved in the game. Hyde spent the last two of his seven seasons under Lewington at Vicarage Road before taking up Burnley's tempting offer of a three-year deal this summer. And

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WATFORD v BURNLEY

Vicarage Road, tomorrow, 3pm BURNLEY (probable) 4-5-1 COYNE DUFF McGREAL SINCLAIR CAMARA BRANCH HYDE GRANT CHAPLOW MOORE BLAKE WATFORD (probable) 4-4-2 LEE CHAMBERS COX DYCHE MAYO DEVLIN GUNNARSSON MAHON ARDLEY DYER WEBBER REFEREE: Ray Olivier (West Midlands

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TWO games and two draws is a good start - but we need to start getting aggressive.

I felt that the first month would be difficult given the fixtures, and I know that most Clarets fans would have taken the results we have got if they had been offered those before the start of the season. But Steve Cotterill is right when he says that

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Thugs steal bikes

FOUR young thugs escaped with two bicycles when they stopped and threatened to teenager cyclists in Simister. As the street robbery happened in broad day light on Sunday afternoon (Aug 8) , police believe there are a number of witnesses who witnesses

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Police issue seasonal warning to drink drivers

POLICE are warning drivers across the borough that they will be clamping down on drink and drug driving throughout the summer. As the temperature rises, so does the tendency to drink alcohol in the day and early evening, at barbecues and in beer gardens

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Rolling back the years

LIKE any proud father on his daughter's wedding day, Barry Chaytow will reminisce about her tender childhood years. But when he accompanies her in the wedding car next September, Barry will be transported back to the very day he took Victoria home as

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New Year reveller Robin is welcomed back home

A FAMILY is wondering just how many of its nine lives their cat used up after being missing for seven months. Long-haired tabby Robin, who is aged 17, disappeared from his home in Hereford Drive, Prestwich just after New Year. He was returned safe and

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Is this the next hot spot des res?

A PRESTWICH firm is offering the perfect "window" of opportunity for potential developers. Prestwich Glass and Glazing Ltd is looking to relocate to bigger premises and their current base in Chester Street will go up for sale. The site has been earmarked

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Beat the yobs and win £5,000

ANTI-SOCIAL behaviour makes people's lives a misery and blights communities. It isn't fair that the selfish few, the louts, the yobs, and the nuisance neighbours, should be allowed to ride roughshod over everyone else. Graffiti, litter and abandoned cars

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THE coast is now clear for safely gathering cockles and mussels, Wyre Borough Council has announced.

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Gian's Badger's set wins talent contest

PHYSIOTHERAPIST Gian Rothwell has had his big break. With rock and roll in his bones, the married 43-year-old father-of-one has won a talent contest. By day Gian is a senior physiotherapist at Fairfield Hospital where he has worked for 18 years. By night

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Thousands rally round baby unit

THOUSANDS of protesters are joining the fight to save Fairfield's Special Care Baby Unit. More than 4,000 supporters have already signed petitions against the closure, and the Fairfield Baby Lifeline Society believe this is just the beginning. Lifeline

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Closure 'tip of the iceberg'

AN ex-health chief fears more services will soon be axed at Fairfield Hospital and that the closure of the special care baby unit is just "the tip of the iceberg". Vera Stringer, the former chairman of the Bury Health Care NHS Trust, was "gutted " to

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Death of decorated war hero

ONE of Bury's most decorated soldiers, Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Hill, MBE, MC, has died. He was aged 82. Lt Col Hill, was born in Bury in 1922 and attended Bury Grammar School. In the senior school he was a keen member of the Officer Training Corp which

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A fight to be fit

DAVID Thompson is set to lose his race to be fit for the Premiership kick-off against West Bromwich Albion tomorrow. The midfielder was withdrawn from Tuesday's reserve game against Everton in the first half with a thigh strain, that could put his long-awaited

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Control lost after red card

NORTH End dominated the match before a 37th minute sending off changed the game and left them holding on for a draw. Skipper Chris Lucketti put the Whites ahead after just three minutes when he hit a powerful drive from ten yards out past Wolves keeper

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Bury FC: Barrow's bravehearts roll back the years

BRISTOL ROVERS...2 BURY...2: THOSE Shakers fans lucky enough to have witnessed this encounter could well have seen the game AND goal of the season just two fixtures into the new campaign. If ever a match was said to have everything this one had. It was

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Plans for takeaways lose out by a nose

TWO Blackburn businessmen are set to have takeaway plans turned down amid continuing concern over hot food pongs in the town centre. But planning committee chairman Coun Dave Smith stressed that there was not a deliberate policy of clamping down on new

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Swim-ply the best holiday for Amy!

