His third solo release since the demise of The Verve, Ashcroft's Keys To The World bears all the hallmarks of a great pop-rock album, but then leaves a rather unpleasant after-taste. With that magnificent voice to draw on, and boundless energy and
VILLAGE residents today expressed concern over plans for a £750,000 golf academy and driving range. Steven Potts, of Hollins Farm, Cliviger, wants to transform farmland between Red Lees Road and the River Brun, in the village, into a hi-tech centre for
SHARP knives have been found in rubbish bags meant for cardboard. Shocked staff said they could have been cut or even stabbed by the blades which were put in Burnley Borough Council's new claret recycling bags. Three knives, including a craft knife
RESIDENTS turned out in force to protest at plans to cut rural bus services in Rossendale. Around 40 people went to a Lancashire Local meeting at St Mary's Chambers, Rawtenstall, to voice their anger at Lancashire County Council's proposal to stop subsidising
A PENSIONER who died after he was knocked down by a car in Padiham should have been seen by the driver, an inquest heard. Douglas Wilkinson, known as Dougie, 77, of Hapton Street, was crossing Burnley Road in the town at about 7.30pm on Easter Sunday
AN ex-addict turned back to drugs and crime after her father died, a court was told. Burnley magistrates heard Karen Taylor, 33, now wanted professional help to rid herself of her habit. Taylor, of Rostletop Road, Earby, admitted theft of razor blades
PEOPLE in Pendle are being encouraged to be artistic with their unwanted rubbish. Pendle Council's roving art exhibition has moved from Colne Town Hall to Colne library where it will stay until January 27. The event showcases work of talented youngsters
A SERIES of events are set to take place in Haslingden this year to mark the centenary of the death of Michael Davitt. Irish Heritage In Haslingden Committee has organised the events to mark the milestone anniversary of Mr Davitt, an Irish immigrant
PEOPLE interested in folk music are invited to join a Bacup-based group. Bacup Folk Club's aim is not only to provide a venue for local musicians to play but also to invite talented performers from far and wide to entertain. Anybody who enjoys folk
POLICE have been targeting an area in Ramsbottom plagued by gangs of unruly yobs. As reported previously in the Evening Telegraph, gangs of teenagers have been causing havoc in the Bolton Road West area between Dundee Lane and Alfred Street on Friday
A MAN putting his car away in a garage was assaulted by balaclava-clad robbers in a violent vehicle robbery in Rossendale. The incident, in Grasmere Road, Helmshore. happened at 10pm on Monday, but police have only just released details of the incident
A PORTUGUESE dentist, known affectionately as Pedro from Porto, today said he had fallen in love with Burnley after spending a year working in the town. Burnley may not have sandy beaches or all-year sunshine, but Pedro Miguel Dos Anjos Moreira said
A MUM was attacked by her ex-boyfriend after he woke from a drunken sleep to find she had shaved off his eyebrows. Waqas Saeed, 24, of Redvers Street, Burnley, had been on a week-long drinking session and did not know what had happened until he woke
ACCRINGTON Stanley manager John Coleman was hoping to add at least one new face to his squad before Saturday's home game against Cambridge United. The Reds boss is looking to strengthen during the January transfer window as his side hopes to build on
YOUR next game in football is always your biggest. But they don't come much bigger than Cambridge United and Exeter for us. Especially at this stage of the season. It is vital that you win your home games, and everyone will expect us to beat Cambridge
Hyndburn Athletic Club have drawn an early dividend following a near half million pound investment in the newly re-laid track and other improvements at Wilson Playing Fields, Clayton-le-Moors. In the first full year since the facility came on-stream,
The Lancashire Sportshall League made its annual visit to Hyndburn Leisure Centre on Sunday with the second of three rounds in the series. The innovative format takes the basic running, jumping and throwing skills and adapts the events so that they can
NELSON have a new man in their paid ranks with South African Robin Peterson signing on for the Seedhill outfit. Peterson, a left arm spinner and batsman, captains the Warriors, formerly Eastern Province, in his homeland. And the 26-year-old has five
LEGEND Fires of Blackburn have confirmed their support as the main sponsors of the 2006 North West Stages Rally. Company director John Stone is a familiar figure in north west motorsport, and will again contest the event with Lee Carter in his Metro
