It's around this time of year that the financial pages of most newspapers carry articles crammed with advice on how to either get out of debt or handle your finances better. Maybe some of these articles should be forwarded to those controlling the purse
ThE more paranoid among us Rovers fans have had a field day due to some of the goings on concerning us this season. There have been conspiracy theories abound. Everything from questionable refereeing decisions to cup draws. so much so that some would
BLACKBURN boss Mark Hughes is ready to turn up the heat on Sir Alex Ferguson by plotting the downfall of Manchester United in the Carling Cup tomorrow. Hughes has worked a minor miracle since succeeding Graeme Souness in the Ewood Park hot seat, transforming
GARRY Flitcroft is ready to bring down the curtain on his career at Blackburn by sealing a move to Sheffield United. The veteran midfielder is wanted by Blades boss Neil Warnock and he could move to Bramall Lane in the next 24 hours. Flitcroft has barely
CLARETS midfielder Garreth O'Connor has vowed to break his own goal-scoring record to help shoot Burnley into the play-offs. O'Connor, who signed from Bournemouth in the summer, scored 14 goals last season for the Cherries and is aiming to better that
BLACKBURN boss Mark Hughes has warned his players to expect a backlash from Manchester United tomorrow when the two clubs collide in the Carling Cup at Ewood Park. Sir Alex Ferguson's Reds have been heavily criticised after they failed to beat non-league
A MOTORIST was rescued from his burning car by a passer by after it lost control and slammed into a house. A husband and wife spoke of their shock when they were woken by the crash which shook their home. Keith and Kath Scott were asleep when the red
THE creation of a multi-coloured sculpture in the centre of a Blackburn park has prevented an historic cannon battery from being demolished. The Colourfields sculpture, the first of six designs being created as part of the Panopticons series, is nearing
officials have been accused of ignoring democracy to ensure they meet the 2008 deadline for Darwen's new Academy. Now councillors have demanded changes to their authority's constitution to make sure it cannot happen again. Blackburn with Darwen Council's
A HODDLESDEN Mothers' Union group will celebrate its 100th anniversary this year. Members of the St Paul's MU have been looking back at past events and discovered the earliest recorded event was a tea party on May 10, 1910. They have also staged other
A church in Darwen has replaced some benches and pews with bean-bags in a bid to attract young parishioners. Children are also be ingenticed by a Big Bags for Little People' project, which provides brightly-coloured bags containing a book, pad of paper
A WIDOW upset after a letter was sent to her dead husband was overwhelmed when the firm apologised by buying a donkey for African villagers on her behalf! Jean Place said the gesture of goodwill made up for the distress caused when a letter offering
WHERE have the folk with tolerance and common sense all gone to? If they are in Government they are keeping their heads down. We are under constant attack: our values, beliefs completely ignored, disregarded. Someone should write a charter for today
ST John Ambulance in Lancashire would like to thank everyone for their support over 2005. As a charity we are very dependent on good publicity to ensure successful recruitment and fundraising, enabling us to continue our service to the community. The
MANY congratulations to all the winners of the Christmas Cracker competition. It was a great competition in the run-up to Christmas. However, I'm sure all the many people who took part, but didn't get through to the final 50, would like to know the
TWO stories interested me in the LET on December 29. The first was a letter which suggested that regionalisation was entering via the back door. The Army has been regionalised and the Government want the police to go that way. John Prescott failed in
WITH regard to the December 27 article about damage caused to buses on the Openshaw Drive route in Blackburn because of speed ramps. I am not surprised one bit. As I live off Openshaw Drive, I have to negotiate those ridiculous speed ramps myself. I
AN East Lancashire meat producer, which never recovered from the BSE and foot and mouth outbreaks, is to close with the loss of 111 jobs. Great Harwood Food Products, the largest subsidiary of E Slinger and Sons and better known in East Lancashire as
A MAN paid £400 for two bottles of lemonade after being tricked into thinking he was buying a computer and a camcorder by a pair of conmen. Now police are warning others not to fall victim to the street sellers who have been approaching people in Blackburn