A NINE-YEAR-OLD Darwen girl has been eagerly awaiting today's launch of the 2004 Olympic Games after a dream meeting with the British swimming squad in Cyprus. Keen swimmer Amy Orrell, of Knowlesly Road, was coming to the end of a two-week family holiday

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Council cuts top jobs in review

A REVIEW of senior management jobs at Rossendale Council has seen the number of top posts slashed from 22 to 16. But councillors, who voted for the review at a meeting of the full council, stressed that none of the managers affected are to be made redundant

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Traders rap disc parking scheme

TRADERS in Waterfoot fear a new disc parking scheme will drive shoppers out of town. The new scheme means that motorists parking on Waterfoot's two short-stay car parks only have two hours before they have to quit the space. Local hairdressers claim that

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Looking for Rita

COULD any of your readers help us to find a long lost cousin, last heard of living in Preston? Rita Abbott, married name not known, was the daughter of George and Emily Abbott who brought her to live here from Yorkshire soon after the Second World War

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Cricket: Millmen shock leaders

ELPM successfully played their 'get out of jail' card in their match against North Manchester League Division One leaders Rochdale Catholic Club. Ten men Rochdale suffered only their second defeat of the season and it was a morale boosting win for the

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Soccer: Boro boys in confident mood

WITH just one pre-season game left before the big league kick-off, Radcliffe Borough boss Kevin Glendon is in confident mood. "The cancellation of Tuesday's friendly at Ramsbottom didn't really effect us, if anything it gave some of the lads a bit more

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Cricket: Radcliffe lads do it the family way!

YOU can usually rely on family and that's just what Radcliffe skipper Graeme Simpson did against Royton, and brother-in-law Bruce Cruse didn't disappoint, hitting his side's biggest score so far this season. "It was a fantastic knock of 138 from Bruce

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Radcliffe's name in lights

BBC Radio 2 presenter Mark Radcliffe will host Blackpool's Illuminations switch-on this year. The station's latest DJ, who grew up in Bolton, said he is looking forward to hosting the annual event, taking place in Radio 2's own 'arena' behind the Golden

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Big Sister!

9A FYLDE sex swap patient has praised Big Brother champion - Nadia Almada - for being a "positive representative" of transgender people. Hotelier Gina Large, 57, spoke out after the 27-year-old Portuguese-born bank clerk was crowned the winner of the

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Auf wiedersehen!

TIMES are changing at one of the Fylde's best-loved restaurants - The Stocks. For the Poulton restaurant is about to say goodbye to long-term owners, Charles and Sheila Ruppert, who first opened their door to the Stocks-loving public on April 14, 1974

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The most important note of Joe's life...

TRAGIC entertainer Joe Longthorne is urging the Fylde coast to help save lives by lending his support to the area's first bone marrow donor clinic. The clinic - which is being organised by the Anthony Nolan Trust - is set to be run at the Emmanuel Church

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Body of evidence on show

IT'S been labelled a macabre freak show. But, call it what you like, the organisers of a controversial exhibition of dead human bodies are celebrating after more than 4,500 visitors turned-up to view the world premiere of the Bodies Revealed exhibition

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Want to park? Well that's just fine

IF YOU'RE parking in Blackpool make sure you've paid - that's the reminder from Blackpool Council as parking metres are switched on in the borough. A pay-to-park scheme - Making Space - begins in the borough this Monday (August 16) at 8am. Drivers will

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Puddled!

