THE grieving widow of a Bury man kicked to death following a night out in Bolton spoke today of her caring and gentle husband who had "a heart of gold". Father-of-four Rob Johnston, aged 39, who worked for Briggs Demolition, Wellington Street, Bury and
A CHAMPION for disabled people's rights has died in a fire at her home. MBE Alison Thomason was found dead in bed in her smoke-filled house in Walmersley on Friday morning. Her female home carer desperately tried to wake the 53-year-old multiple sclerosis
TEACHERS, pupils and friends will pay their respects to a man who touched thousands of lives as an inspirational teacher. Peter Keegan, 51, died last Wednesday at his Wilpshire home leaving a wife and five daughters. Tributes have flooded in for the head
ROSSENDALE MP Janet Anderson has given her backing to new legislation meaning large stores have to close on Christmas Day. The Labour minister for Rossendale expressed her delight after the Christmas Day (Trading) Bill passed its final stage in Parliament
EDUCATION bosses today confirmed Moorland High School will be replaced if a proposed City Academy gets the go-ahead. And the headteacher at the Darwen special measures school said his sights were firmly set on the top job at the new academy. The decision
LEADING lights in Darwen have been honoured for their work to improve the town. Darwen Civic Society's Civic Pride Awards saw four local groups rewarded for their efforts to make their local community more attractive. A ceremony was held at Derwent Hall
STEVE COTTERILL has issued a rallying call for fans to turn up at Turf Moor this week and roar Burnley into the top six. The Clarets boss has admitted to a tinge of disappointment that his team's solid start to the season has not sparked an increase in
A FAMILY who moved back to East Lancashire to start a new life are heartbroken after two pet dogs were stolen in a raid on their home. Geoff and Sara Royle had lived in Kent 10 ten years, before moving to Great Harwood earlier this month with daughter
A BUILDER found with drugs and £15,000 in cash at his partner's home has walked free from court. A judge heard Barry Holden, 45, had amphetamine, cannabis and cannabis resin, as well as drugs "paraphernalia," when police raided the Accrington property
HYNDBURN Council looks set to rubber stamp plans which will save the housing renewal scheme Project Phoenix. The council, hoping to regenerate the troubled West Accrington area by knocking down many of its houses, hit a cash crisis when the North West
A NURSE was due in court today charged with murdering three patients at a hospital. Anne Grigg-Booth, 51, is accused of murdering three women, aged 96, 75 and 67, at Airedale General Hospital, near Keighley, West Yorkshire. She is also accused of attempting
Bury v Boston United by Peter Collins: DAVID Nugent will be fit enough to continue up front when Bury host Boston in League Two on Tuesday night. Nugent, the Shakers' leading scorer this season, took a knock on his leg during Saturday 2-1 victory at Darlington
A 13-YEAR-OLD girl was grabbed by a man who pounced out of bushes as she competed in a cross country championships. Today dozens of competitors from the Burnley area were urged to contact police if they witnessed the incident. The teenager was grabbed
HOUSE building in Burnley could grind to a halt because so many properties are springing up across the borough. The council has a strict limit on the amount of new homes over the next five years - 540 until 2009 - and is rapidly reaching it. And planners
THE elderly and victims of crime in areas of Burnley will benefit from security packages as part of two new schemes aimed at improving life for older people. The Home Maintenance Project, part of the Anchor Staying Put not-for-profit charity, will also
EAST Lancashire MP Peter Pike has urged local people to report anyone who uses fireworks late at night in contravention of new rules. Tough new regulations have been introduced which aim to stop bangers and other fireworks being used between 11pm and
BLACKBURN Rovers today appealed for fans to remain calm and explained the events which prompted angry fans to launch a stand-up protest. Rovers fans in the Blackburn End voiced their disapproval at the sight of two home supporters being ejected midway