A UNIQUE Japanese exhibition is to be launched in Blackburn as cultural chiefs try to put the town on the art world map. The Parallel Realities: Asian Art Now exhibition has been shipped across from the Japanese town of Fukuoka, where it was spotted
A 77-year-old woman was left with no heating or hot water as temperatures plunged below freezing. Hilde Moorby, of Pendle Drive, Blackburn, was left in an icy cold home after her boiler failed and temperatures plummeted to as low as -6C. She was given
A £4million youth arts project in Clitheroe will not be completed until late next year. Work is currently being carried out to convert the former Grand Cinema, in York Street, into a 24-hour recording studio and youth arts centre. Under original plans
BLACKBURN cake producer Inter Link Foods was today celebrating record profits and sales. The firm released its interim results for the six months to November 5, 2005 which showed the business is booming and the future looks rosy. The half-yearly results
A 22-year-old man died and a woman was seriously injured when their speeding car went out of control as they overtook a friend's vehicle in a residential street. Another 22-year-old man who was in the other car has been arrested by police on suspicion
Chorley's only comedy night is back with another show on February 4 at the Coachhouse Brasserie, St George's Street. It wil be headlined by Dave Ingram and will also feature Rodney Marques, a finalist of "So You Think You're Funny", one of the most prestigious
THANKS to Reverend Kevin Logan for informing me about his book 'Responding to the Challenges of Evolution.' In return I'd like to suggest a couple of titles he may like to consider for future works in a similar vein... how about 'A Cheese Lover's Guide
TEENAGERS are still putting their lives at risk by filming deadly stunts for a website -- two years after a schoolboy was almost killed when a prank went wrong. Today police and an MP slammed magistrates for 'letting off' the 17-year-old Darwen youth
A FORMER librarian who was honoured by the Queen for her work has called on people in East Lancashire to fight plans to close five libraries. Shirley Ellis, 62, of Park Lane, Brierfield, was awarded the MBE in last year's Queen's Birthday Honour's list
MORTEN Gamst Pedersen is aiming to gun down Manchester United for the second time this season when he lines up against his childhood heroes tonight. The Norwegian international, who grew up supporting the Reds, was Blackburn's goalscoring hero when he
BURNLEY police have handed over a cheque for £782 to the Mayor of Burnley's Charity Appeal. The funds, in aid of the Child Development Centre, were raised at the annual Burnley Police Community Cup football competition. Organiser PC Andy Thornhill said
A MAN in debt has been fined for lying to police - wrongly claiming his Burnley home had been burgled. And police today warned they would prosecute people caught making bogus claims. The man was slapped with a £80 fixed penalty notice for wasting police
A CAMPAIGN group has written to Lancashire county council objecting to the site of one of the flagship schools earmarked for Burnley as part of a huge £250 million overhaul of education. Towneley for the People has sent a letter to planning bosses setting
A BLOCK of rundown flats and shops in Burnley which have been a magnet for drug dealing and arsonists is finally set to be demolished. Engineers are due to visit the parade of shops in Calderbrook Avenue, off Manchester Road, this week to prepare for
A NELSON sandwich bar will continue to operate, despite concerns about the possibility it could turn into a takeaway. Councillors have given permission for Janet Licastri and her husband to change the use of an office in Leeds Road into a sandwich bar
BOY racers are to be locked out of a Barnoldswick park, police have revealed. People living around Letcliffe Park have been complaining about joy riders driving cars, motorbikes and quad bikes across the grass, anti-social behaviour and criminal damage
A FAMILY who lost everything in a house fire have thanked their local community for the "over-whelming" support they have received since the blaze. Debbie O'Connor and her three children were left homeless after fire gutted their house in New Lane, Oswaldtwistle
A 25-YEAR-old man was airlifted to hospital after he stepped into the path of a car in Clitheroe. Police say the man, who lives in the Clitheroe area but is originally from Turkey, was attempting to cross Whalley Road, near the junction with Turner Street
I'M HAVING what you might call a mid-life "Christis". That's the thing men get when they hit 33 and realise: "If I was Jesus, I would have been crucified by now. And what have I achieved? Nothing!" Mind you, if I was Jesus, the Bible would have a lot
DANNY Karbassiyoon says he's itching to show the Burnley fans what he can do after a nightmare start to his Turf Moor career. The boy from Roanoke in Virginia arrived at Turf Moor in the summer from Arsenal but a mystery pelvic injury wrecked his pre-season