POLICE have been slammed for prosecuting an innocent motorist who "completely drenched" an officer by driving through a puddle of rainwater. Driving instructor Tahir Mahmood was charged after creating a "tidal wave" which completely covered PC Anthony

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Hands to the pumps for the Brewers

ACCRINGTON Stanley weren't the only club to be threatened by a summer goalkeeper crisis. John Coleman's battle to find a number one ended when Jon Kennedy re-signed for the Reds last week, while former Barnsley stopper Danny Alcock was confirmed as his

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Boss believes new professionals are ready for action

ACCRINGTON Stanley's transition from part-time to full-time football will be put to the test for the first time tomorrow. The Reds entertain Burton Albion in the opening match of the new Nationwide Conference campaign. For some, it will be their first

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Cricket: History making Heys boys

HISTORY was made last Sunday when the Prestwich second eleven became the first team to win the Hulme Trophy three successive years. Pete Heys' team brushed Woodhouses aside with some superb performances and turned the match into a suprisingly one-sided

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Can they see better than us?

RATHER than visit my optician in a bid to improve my eyesight I have decided to buy a very fast, very expensive car instead. The reason for this is that when I was recently driving on the M62 in atrocious weather conditions, I observed that drivers with

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Who will do their council work now?

BOB Bibby and Jim Taylor are hard-working councillors who have represented their wards in a very positive and professional manner. They have worked tirelessly to overcome the many hardships faced by the people who elected them to office. Now they they

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Soon they will be giving birth by computer

HAD Paul Reynolds still been at the Community Health Council, I do not doubt that he would have been campaigning for the retention of the special care baby unit at Fairfield Hospital. However, he has now been replaced by . . . by what? By who? Where?

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Scheme should not be seen as a threat

JILL and Terry Pemberton's letter (July 30) headed "You can't call it consultation" raises a number of concerns about plans to develop a scheme to provide independent living for local people with mental health and housing needs. The Pembertons are correct

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Is there a conflict of interest?

I AM writing to express my reservations about certain aspects of the consultation process concerning a planning application made by West Pennine Housing Association (WPHA). I understand that the project is a joint venture between the WPHA and Bury Council

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Residents' "no" to flats for mentally ill

ANGRY residents are calling for assurances that plans to build flats for the mentally ill are not "a done deal". More than 100 people gathered at Christ Church school hall in Walmersley, where objectors voiced fears about the prosposed development off

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Bill Jacobs' Open House

OBSERVERS at Westminster are wondering whether East Lancashire's lone Tory MP Nigel Evans has missed the political boat. Many thought he was destined for great things when he won his Ribble Valley seat at the second time of asking. This week he congratulated

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Cricket: Tabletoppers stay on course for title

ELTON continued their charge towards the Bolton Association title with yet another 20 point victory, this time over Astley and Tyldesley. The title race hots up with Darcy Lever, Atherton and Walshaw still hanging onto Elton's tailcoats, so the victory

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Cricket: Brox closing in on promotion

BROOKSBOTTOMS' promotion dream all hinges on one match after a narrow victory enabled them to maintain a one point lead over third placed Euxton. The equation is quite simple - a maximum nine point haul tomorrow (Saturday) will guarantee promotion to

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Cricket: Rams beat heat and Rishton to go to top

THE sun shone on Ramsbottom's Lancashire League title aspirations on Saturday when they saw off Rishton to take advantage of Colne's slip and head the table. After winning the toss Rishton had no hesitation in electing to bat on a beautiful wicket in

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Angling: Gill glory for Ian

FOR the second time in a week heavy rains have caused flash floods locally. The small lodge fishery adjacent to Buckhurst School, above Longcroft, burst its banks causing considerable damage to farm roads next to it. On Wednesday evening the Bury junior

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Athletics: Sale Young Athletes Meeting

THIS excellent meeting at the Crossford Bridge track gave the younger members of Bury AC a taste of competitive athletics, and didn't they do well. UNDER-9 BOYS: There were five club members in the age group, in which the athletes were allowed to compete

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Cricket: Pole Laners are keeping up the pressure