KART champion Ross Worswick has moved his motorsport career up a gear with a switch to single-seater racing in 2006. And the 16-year-old QEGS pupil stunned his rivals with a brilliant second place on his debut at Mallory Park. Ross son of former BOSS
Blackburn Rovers have reassured Aaron Mokoena that he still has a big part to play in Mark Hughes' future plans for the club. After failing to pin down a regular place in the first team this season, the former South African captain asked if he could
BLACKBURN boss Mark Hughes is running the rule over Uruguayan midfielder Gonzalo de los Santos. After abandoning his interest in Korean striker Ahn Jung-Hwan, I can reveal that Hughes is now looking at former Valencia star de los Santos, who is hoping
Jon Harley believes Burnley are determined to put all the transfer rumblings behind them as they go in search of their first league win of 2006 and a first victory in six games. The former Chelsea and Fulham defender insisted: "We're still not a million
BURNLEY last night rejected Sheffield United's second audacious attempt to land star striker Ade Akinbiyi. As the saga rumbles on into a second week, Bramall Lane bosses are understood to have "tweaked" their initial £1m-plus bid to try to guarantee
IT ALL got rather hot 'n' heavy on last night's Animal Attraction: Macho Males on Channel Five. "This is sperm warfare" announced presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson gravely as a gang of chimps shrieked, clawed each other and shook branches while fighting
A BLACKBURN man punched his eight months pregnant girlfriend in the face in a row about the bed covers. Blackburn magistrates heard that Andrew Johnstone was banned from being at his partner's home by bail conditions imposed following an incident when
A HEALTH boss has urged GP practices to follow the lead of an Accrington surgery which changed its booking system after a flood of complaints from patients. David Rogers, assistant chief executive of Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Primary Care Trust,
A CRACKDOWN on criminal damage has been launched in Blackburn. Officers met with council staff and other agencies to draw up action plans for collective ways of halting a rising number of criminal damage cases. But police reassured the public there
FOLLOWING the murders of the two schoolgirls in Soham the Richards Inquiry made 21 recommendations to ensure that never again would anyone who was on the Sex Offenders List be permitted to work in our schools. However this government, which spent hundreds
WHAT is the Conservative Central Office thinking of? Or is it a gimmicky new look by the new top man? I refer to the invitation to Geldof, the self-appointed Saviour of the World, to a semi-official position on the commission on global poverty. It appears
THE teenager's holiday to Jamaica (LET, January 12) did not surprise me one bit. I suggest Mr Blair and Mr Straw come for a month's holiday to Blackburn. I will take them on a tour and open their eyes. I am in my late 70s and I knew Blackburn when it
I WAS pleased to read (LET, January 9) that police are cracking down on those people who drive like maniacs through Reedley. I work at the hospital and when I have finished work at 9pm cars have then passed me at high speeds on the wrong side of the
A FORMER council leader was escorted from a public meeting by police because he refused to keep quiet. Former Hyndburn Council leader George Slynn was forced to leave the Great Harwood area council meeting on Tuesday night after clashing with the meeting's
A FAMILY who were reunited with their dog after a major search are making a special trip back to Darwen from the Lake District to thank those who helped them. Vince and Lisa Gregg tracked down their dog Newey ten days after she went missing in the town
A DARWEN firm that specialises in envir-onmental technology is pioneering new ways to turn everyday rubbish into heat and electricity. Planet Advantage, based in Albert Place, Lower Darwen, has won massive financial backing to make the process become
THE boss of the Great Harwood GP who died on a skiing holiday today paid tribute to her colleague. Dr Geoffrey Yates, who would have been 39 at the end of January, is said to have died of natural causes on Friday, January 13 in Canada. He had been skiing
THE review of Brokeback Mountain (LET, January 6) called it: "a masterpiece, cinematic alchemy, gorgeous, haunting, jaw-dropping, heart-rending, stunning," and many more superlatives. So how come I can't see this film in Blackburn? The new Vue cinema
RE the front page on January 14 saying: Our teachers are bored. I think many students would agree with me when I say that many of our teachers are boring. I work in schools and I have listened to lessons where the teachers drone on and on and when their