TOM Jackson has fond memories of The Falcons Dance Band which beat the best in Britain. The bass player with the band founded in 1942 from cadets of the 316 squadron of the Air Training Corps in Leigh, he has compiled a brief history of the Falcons which
rGEORGE Robinson talks to Westleyther Lesley Richards about the Ring o' Bells -- a no-nonsense alehouse where beer was served out of jugs straight from the barrel until 1970. Bungalows now stand on the site. THE Ring O'Bells last landlord, George Robinson
LOCAL history writer Peter Riley has captured 100 years of history. In an ingenious new book Then and Now. Peter has taken a photographic look at the changing faces of 11 towns incuding Leigh, Atherton, Tyldesley, Golborne, Astley, Glazebury, Lowton and
A TEENAGER who fraudulently transferred more than £1,600 from his employer's bank account to his own narrowly avoided a custodial prison sentence. Zak Gallagher, aged 18, of Bank Street, Walshaw, Bury, stole funds from Accounts and Admin Ltd, in Radcliffe
A 25-YEAR-OLD man from Leigh accused of a £29,000 post office robbery has appeared in court. Craig Smith, of South Avenue, Hope Carr, Leigh, is alleged to have carried out the robbery at Walthew Lane, Wigan, on May 21. He is also charged with robbing
ASHORT time ago you very kindly punished a letter I sent you about my work as a fundraiser with the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation. I asked whether your readers would be able to support my charity by sending in their unwanted mobile phones and used
Final countdown to Players' night IT'S been a hard slog but they're nearly there. After three months of rehearsing, the Oswaldtwistle Players will finally take to the stage this week for A Night On The Tiles, which runs from Wednesday until Saturday at
The protest against plans to shut Fairfield's baby unit and replace maternity services with a midwife-led system was described by Bury North MP David Chaytor as the town's biggest-ever public demonstration. The town centre came to a standstill as parents
MANCHESTER 44, SEDGLEY PARK 20: Sedgley Park, who replaced Manchester in National One this season, put out a much weakened side yet at one stage led 20-3, but Manchester's comeback was well worthy of a place in the Powergen Cup fourth round against National
RESIDENTS are being given the chance to choose what their new homes will look like as part of plans to rejuvenate their area. Council bosses are currently drawing up a scheme to renovate the Infirmary area of Blackburn using cash from the Government's
A 13-year-old girl was grabbed by a man who pounced out of bushes as she competed in a cross country championships. Police launched a major hunt for the suspect, involving the force helicopter, dog patrols and search teams, following the incident at Witton
COLLEGE staff have raised £15,000 for cancer research as a tribute to their deputy vice-principal who died earlier this year. Peter David Stokes died aged 53 on May 30 at his home in Darwen, after a two-year battle with cancer. St Mary's College, Shear
A BLACKBURN grandma held in India on drugs charges has been cleared for a second time -- but still cannot come home after her passport was confiscated. Despite Amina Mitha, 70, being found not guilty again, her husband Ismail, 69, had his conviction upheld
Radcliffe Boro v Witton Albion: KEVIN Glendon hopes his Radcliffe Borough team can carry their FA Cup form into the Unibond League. Borough earned a trip to Conference high-fliers Hereford United in the fourth qualifying round of the cup following Saturday's
A PRESTWICH church celebrated its 100th anniversary on Monday (Oct 18) with a special service. St Hilda's CE Church in Whittaker Lane was the venue for a centenary Mass on the exact day the church was opened 100 years ago. Communion was given by the Bishop
BROTHERS Stephen and Trevor Ashworth have used pedal power to raise almost £20,000 for charity. The leading businessmen took the 'Rocky' road to charity to help boost funds for Scope and Cancer Research. The brothers, directors and owners of leading North
AN MP has resorted to padlocking her wheelie bin to the wall to prevent young yobs stealing it and setting it on fire. And Darwen and Rossendale MP Janet Anderson hit out at the parents of the teenage arsonists who continue to target her and her neighbours