IN the Central Lancashire League, Unsworth maintained their pursuit of leaders Norden, and all but ended the title hopes of rivals Littleborough at Hare Hill with a five point win. The home side elected to bat but soon had Australian pro Clinton Perren

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Cemetery a credit to staff

TRAVELLING to Whalley recently after a country run in the car, I was approaching Calderstones when I noticed the services cemetery which was featured in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph a few months ago. The gates were open. I turned around because I

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Rugby Union: Blair breezes in

KIWI Blair Feeney arrived at his new club Sedgley Park on Wednesday and was immediately impressed with what he saw. "The facilities here are great, the pitch is fantastic and I'm really looking forward to the new season," he said. The 29-year-old, who

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Just produce less waste!

CAN G Woodburn, "Town will be magnet for rats" (LET, August 6) suggest how waste in the borough can be dealt with effectively? A fortnightly collection scheme actually allows more of our waste to be collected than the old 'one bin for all' scheme. We

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Death of Common Sense

TODAY we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend by the name of Common Sense who had been with us for many years. Nobody knows how old he was he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having

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A WEEK of workshops for budding performers takes place at Blackpool's Grand Theatre from Monday, Aug

The cost of workshops ranges from £5 to £16, different sessions are open to different age groups and places are limited. All workshops take place in the Grand's Studio theatre. For tickets contact the box office on 290190.

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Fair puts pets first

LOCAL people enjoyed a fun day out and raised £5,200 for the care of neglected and abandoned pets. Pets in Need held their annual garden fair at Reynards Bank, Turton Road, Tottington and organisers put on a barbecue, a variety of stalls and a dog show

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Get mucking in, adults!

GROWN-UPS are urged to follow their children's example and help tidy the area near Spinney Drive, Bury. Littlewood Residents' Association is holding a second community clean-up day in 12 months to keep on top of litter and fly-tipping. It takes place

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Fall in for Fusilers

THE public are being invited to fall in to help give the town's brave Fusiliers a new home. On Sunday, August 29, Wellington Barracks in Bolton Road, Bury, will be throwing open to visitors in aid of the Fusiliers' Museum Appeal. Attractions include exhibitions

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Rivers rage after storms

FROM tranquil trickles to raging torrents. That's the rivers Irwell and Roch which, compared to this time last year, have swollen almost to bank-breaking point following this week's heavy downpours. Obstacles, such as weirs, that were visible 12 months

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Licence shows bouncers the door

PUB and club goers in Bury will be in safer hands from next Monday with the launch of a new national licensing scheme for door staff. The new licence, issued by the regulating body Security Industry Authority, will begin to rid the industry of the small

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Hospital will count on Abacus

MANCHESTER-based Abacus Care will become the main supplier of agency nurses to Fairfield General Hospital. The Pennine Acute Trust, responsible for the hospital, said the move from relying on up to ten agencies would "raise standards". Abacus will be

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Arson sparked by a grudge?

AN act of retribution or just wanton vandalism? That is the question possibly being asked by detectives investigating an arson attack on a Bury firm of solicitors on Tuesday night. A ground floor room suffered minor fire and smoke damage when a number

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Ethel reaches her latest landmark

ETHEL Worby will celebrate her milestone 102nd birthday today (Fri) but it won't interfere with her daily constitution. Fiercely independent Ethel will mark her big day by getting up, dressing herself and walking around the grounds of the Walshaw Hall

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A fight to be fit

DAVID Thompson is set to lose his race to be fit for the Premiership kick-off against West Bromwich Albion tomorrow. The midfielder was withdrawn from Tuesday's reserve game against Everton in the first half with a thigh strain, that could put his long-awaited

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Edna's final journey

MORE than 100 mourners said a final farewell to a Preston antiques expert on Monday. A glass, horse-drawn carriage brought the coffin of Edna Ferguson, 80, to St Ignatius Church, Meadow Street, Preston, where the Frank Sinatra classic, My Way, was played

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Imran prepares for army way of life