DISGRUNTLED Burnley fans are urging the club to put the fans first and switch the away trip to Brighton to give the travelling support an easier journey. Burnley are due to play Brighton on Tuesday, January 31 but with both sides being knocked out of
NOBODY, not even Craig Bellamy in his current form, is in the same league as Wayne Rooney. But that doesn't mean Bellamy won't have as much influence as his Manchester United counterpart when Blackburn take them on in the first leg of the semi-final tonight
A FOLK musician from Darwen hopes to capture the hearts of North Americans when he tours the USA and Canada next year. Ben Walker, 39, of Cypress Street, also hopes his plans for 2007 will help him achieve a successful solo career. Ben, a father of-two
A FORMER supermarket may be transformed into an £800,000 upmarket pub, creating around 30 new jobs. The former Somerfield store in Church Street, Darwen, has stood empty on a prime town centre site for several months. Now Marlow-based Barracuda Group
TWO raiders, one armed with a samurai sword, held up terrified staff at a Rossendale convenience store. The men burst into the Late Shop, Thorneylea, Whitworth at 10.30pm. The robbers, one brandishing the weapon, threatened staff and demanded cash from
A garage owner who heard noises coming from the roof of his premises went out and saw two men removing lead and slates. Blackburn magistrates heard that the owner, members of his staff and members of the public stood on the canal bank and watched John
JACK Straw was praised for bringing a bit of Blackburn to the Foreign Office as he hosted the launch of an Asian art exhibition to take place in the town. The applause came from Mike O'Connor, the director of the Millennium Commission, which is one of
A SIX-YEAR-OLD with "outstanding" potential has become became the youngest ever choirboy in Blackburn Cathedral Choir. William Fielding, of Pleckgate Road, Blackburn made his debut in the cathedral's annual festive spectacular last month. The young performer
WELL done Blackburn. I live between Accrington and Blackburn and alternate my shopping but I've decided to keep to Accrington because they are more welcoming with their free parking. Blackburn Council is just greedy -- is it trying to drive people away
IN response to Blackburn Council's decision to increase parking charges by 28 per cent. I would like to give a new definition on the word extravagance; that being to actually pay anything at all to park in this third rate, dirty, badly planned, architecturally
AS a local councillor I have been impressed by the many displays of colourful Christmas decorations at the front of properties throughout the Ribble Valley and indeed Lancashire. As I have been going round the area, many senior citizens and families with
WELL done to the staff at Spex Opticians of Church Street, Accrington for scooping first place in the best-dressed window competition, also congratulations to the runners-up who also produced spectacular displays. At the same time I have often thought
MORTEN Gamst Pedersen today insisted Blackburn Rovers are ready to repair their damaged reputation by heaping further misery on Manchester United. Tonight's Carling Cup semi-final first leg with the Reds will be beamed live to the nation and Pedersen
FEW people were more surprised than David May when Mark Hughes made the move into management. The former Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United defender says Hughes didn't reveal the managerial characteristics of counterparts such as Steve Bruce and Bryan
ROBBIE Savage today vowed to gain his revenge on the club that broke his heart as a teenager by guiding Blackburn Rovers into the final of the Carling Cup. Mark Hughes' tough-tackling midfielder grew up dreaming of a career with Manchester United, where
A ROGUE accountant who put a family firm's future in jeopardy after helping himself to more than £62,000 was today starting a 27-month jail term. And the owner of the company has revealed how he went without pay for a year to stop the business collapsing
A "POPULAR and dedicated" engineer who died from a sudden illness, aged just 23, has had a special trophy named in his memory. Lee Gaughan, an award-winning apprentice and design technician at Baxi Potterton, Padiham, died last June from bronchial pneumonia
ANYONE with a drop of common sense will be outraged by the stupidity of the antics filmed by East Lancashire teenagers for their 'stunt' website. How these youngsters can mutilate their bodies and put themselves at such obvious risk of serious injury
BURNLEY-born MP Shahid Malik has revealed how sneaking out of his bedroom window to play snooker when he should have been revising for his school exams helped him win a major Parliamentary prize. The Dewsbury Labour backbencher won the Annie's Bar Parliamentary