NEW ideas for Darwen's market square will be looked at following feedback from residents on proposals put forward by the council. Plans showing what the bus station and town centre area could look like were put on display in both Darwen Community Centre
YOUNG people wanting to enter Darwen Rotary Club's chef of the year competition are urged to get their entry forms as soon as possible. Hopefuls aged 14 and 15 should enter before November 5 and forms are available from Gilbert Riley on 01254 704844 or
RADCLIFFE Boro's reward for dumping Conference North side Moor Green out of the FA Cup by 1-0 on Saturday, is a trip to the Edgar Street Athletic ground to take on Hereford United in the fourth qualifying round. "It's a fabulous draw for us," said Boro
JIM Henderson scored his sixth win in seven attempts but the Lancashire Road Club's annual Rake hill climb record at Ramsbottom still eludes him. The Southport rider, who will be defending his national hill climb title in Northumberland on October 31,
STEVE COTTERILL has issued a rallying call for fans to turn up at Turf Moor this week and roar Burnley into the top six. The Clarets boss has admitted to a tinge of disappointment that his team's solid start to the season has not sparked an increase in
BLACKBURN Rovers manager Mark Hughes today played a straight bat in regard to speculation linking him with a move for Manchester United's Wes Brown. Hughes is reported to be lining up a £2million bid for Brown when the transfer window opens in January
MORE than £1million is to be spent on improving Whalley Abbey, it has been revealed. The Blackburn diocese of the Church of England is to upgrade its historic retreat house and conference centre. It is hoped that by improving the ancient building, the
CONSERVATORY manufacturer Ultraframe has warned its employees there may have to be redundancies at its Clitheroe headquarters. The company - the largest manufacturer in the Ribble Valley - announced it intended to "streamline" its business in the wake
A COUNCIL has taken on a new dog warden as part of its battle against pets fouling in public. Adele Scott, who used to worked for the Prison Service, will be out and about in Ribble Valley catching the messy culprits. Ribble Valley Council launched a
EAST Lancashire MP and convenience shop owner Nigel Evans has attacked Government proposals to decriminalise shoplifting. The Tory backbencher said replacing proper prosecutions for this type of theft with on-the-spot fines would send out the wrong signals
EXTRA floodlighting will be installed at Sedgley Park Rugby Club, despite heated objections from residents. The club, based at Philips Park Road West, Whitefield, requested permission to install a new system to illuminate pitches for evening training
THE redevelopment of a derelict barn into a £1million luxury homes complex is on hold after being caught up in a planning dispute. Planning officials said the barn at Broughton Barn Farm, Haslingden Road, Oswaldtwistle, has become technically a new building
HORRIFIED Darwen residents complained after council pest control staff wrung pigeons' necks in the street. Staff, ordered to rid the town of some of its pigeon population, congregated on top of the Darwen market rotunda in full view of shoppers. They
DARWEN had a close encounter of the mysterious kind when a resident reported spotting a UFO. The Marsh Lane resident reported the sighting to police at about 10pm - but police dismissed it as a low-flying aircraft. The Civil Aviation Authority said it
BLACKBURN men were accused of not looking at their wives, by Swiss-born beauty demonstrator Ruth Schappi. Miss Schappi said the Christmas season in the cosmetics trade proved her theory as droves of desperate men would flounder when asked basic questions
MOBILE phone giant Vodafone has been accused of a 'cynical ploy' to get councillors to allow a mast in Trawden. Pendle Council leader Alan Davies was angry that the company had taken a photograph from an angle designed to trick them into thinking the
A 29-YEAR-OLD man is being treated for serious injuries after being stabbed in the head and the back during an attack. He was assaulted in a garage near to the junction of Ringley Road West and Outwood Road, Radcliffe, on Saturday afternoon. Detectives
CHARITY workers from Nelson have returned from relief work in conflict-torn Sudan. Mohammad Razaque and Mohammed Anwar from Muslim Global Relief spent a week finding out the extent of suffering in the Darfur region and supervising distribution of food