PRESTON'S Armed Forces Careers Office has enlisted its first Asian recruit from a new course designed to get school leavers to sign up. Imran Fennell was welcomed into the army yesterday (Wednesday) by Major Jimmy Hill at a special event in the Fishergate

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Sign up to save regiment

THE Citizen has thrown its weight behind the official campaign to save the Queen's Lancashire Regiment (QLR), which has its headquarters here, in Preston. A petition slamming the Government's proposals to merge infantry units like the QLR, based at Fulwood

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Chance reunion of artist and tutor

AN artist who drew a picture of a butterfly when he was ten-years-old will be reunited with the teacher who inspired him to do it. Robert Haworth, of Parker Street, Preston, plans to meet retired art teacher Charles Golder, 78, who, he claims, helped

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Alert over nut meals

TAKEAWAY meals in Preston are a "time bomb" for students and young people with allergies who are leaving home for the first time, according to trading standards chiefs. It comes after trading standards officers tested 20 chicken korma takeaway meals which

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Beware of bogus callers

RESIDENTS in the Elms Street area of Whitefield are being warned to be on their guard against bogus callers. The alert follows a distraction burglary at the home of an 83-year-old woman who had her purse stolen by a man who tricked his way into her home

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New bobby for Hillock

THE new face on the beat is PC Chris Linton. PC Linton is the new community beat officer for the Hillock Estate and is based at Whitefield police station. The 40-year-old is married with three children and has been in the police force for 10 years. Residents

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Learn to stage fight with a pro

BUDDING swordsmen and women can try their hand at being a musketeer for the day in Heaton Park. The Feelgood Theatre Company, which is putting on the production of The Three Musketeers in the park from August 13 to 30, has arranged a series of stage fighting

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Paper mill workers given work-search offer

WORKERS facing the dole following the closure of a Burnley paper mill have been given a lifeline by a JobCentre in Blackburn. JobCentre Plus has offered to bus workers from Papermarc to a jobs fair at Blackburn Rover's Ewood Park ground. Bosses at the

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Rosegrove column

ROSEGROVE Action Group will be holding their annual general meeting on Thursday, August 19, from 7.30pm. This will be in the shop on Lowerhouse Lane. Residents are welcome to attend this meeting and join the group. Last Friday the group organised a shopping

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Festival plans to start on the right footing

PEOPLE in Pendle are invited to put on their hiking boots and attend the first walking festival of its kind in the area. The event will run from Friday, September 3, to Monday, September 6, and will feature five walks of varying lengths throughout the

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On your bikes for health

ORGANISERS of a series of bike rides in Pendle are doing their bit for child health in the borough. Families are being encouraged to get on their bikes for an easy-paced guided cycle ride on Saturday. Highlighting one of the routes that are especially

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Mike savours his new role with Greggs

BURY man Mike Kavanagh has been appointed new sales director by leading sandwich, savoury and bakery retailer Greggs North West. Living in Bury and based in the Manchester bakery, Mike is responsible for growing the sales and profitability of all the

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Input into community

LOCAL businesses are being given the opportunity to have an input into the area's community strategy at the next meeting of the Bury Economic Forum. The event will be held at the town's Businesslodge in Barcroft Street on Monday, August 23 between 10am

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Bury's brand new face of the future

A NEW £5.5 million business park development is currently taking shape in Bury. The first phase of building work at the Hollins Brook Park in Bury is under way and is scheduled for completion in September. Chorley-based commercial and industrial property

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Olympic moment

PRESTWICH Olympic medal hopeful Adrian Turner has promised to do his best to fulfil the wish of his little pal, Beth Morris. Brave Beth (8), who has battled leukaemia, has asked Adrian to bring back a medal from Athens, just for her! Adrian's mum, Joyce

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Fire alarm for growing town

FIRE bosses have been urged to give Clitheroe its own full-time crew amid fears the town could be left with no local cover during the day. Ribble Valley Council's leader and the borough's MP both believe Clitheroe's expanding population is a good enough

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International calls

BURNLEY midfielder Micah Hyde has received a call-up to the Jamaican squad for their forthcoming World Cup qualifying game against the USA. The match is being played in Kingston on Wednesday, August 18, meaning Hyde must fly out from London with the rest

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We will improve

STEVE Cotterill is backing his new-look Burnley side to improve with every game. The Clarets carry their unbeaten start to the season to Watford tomorrow for another testing away day. And new boss Cotterill is confident having such a small squad is helping

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Honour is out of this world!