A FORMER librarian who was honoured by the Queen for her work has called on people in East Lancashire to fight plans to close five libraries. Shirley Ellis, 62, of Park Lane, Brierfield, was awarded the MBE in last year's Queen's Birthday Honour's list
AN OSWALDTWISTLE pensioner has had £200 stolen from her house by a man claiming to be collecting for charity. The man knocked on the door of her home in the White Ash Lane area at around 11.20am on Saturday and asked the 65-year-old woman for a donation
A GLASS factory has axed 45 jobs after administrators failed to find a buyer for the company. The administrators are now in the process of winding up Polar Glass, based on Junction Seven Business Park, Clayton-le-Moors, after deciding it could not be
A CLERGYMAN conned out of almost £1,000 by a thief he had previously forgiven for burgling his vicarage today insisted he would help him again. But the Rev Kevin Logan admitted that he got "too deeply" involved with Edward Collins, who was jailed for
Blackpool have signed experienced defender Marc Joseph from Hull City on a loan deal with a view to a permanent move. Joseph, who can play at right-back or centre-back, was an integral part of the Tigers' squad which achieved back-to-back promotions up
Blackpool boss Simon Grayson has promised more signings as his side look to fight their way out of the League One drop zone. The rookie boss, boosted by Tuesday's home victory against Oldham, told a press conference: "I am trying to bring seasoned pros
BURNLEY stalwart Steve Davis has revealed his delight after being appointed as the club's new first team coach. The 37-year-old, who made over 350 appearances in three spells as a player at Turf Moor, has replaced Mark Yates, who left to become the new
DISGRUNTLED Burnley fans are urging the club to put the fans first and switch the away trip to Brighton to give the travelling support an easier journey. Burnley are due to play Brighton on Tuesday, January 31 but with both sides being knocked out of
ROBBIE Savage today vowed to gain his revenge on the club that broke his heart as a teenager by guiding Blackburn Rovers into the final of the Carling Cup. Mark Hughes' tough-tackling midfielder grew up dreaming of a career with Manchester United, where
FINANCIAL analysts are tipping shares in Blackburn-based cake maker Inter Link Foods to reach an all-time high of £8 over the coming year. Analysts at Brewin Dolphin Securities (BDS) kept their buy recommendation for shares in Inter Link after the company
THE grieving parents of a 22-year-old who died after his speeding car veered out of control today said the family had lost its "life and soul." Matthew Hannon from Blackburn was killed after his Renault Clio clipped a traffic island as he attempted to
TEENAGERS are still putting their lives at risk by filming deadly stunts for a website -- two years after a schoolboy was almost killed when a prank went wrong. Today police and an MP slammed magistrates for 'letting off' the 17-year-old Darwen youth
A CAREER criminal asked a judge to keep him locked up in a bid to break his £100 a day heroin habit. A court heard how Daniel Cooban, 23, an addict since the age of 18, had been on remand in prison and felt that was the best place for him to tackle his
PEOPLE in Rossendale are being asked to have their say on council spending plans for the next financial year. For the first time Rossendale Council is consulting on its spending options before the budgets are set in February and bosses at the authority
STUDENTS at a Rossendale school have gone green and picked up a coveted environmental award. Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School has been awarded an Eco-Schools Silver Award for its environmental work. Staff and sixth form students have worked hard for
A HOSPITAL ward which was controversially shut because of a staffing crisis will reopen next week. Ward B4, a rehabilitation ward at Blackburn's Queen's Park Hospital, will open on Monday after being shut for 10 weeks. Health chiefs said the 19-bed ward
THE ROSSENDALE Players will turn their attentions to murder and intrigue in their new play for 2006, Murder by Misadventure. It tells the story of TV thriller writer Harold Ken, who despite success has become dissatisfied with his writing partner Paul
WELL that was a turn-up for the books! The Beeb has actually produced a programme which has proved capable of living up to its hype. After the huge disappointment of Rome looked great, storyline rubbish I was hugely sceptical that Life on Mars would
Belle And Sebastian will release their new single Funny Little Frog on January 16 and you can watch the video here. It's an oddball, multi-layered but defiantly pop single from the Glaswegian collective and the first track to be lifted from their
