Archive

  • Foggy boys progressing Down Under

    FOGGY FP1 riders Craig Jones and Steve Martin have made big strides during their four-day test in Australia. The duo were at the Phillip Island track as they began their preparations ahead of the new World Superbike Series And despite track time being

  • Hawks’ eyes on prizes

    Excitement is bubbling in the Blackburn Hawks camp as the ice hockey team move into the final third of the season with prizes very much in sight. With just six English National Ice Hockey League game remaining, Hawks assistant manager Graham Lomax said

  • Sparky backs Eriksson

    BLACKBURN boss Mark Hughes has urged the FA to stick with Sven Goran Eriksson for the World Cup. Eriksson's position as the England manager has come under fresh scrutiny following the News of the World's fake sheikh' sting last weekend. But former Wales

  • Kevan hopes sun beams them up

    BURNLEY are hoping a sunshine break will enable them them to turn up the heat on their play off rivals over the coming months. The Clarets fly out to a mystery southern European location for a week following today's red-hot Lancashire derby with Preston

  • ‘Tin Man’s’ agony at losing leg

    CLARETS cult hero Ted McMinn has spoken of his agony after losing his right leg through a mystery bone-eating virus. McMinn, still fondly remembered for helping to resurrect Burnley's flagging fortunes just over a decade ago, has been swamped with well-wishes

  • Hughes: Club needs ‘major investment’ to move on

    MARK Hughes has admitted Blackburn Rovers need to attract major investment' if he is to fulfil his ambition of taking the club onto the next level. Hughes has worked a minor miracle on a tight budget since succeeding Graeme Souness in the Ewood hot-seat

  • Hopes of new dental surgery

    HEALTH bosses have welcomed news that a new dental surgery could be built in Great Harwood. Developers working under the name ALH Developments, of Chorley, currently have a planning application lodged with Hyndburn Council for permission to build a new

  • Terror ‘bully’ jailed

    A BULLY who terrorised his ex-partner and her family used their children to pass on threats about what would happen if she gave evidence against him. Blackburn magistrates heard that Colin Michael Hamer, 43, threw a brick through the windscreen of her

  • TV review: The Friday Night Project, Channel Four

    IT looks to me as though the curse of the pub crowd comedy slot on Channel Four has struck again. Every credit to the producers for persevering and trying to bring new do something around 10.30 at the end of the week, but let's be honest, it's just not

  • ‘Beloved cat torn to bits’

    A dad today spoke of his horror as he saw his daughter's beloved pet cat being "torn to pieces" by a killer dog just metres away from a primary school. Billy Allison, 45, said he now feared the Staffordshire bull terrier would attack a pupil at St Peter's

  • Pizza firm to cut 30 jobs

    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

  • School’s plans get go-ahead

    An independent school received planning permission to build 16 new classrooms and dormitories. Moorland School, in Ribblesdale Avenue, will now go ahead with a new two-storey building containing 16 classrooms, 16 dormitories, a library and a new hall

  • Worker on £311,000 charge

    A 27-YEAR-OLD man has been committed to Preston Crown Court on a charge of stealing £311,627 from his employer, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Paul Brian Haythornthwaite, of Timbrills Avenue, Sabden, is also charged with attempted theft of electrical

  • CCTV to catch out pranksters

    THE owners of a Chinese takeaway have been forced to install CCTV to catch youths filming pranks for a "Jackass"-style website in their shop. King-hei and Mandy Lam, from the Golden Ocean takeaway on Bolton Road, Darwen, said they had been "plagued"

  • Wraps off plans for mill homes

    DARWEN residents are being given an opportunity to view artists' impressions of how the old Belgrave Mill site will look once it is transformed into housing. Plans showing the layout of the future development, which was given final approval last month

  • Will ‘Orange County’ bus a-peel to kids?

    BUS bosses plan to cash in on the popularity of an American TV drama to get youngsters to use an unpopular service. Blackburn Transport wants to rebrand the 5A and 5C bus services, which operate a circular route around Blackburn, as The OC the outer

  • Warmer a sizzling success

    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

  • Police clamp down on vandals

    POLICE in Great Harwood are to step up the fight against criminal damage. Inspector John O'Reilly, the town's top police officer, has admitted levels of criminal damage in the area are high. And he told a meeting of the Great Harwood Area Council, packed

  • Drunken son in rampage with sword

    A DRUNKEN teenager sent to his room responded by going on the rampage with a Samurai sword. Hyndburn Magistrates heard that in the same incident Michael Horrocks, 18, urinated down the stairs at the family home in Paxton Street, Accrington. Horrocks

  • Mum-to-be attacked by partner

    A woman who was 22 weeks pregnant was kicked about the back and side by her partner who had drunk a bottle of vodka, three bottles of cider and taken two bags of heroin. Blackburn magistrates heard Mark Fisher would not let his girlfriend call for

  • Woman brothel boss ‘lost money’