How the Rovers players fared in the win at St James' Park. BRAD FRIEDEL: Earned his money with one outstanding save to deny Luque. 7 LUCAS NEILL: Coolness personified. Used the ball intelligently and set up the winning goal. 8 MICHAEL GRAY: Kept his focus
BLACKBURN boss Mark Hughes will step up his search for a new striker amid fears that Paul Dickov could be facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Dickov suffered a dislocation of his shoulder following an innocuous-looking clash with Titus Bramble during
MARK Hughes hailed another magnificent performance from Ryan Nelsen and his defensive colleagues as Blackburn Rovers turned up the heat on hapless Newcastle manager Graeme Souness. Nelsen did a brilliant job of snuffing out the record seeking Alan Shearer
THOSE Blackburn Rovers fans who made the pilgrimage to St James' Park thanked their lucky stars on Saturday evening as they spilled out into the cold North East air. For a split second, you could be forgiven for thinking they were giving thanks for Morten
A BURNLEY man has appeared in court in connection with the discovery of cannabis resin worth more than £4million. Sarfraz Ahmed, 29, of New Hall Street was one of three men charged with conspiracy to supply controlled drugsfollowing the discovery of 850kg
POLICE investigating the death of a man found close to a moorland reservoir above Burnley are appealing for help to trace his mystery last movements. Walkers discovered David Caine, 23, from Sowerby Bridge, West Yorkshire, slumped next to a wall by Clowbridge
A BURNLEY youngster died after he was hit by a taxi while enjoying an afternoon on his bike, an inquest heard. William Haigh, nine, died when his bike collided with a Toyota Avensis in Belvedere Road at 5pm on Sunday, July 3. The inquest heard William
A 33-YEAR-OLD Nelson man has died after being found face down in water at Hartlepool Marina. The emergency services were alerted after members of the public heard shouts for help from the dock at around 11.30pm on Wednesday. Police attended the scene
POLICE have rounded up parents in a bid to stop youngsters causing criminal damage. Officers presented mums and dads with a catalogue of crimes carried out in Briercliffe in a bid to draw their attention to the problems being caused in the village. Briercliffe
A CABBIE today spoke of his terror after being punched and stoned by thugs, the latest in a string of assaults on taxi drivers in the Pendle area. Taxi bosses have condemned the violent yobs and called for more to be done to protect drivers. Khadim Hussain
Firefighters were called to St Paul's C of E Primary School, Union Road, Oswaldtwistle, after a pupil got her leg stuck sliding down a bannister. The crew was called at 10.30am on Friday to free the girl after teachers' attempts to release her failed.
POLICE called to a house raid in Accrington met the burglar coming out of the property -- but thought he was a concerned neighbour, a court was told. Officers then went back to Stephen O'Callaghan and asked him to lift his foot after finding a shoe print
A POPULAR family hairdresser in Oswaldtwistle is looking forward to his well-earned retirement -- after only taking one week's holiday in the last 20 years. Peter Bentley, 60, has been in business for the past 41 years at his salon on Union Road, and
THE man behind last year's Royal Lancashire Show has revealed the event made a £53,000 profit and has promised this year's show will be even better. Gordon Roberts, chairman of the Royal Lancashire Agricultural Society, said sound financial management
EIGHT A-level students from Clitheroe Royal Grammar School are being groomed as future world leaders. The group are off to the USA for a global conference aimed at producing tomorrow's pioneers. They will be among 80 students from across the globe invited
AS I forecast, we had some lively times last week as an alliance of Liberal Democrats, Tories, cross-benchers and a few Labour backbenchers defeated the government five times. On Monday we defeated it three times on identity cards. The most important
QUEUING at the supermarket the other day, I was amazed to find the woman ahead of me quite unabashedly looking through my intended purchases as I lined them up on the conveyor belt. Eyeing up the contents of other people's shopping trolleys isn't a terribly
GRAHAM Branch today urged Burnley not to sell star striker Ade Akinbiyi. The club's longest-serving player issued a direct plea to chairman Barry Kilby as Turf Moor braces itself for a third bid by promotion-chasing Sheffield United to land the 14-goal
DANIEL Barritt was celebrating in Monaco today after a dream debut in the World Rally Championship. The 24-year-old navigator from Hapton guided Japanese star Fumio Nutahara to victory in the production car class on the Monte Carlo Rally, which finished