IT is written in the stars for astronomer Mike Oates, who has just had a minor planet named after him. The company director, from Prestwich Hills, has been studying the night sky for almost 20 years and he is the world record holder for discovering the

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Wasp attack backfires

A BIT of DIY pest control had a sting in the tail for one unlucky Prestwich resident. The man, in his early 20s, leaned out of a bedroom window at his second-floor flat in Roman Road in a bid to burn out a wasps' nest in the roof eaves, using a cigarette

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Cricket school

A CRICKET Summer School is being held by Ruvin Peiris, club professional for Church & Oswaldtwistle Cricket Club on Monday 16-20 from 10am to 3.30pm daily. Age range is nine to 15 years (boys and girls) and course fee is £40. Presentation is on Friday

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Glossy move pays PR firm

A THRIVING Prestwich PR and design company is making all the right moves to forge a prosperous future. And Appleby Bowers is blowing its own trumpet after receiving a £30,000 grant following its transfer to new premises. Earlier this year, the company

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Persuasive Melanie!

A SEVEN-year-old girl from Prestwich has persuaded sport and TV stars to swing into action for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Melanie Cleary, of Downham Crescent, has been chosen to front a sponsored abseil at Old Trafford which she hopes will raise more

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Time we stopped being fooled

I HOPE Tory councillor Sam Cohen, who has been appointed to represent Bury on the Greater Manchester Police Authority, agrees with me that the Government seems to be endlessly presenting its policies on a never-ending loop system, a regurgitation of "

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Cash injection cures pharmacy problems

A CASH injection of £700,000 in to a new hospital pharmacy has proved to be just the tonic to cure a recruitment crisis. Since the new Fairfield Hospital pharmacy opened in November, staffing levels have increased from 20 to 30. The investment in the

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Villagers step up war against the speedsters

A MAJOR drive to make a picturesque village safer for pedestrians gained pace over the weekend. Members of the Holcombe Society were out collecting signatures in support of their three-year-long campaign for traffic calming measures to slow all speeding

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Flowery floral finale

BLOOMING 'eck! Gardeners have brought a riot of colour to the borough in this year's Bury in Bloom competition. The Bury Council-run tourney encourages the local community to compete for fun with rivals of a similar status. The competition is sponsored

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Joshua says goodbye at his birthday bash

IT was a celebration tinged with sadness as four-year-old Joshua Wilson said farewell to nursery friends to begin life at the Highbank Rehabilitation centre. Joshua, previously featured in the Bury Times, was diagnosed with a rare brain condition after

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We will improve

STEVE Cotterill is backing his new-look Burnley side to improve with every game. The Clarets carry their unbeaten start to the season to Watford tomorrow for another testing away day. And new boss Cotterill is confident having such a small squad is helping

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Bury FC: More of same at Mariners?

BURY travel to the east coast tomorrow for the third big test in a tough first week of the Coca Cola League Two season. After last week's home win over Yeovil and the stirring 2-2 draw at Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night, the trip to newly-relegated Grimsby

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Storm nightmare

A SUDDEN storm brought chaos to Darwen, leaving an 80-year-old woman in hospital with shock and a wallpaper factory flooded. Sarah Armitage, of Bowling Green Close, was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary with chest pains last night after her ground-floor

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Boy, 10 killed on m-way

A TEN-year-old East Lancashire boy has died in a motorway crash in Hampshire. And a woman motorist has been arrested by police on suspicion of causing the death of Joshua Whitaker by dangerous driving. Joshua, of Waterside Terrace, Bacup, died after his

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None better than Sir Tom

AS a life-long Bolton Wanderers supporter I once asked my father, himself an avid fan during the "glory days" who was the best player he had ever seen. I expected a reply of Nat Lofthouse or Willie Moir. Instead, (without hesitation I might add) he said