    A WOMAN who kept a brothel in a converted Darwen warehouse has been ordered to carry out 70 hours' unpaid work for the community. A court had heard details of how the premises in Pitville Street had been advertised as "Shady Ladies". Michelle Dean found

  • 'Playground of the north'

    EAST Lancashire has joined the race to become the playground of the north' with plans for a £70million national centre for extreme sports. Activities including mountain biking, skiing, climbing and watersports could all be included in the Adrenaline

  • ‘Danger road safe’ bombshell

    VILLAGERS have been left amazed' after a survey found a road was safe despite 57 injuries and one death on it in the past five years. Residents in Waterfoot are campaigning for measures to stop motorists speeding on Burnley Road East. As a result,

  • Nursery in good art for birthday

    PAST pupils at a Waterfoot nursery are being encouraged to take part in a competition to help celebrate its 10th anniversary. Good As Gold Nursery in Gaghills Road first opening in February 1996. And to celebrate its birthday milestone it is asking

  • On the ball to tackle foul play

    A LATE-night football league designed to kick anti-social behaviour among teenagers into touch will start tonight. The Brazilian Midnight League has been launched in Burnley by community groups in a bid to reduce crime, vandalism and anti-social behaviour

  • Work to secure woods

    THE RESTORATION of a Nelson park got under way this week with tree felling which aims to protect the future of the woodland. The management work at Marsden Park has been recommended by consultants who carried out a full arboricultural survey. They

  • Townsfolk help shape revamp

    BRIERFIELD residents met to help shape important plans to reinvigorate a key part of town. Residents turned up at Brierfield Town Hall to share ideas on how to improve the canal and railway around Clitheroe Road. The aim of the projects is to bring

  • Spared jail over ‘pitiful’ lot in life

    A man who attacked two police officers kept his freedom but a judge warned him he would not get any more chances. Brian Birtwell, who tried to take on the officers as they attempted to arrest him, was spared jail at Burnley Crown Court because of his

  • A cure for that leaky bacon...

    AN AWARD-WINNING Burnley butcher has revealed the unique secrets of his sizzling success. For Stephen Berkin, who scooped five gold medals in the North West Awards for Excellence in Meat Produce, turned to curing his own bacon when customers asked for

  • Pair in court after ‘attack’

    Two men accused of attacking a couple and stealing their high performance car have appeared at Burnley Magistrates' Court yesterday. Geoffrey Pearson, 27, of Ewart Avenue, Salford, and Daniel Lee Mather, 22, of Arden Hall, Stockport, are charged with

  • Robber bit teen’s finger

    DETECTIVES are hunting a "despicable" hoody-wearing robber who bit a teenager's finger when he refused to let go of his mobile phone. Police said a 15-year-old boy was waiting outside the Apollo Cinema, Hollywood Park, off Manchester Road, Burnley, with

  • We’ve always been a selling club!

    BURNLEY in striker sale shock! The only surprise so far is that headline hasn't screamed out from a newsagent's window in the run-up to the biggest home game of the season. It still might happen, but should we really be that surprised? After all, even

  • Old pals enjoying life in the fast lane

    THEY'VE come a long way since car trouble plagued their time together at Bournemouth. And Wade Elliott hopes to find an extra gear against Preston tomorrow that will leave boyhood pal Brian Stock blowing a gasket in a familiar-looking engine room! Elliott

  • Paul can pack punch

    ACCRINGTON Stanley manager John Coleman is backing striker Paul Mullin to start climbing up the goalscoring charts as the season heads to a potentially dramatic climax. The front man has never failed to reach 20 goals in Stanley's previous two seasons

  • Coleman suffers signings blow

    JOHN Coleman has admitted that he expects to miss out on two of his transfer targets. The Stanley boss was hoping to welcome at least one new face to the squad before the weekend. But two players he had his eye on thought to be a Premiership squad

  • Hughes is no comparison

    NEWCASTLE United v Blackburn Rovers - a fixture that gets the heart pumping. And it's one that Rovers should be looking to win given Newcastle's poor form and long injury list. But there's more than that to this game. Obviously, there's a lot of connections

  • Souey rushed me back – Matt

    FORMER Blackburn striker Matt Jansen is the latest player to put the boot into struggling Newcastle manager Graeme Souness. The 28-year-old forward, who quit Rovers to join Bolton last week, blames Souness for rushing him back too early after he suffered

  • Hughes wants Shearer to break Toon record

    MARK Hughes believes it would be fitting if Alan Shearer broke Jackie Milburn's goalscoring record at St James' Park tomorrow just as long as Blackburn claim the three points on offer! Shearer needs just one more goal to overtake Milburn's record and

  • Thompson seals move to Wigan

    MARK Hughes today explained his reasons for sanctioning David Thompson's move to Wigan and hinted he may not make any further signings of his own until the summer. As predicted in the Evening Telegraph, Thompson joined the Latics yesterday on a permanent