Preston-based dance-punks The KBC are gearing up to release their second single - and they're launching it with a party in their home city on February 11. The trio - James Mulholland (vocals/guitar), Rick Ormerod (Bass) and Michael Brown (Drums) - were
A lot of people have a television in the bedroom - but it's a real passion killer, research has shown. Couples who have a TV in their bedrooms make love only half as often as those who keep it a telly-free zone, a study by a leading Italian psychologist
Darwen's academy plans have been boosted by the news that students of such centres improve three times faster than mainstream pupils. But critics like the National Union of Teachers say the figures simply prove that academies are selective. Darwen's academy
DOZENS of cats dumped and left to freeze in the snow are ready to go to new homes after being saved from almost certain death by an East Lancashire charity. The 38 cats were rescued by workers at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary in Rossendale after a member
POLICE today reassured the public they were doing all they could to find those responsible for a violent vehicle robbery and a botched burglary. A man putting his Audi S4 in the garage of a house in Grassmere Road, Helmshore, was attacked by masked raiders
THE GOVERNMENT will decide whether to back plans for an East Lancashire university by the summer, a minister has pledged. Bill Rammell MP, Minister of State for Lifelong Learning, Further and Higher Education, told a private meeting of education staff
WE'VE all heard politicians talking about tackling not just crime itself but crucially "the causes of crime". But many have a cynical view of the statement. They would say that, whatever our elected leaders claim, their personal experience is that crime
IT must have come as a relief to Foreign Secretary and Blackburn MP Jack Straw after reading the headline "Town Hall ordered to cut budgets by 10 per cent" that party leaders on Blackburn with Darwen Council, Conservative Colin Rigby and New Labour Kate
A DETECTIVE has died after a motorway smash in his car. Tributes were today paid to Detective Sergeant Mick Thornber, 48, who lived and worked for most of his career in the Blackburn area. Cheshire police said DS Thornber lost control of his silver MG
A CABBIE today spoke of his terror after being punched and stoned by thugs, the latest in a string of assaults on taxi drivers in the Pendle area. Taxi bosses have condemned the violent yobs and called for more to be done to protect drivers. Khadim Hussain
SHAPING the future of Burnley's 'jewel in the crown' was the aim of a trio of workshops held at Towneley Park. The events, which concluded yesterday, were held as part of the £3.2million five-year restoration programme to rejuvenate and improve the popular
AN Asda cashier who stole more than £4,300 from her bosses at the Burnley store has been jailed for eight months. Karren Ashton, 38, helped herself to money and then set out to make the books looked like they balanced. She worked almost unsupervised in
A CABBIE today spoke of his terror after being punched and stoned by thugs, the latest in a string of assaults on taxi drivers in the Pendle area. Taxi bosses have condemned the violent yobs and called for more to be done to protect drivers. Khadim Hussain
COLD-calling salesmen could be barred from hundreds of Accrington homes within weeks. Community leaders are preparing to launch a "no cold calling" zone in the town to protect residents from bogus callers. Accrington has been identified as a priority
How the Clarets players fared in the home defeat to Preston. JENSEN: Didn't have a save to make, but no chance with the goals. 6 SINCLAIR: Conceded a late penalty when the game already looked lost. 7 THOMAS: Still finding his feet again after his remarkable
STEVE Cotterill gave his depleted side a huge pat on the back for their efforts before preparing to whisk them off for a welcome break. The Clarets boss felt Burnley gave their all in the absence of suspended striker Ade Akinbiyi, only for Preston to
I WONDER if the experts who failed to save London's "distressed" whale can apply their skills to humans? Because if ever a manager looked and sounded distressed in equal measure then it was Steve Cotterill after the worst week of his managerial reign
AROUND 30 jobs are set to go at Leyland-based frozen pizza maker Schwan's after a decline in sales. The company has said it is entering a consultation period with employees about reducing its workforce, but is looking for volunteers to avoid compulsory
AN East Lancashire amateur football club is appealing for a wealthy benefactor to help shoot it to glory. Padiham FC, nicknamed The Storks, is looking a new chairman to take over the hot seat at the Arbories and invest in improving the club. Present chairman