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Teddies' picnic

TEDDY Bears and their owners are invited to a picnic at Stand All Saints church hall next Wednesday (Aug 18). Organised by the Children's Society and Little 'Uns and Co, the Teddy Bears Picnic is from 2pm to 4pm. Admission is £1.50 for adults and 50p

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Jail for knife-man

A BLACKPOOL man has been jailed for holding estranged wife and her children at knife-point with a ten-inch blade. Christopher Stewart, 48, of Dinmore Avenue, Grange Park, Blackpool, was sentenced to six months after pleading guilty to affray at Preston

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And all because

ANYONE strolling by the Norbreck should not be too alarmed if they see a suspicious black-clad figure scaling down the Hotel's outer walls this weekend. It's not an SAS training exercise, just kind-hearted local man - Steve Pennington - who will be turning

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Footy fraud seizure

RANGERS and Celtic bosses have vowed to protect fans from fraud after the total of fake club jewellery seized in Blackpool and the UK rose to £100,00 this year alone. In the latest haul Glasgow jeweller, David Saunders, was fined £3,000 after being found

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Blackpool is still the first resort for Iris

A NEW washing machine, a Volkswagen golf and a family trip to Blackpool! For most of us this sounds like a modest shopping list for person who's just won more than £20.1m on the UK Lottery. But this is exactly what Iris Jeffrey, 58, of Woodvale, Belfast

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Mystery of forgotten artefact

A PENSIONER who has fought to get a rare stained glass window out of museum vaults for the next Preston Guild has sparked a historical debate. The 8ft by 4ft window, previously displayed at The Museum of Lancashire, Stanley Street, is believed to show

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Council in bid to buy empty station

COUNCILLORS have agreed to bid for a former police station in Blackburn. The building in Northgate was left empty when Lancashire Police moved to new premises in Whitebirk two years ago. Blackburn with Darwen Council will now make an undisclosed bid for

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Nathan's out to put the world in a spin

A BLACKBURN youngster chosen to represent Britain in a global gaming competition is jetting off to the States this weekend. Eight year-old Nathan Howorth, of Peel Mount, Knuzden, is the UK's entry for the World Beyblade Champions to be held in New York

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Carry on slimming!

AN EAST Lancashire health trust is introducing new measures to help staff and patients 'carry on' fighting the flab. The team, headed by a manager who has lost seven stone in the last two years, will encourage staff to lose weight, become healthier and

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Pubs and clubs could lose licence to thrill

TIME is about to be called on several well-known Blackpool venues after management failed to renew their public entertainment licences four months ago. Blackpool councillors will hear today (Thursday) how a leading hotel, three pubs and a controversial

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The politics of the playground

COUNCILLOR Roy Walker's response (Letters, August 6) to the suspension of two members of his Conservative Group leaves me somewhat bemused. He seems to be blaming everyone but the councillors involved. Councillors Bibby and Taylor have not been found

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Only one parking increase this year

PARKERS' Watchdog (Letters, July 30) correctly states that the setting of parking tariffs is the responsibility of the council. However, his claim that tariffs have increased more than once this year is simply not true. An Executive decision was taken

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We need cash to fight care unit closure

THE people of Bury should be very angry. They have provided 85 per cent of the equipment in the special care baby unit at Fairfield General Hospital through generous donations and fundraising in recent years, and now the Strategic Health Authority wants

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Humps are out - psychology is in

I WOULD like to point readers' attention to a revolutionary development which will turn on its head 80 years of traffic engineering. Experts at the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), on behalf of the Department of Transport, are proposing to abandon

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Using mobiles is a lot more dangerous

IN his letter about mobile phone masts, David Foss (August 10) takes a long time to get to what appear to be his main points; these being his clearly implied contention that Bury Council is putting the health of residents at risk by giving planning consent

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Bus passenger 'more to blame'

I WAS a passenger on the bus and witnessed the whole incident described by the writer of the letter( August 6) signed "Disgruntled and humiliated". It has to be said that she has been somewhat economical with the truth. First and foremost, I would like