A BURNLEY supermarket worker is hoping to swap walking down the aisles for strutting her stuff on the catwalk after landing a place in the finals of a national modelling contest. Jayne Harris, 27, is hoping to take the modelling world by storm and follow
BURNLEY council has re-opened a skate park following a fatal accident earlier this year. The skate park in Piccadilly Gardens was closed in March following the death of 15-year-old James Hadfield, and a full investigation was undertaken. James, 15, of
YOUNGSTERS are set to bridge the gap with the older generation as part of a special event organised by Brunshaw Action Group. The Keirby Experience will offer a free supper and cabaret evening for the over 50s. The project, which has attracted funding
A NEW book celebrating Sabden's centenary year will be published on Saturday. Sabden Past and Present has been compiled by villagers Audrey Barrett and David Eaves - and contains 250 archive photographs of life in the Pendleside community. They will launch
BLACKBURN Rovers manager Mark Hughes today played a straight bat in regard to speculation linking him with a move for Manchester United's Wes Brown. Hughes is reported to be lining up a £2million bid for Brown when the transfer window opens in January
A 13-YEAR-OLD girl was grabbed by a man who pounced out of bushes as she competed in a cross country championships. Today dozens of competitors from the Burnley area were urged to contact police if they witnessed the incident. The teenager was grabbed
Special report by Brian Gomm: OVER 200 years ago ironmaster Abraham Darby the Third made a giant step forward in the world of construction when he spanned the River Severn with his Iron Bridge. This remarkable feat of 18th century engineering was highlighted
A 13-year-old girl was grabbed by a man who pounced out of bushes as she competed in a cross country championships. Police launched a major hunt for the suspect, involving the force helicopter, dog patrols and search teams, following the incident at Witton
This was the Falcons Dance Band well known in the area in the late 1940s/early 1950s. It was founded in 1942 from cadets of the 316 squadron of the Air Training Corps in Leigh, managed by Squadron Leader Charles Grundy and led by Vince Hayes, with Ken
AMAZING Grace took Britain by storm in 1972 and was first choice in 'Top of the Pops' for nine weeks running. This hymn was written by John Newton (1725-1807). He was the only child of a sea captain and was taught the Bible by his mother who died when
LOCAL history writer Peter Riley has captured 100 years of history. In an ingenious new book Then and Now Peter has taken a photographic look at the changing faces of 11 towns incuding Leigh, Atherton, Tyldesley, Golborne, Astley, Glazebury, Lowton and
HAILED as "amazing" by carers, 103--year-old Ethel Hunsworth continues to astound everyone with her astute memory and intelligence. Born in Leigh in 1899, Ethel grew up in Leigh Road with her brother Fred and sister Doris. After teaching French and Latin
IF Queen's Park School has all the problems that Blackburn with Darwen Council claim it has, to justify closing the school and make teachers re-apply for their jobs, then it would appear good sense to try and collect as many allies as possible in order
I OFTEN wonder what planet Walt Meadows lives on. I refer of course to his out of touch comment that because Queen's Park School - a school in a deprived area which has been poor for years - is still poor that means the government has failed on education
MR Keith Reynolds, of Wyre Crescent, Darwen, states he hopes the electorate will "rid the country of Tony Blair and Co and thus improve education" (Letters, October 13). Maybe Mr Reynolds could go back to school himself as the facts clearly show that
Is it time for you to confess, Tony? I TELL you, I wouldn't buy a second hand car from this government, never mind a submarine. I was concerned about us going to war, but I thought if they are committing our young men to fight, perhaps to die, then they
EVERYONE wants to see the end of the sort of dilapidated Victorian housing which puts East Lancashire high in various deprivation leagues. Slum conditions are inextricably linked with health and education difficulties as well as other problems associated