ALMOST 4,000 people visited Great Harwood as part of the town's first Winter Warmer celebration. And organisers have hailed the event as a huge success. The Winter Warmer, which featured a parade, fancy dress and market stalls, took place on December
GRAHAM Branch today urged Burnley not to sell star striker Ade Akinbiyi. The club's longest-serving player issued a direct plea to chairman Barry Kilby as Turf Moor braces itself for a third bid by promotion-chasing Sheffield United to land the 14-goal
BLACKBURN boss Mark Hughes will step up his search for a new striker amid fears that Paul Dickov could be facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines. Dickov suffered a dislocation of his shoulder following an innocuous-looking clash with Titus Bramble during
THE East Lancashire economy could grind to a halt if the 'moderately high chance' of a flu pandemic becomes reality, doctors have warned. Under a 'worst case scenario' outlined in a new report, only essential services would be available for up to six
A STORM of protest has erupted over plans to close a popular Rossendale library. Users of Waterfoot Library have attacked the decision by Lancashire County Council and fear the closure would deprive the town's people of accessible book lending facilities
A MAN has been charged with wounding after two men were allegedly stabbed at a birthday party. Gary Wilcox, 20, of Highercroft, was due to appear before Blackburn magistrates today following an incident at a community centre in Lawrence Street, Bank Top
A SELF-confessed alcoholic asked magistrates to keep him in custody rather than give him bail so he could beat the drink. And after three weeks in jail Mark Murray, 39, of Fishmoor Drive, Blackburn, was told to undertake an alcohol misuse programme and
A FORKLIFT truck driver pleaded guilty to breaking two of his girlfriend's ribs less than a month after being convicted for a similar attack on her. Martin Holden, 36, of Bolton Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to assaulting his girlfriend of two years
A DETECTIVE has died after a motorway smash in his car. Tributes were today paid to Detective Sergeant Mick Thornber, 48, who lived and worked for most of his career in the Blackburn area. Cheshire police said DS Thornber lost control of his silver MG
POLICE have revealed plans to spend £4million on a new base in Blackburn which could spell the end for a 105-year-old station. Nine police operational units, currently scattered over the division, would be brought under one roof at offices off junction
THE family of a grandmother who died when she was hit by an "out of control" car have criticised the sentence given to the teen driver. Kieran John Fletcher, 19, of Blackburn Road, Oswaldtwistle, has been banned from driving for one year and fined £800
A BLACKBURN College student has died when his scooter collided with a Toyota pick-up. Today, staff at the college paid tribute to Jonathan Hart, describing him as a student "with a great future in front of him." A 17-year-old died when his 50cc Aprilla
PLANS have been sent to Rossendale Council to carry out tests in a bid to decide whether the wind in Bacup is strong enough to justify building a wind farm. Coronation Power, a London company developing wind energy projects in the UK, wants land at Hogshead
A COMPANY in Fence has received an award for the quality of its service. Staff at Panaz Limited, Spring Mill, who design and make advanced flame retardant fabrics, have earned ISO 9001:2000 accreditation. The company has been working towards ISO 9001
TOP architects will be in Nelson on Friday to find out how Whitefield residents want to see their ward developed. Six teams of designers and developers from across the country are battling it out for the opportunity to create a £20million flagship regeneration
A dad who repeatedly flouts motoring laws must never get the wheel again, magistrates heard. George Edward Barnes, 41, who clocked up two driving-while-disqualified convictions from last summer, had not taken a driving test. He would not be able to
A BRAVE pensioner tried to fend off attackers who barged into her home and stole cash. When the 80-year-old woman, of Burnley Road, Todmorden, answered the door to two men, they attempted to push her out of the way. But the elderly woman tried to block
GUESTS and staff were evacuated from one of East Lancashire's best-known hotels last night after a fire broke out in the kitchen. Three fire engines were sent to the Higher Trapp Hotel, Trapp Lane, Simonstone, at about 8pm. The fire is thought to have
MASKED raiders burst into a house before clubbing a couple with planks of wood and stealing a high-performance car. The robbery happened in Poplar Terrace, Rawtenstall, when three balaclava-clad men demanded the keys to a Audi A3 Sport Quattro. When