  • Clarets ignoring Akinbiyi episode

    BURNLEY are refusing to let speculation over Ade Akinbiyi's future deflect them from bouncing back to winning ways against Preston tomorrow. The Clarets entertain North End against the backdrop of seeing their 14-goal hitman courted by promotion-chasing

  • Conman targets woman aged 85

    AN 85-year-old woman has been left devastated after a "despicable" conman stole her life savings. The pensioner, of Carluke Street, Whitebirk, Blackburn, was targeted by a man who is also believed to have launched a failed strike on an 94-year-old woman

  • Sign of the times

    NEW signs have been put up in Accrington to signify Hyndburn Council's commitment to regenerating the town's rundown housing. The signs, at either end of Blackburn Road, have been erected in conjunction with Elevate, the organisation managing the Government-funded

  • CJD deaths a statistical blip

    AN Accrington woman was the third East Lancashire victim in the last 12 months of one-in-a-million mystery killer disease sporadic Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease, an inquest heard. But a leading neuro-pathologist said the high incidence of the disease was

  • Best of the West

    IF the gloomy plotlines of EastEnders are getting you down, it's time to go West. There's a chance for children from two Colne primary schools, Sacret Heart and Holy Saviour, to sing with the professionals from the international cabaret group, The WestEnders

  • Vampire Steve revives hits from the crypt

    Steve Steinman brings his rock tribute concert Vampires Rock to Burnley on February 10 and admits being a vampire who plays AC/DC tunes can really play havoc with your image. "Yeah it can be pretty dark," Steve Steinman said. Steve is the star of Vampires

  • Mad Max is strictly for grown-ups

    The Stand and Deliver comedy club is back for the first time since Christmas on Friday, January 27. Carey Max headlines, combining illusions with his comedy act. A Canadian, he is described as being on blistering form at the moment. Michael Legge is

  • Vanishing? It’s popping up all over

    WHAT started as night to provide the sort of music you couldn't find anywhere else is now proving so popular that everyone seems to be playing it. Vanishing Point was launched in August last year to cater for indie music fans who didn't want to travel

  • TV review: 10 Years Younger, Channel Four

    IT'S only into its second programme of the series but I really don't think I can cope with another 10 Years Younger'. Channel Four wheeled out another nicotine-stained, flabby skinned, unfortunate to appear miserable in front of The Public who are only

  • Residents fail in pub fight

    AN Oswaldtwistle pub will be extending its opening hours despite objections from residents. The New Inn, in Thomas Street, had applied to open until 12.30am on Thursdays, midnight on Sunday, and 1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays. But because of residents

  • Head ‘won’t fight phone mast plan’

    THE headteacher of a special school has said he will not oppose plans for a nearby mobile phone mast as long as the health of pupils is not affected. But others have opposed the plan, for a 15 metre telegraph pole-style mast in Shadsworth Road, Blackburn

  • Morphine ruled out as cause of death

    FEARS that an injection contributed to the death of an 80-year-old Blackburn woman were dispelled by an inquest. The hearing was told that Monica Cartmell deteriorated suddenly after being given the injection of morphine causing her daughter to wonder

  • Warning after cocaine death

    A 32-YEAR-OLD Rishton man died at home as a direct result of taking cocaine, an inquest heard. And a coroner has warned that drug users are effectively engaging in a game of Russian Roulette. "They simply do not know precisely what they are taking or

  • Rider Felicity’s special insight

    Disabled horsewoman Felicity Coulthard, of Essex Street, Darwen, has been back to the classroom in her bid to become a Paralympic winner. The 20-year-old, a member of the World Class Programme aimed at the best equestrian riders in the country, has taken

  • You beauty! Michelle gets sponsorship breakthrough

    HODDLESDEN beauty Michelle Rowell has taken a big step towards her dream of becoming Miss England 2006 by receiving the financial backing of a Blackburn nightclub. Michelle, 19, of Earls Drive, has reached the final of the Miss Alton Towers event, to

  • Apartments bid for the old Tech

    YEARS of uncertainty over an historic Darwen building could be over after the owners vowed to turn it into apartments. Peter Lynch, director of Rochdale-based Cottonloft Ltd, said plans were with Blackburn with Darwen Council to build 43 apartments within

  • Alcohol abuse’s fatal legacy

    A 63-YEAR-OLD Accrington man died as a result of a lifetime of alcohol abuse. An inquest heard that James George Astley, of Gordon Avenue, still carried on drinking when his body lost its ability to cope with his excesses. The dead man's brother, Peter

  • Sixth-form centre is defended

    A HEAD has hit back at critics of his school's plan to create an £8million sixth-form centre by insisting: "The people of Hyndburn are behind it." In November, Accrington's St Christopher's CE High School announced its plans to open the sixth form saying

  • Help to shape health centre

    PLANS for a new health centre in Accrington have been submitted to Hyndburn Council. Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Primary Care Trust (PCT) wants to build along Blackburn Road and Lonsdale Street as part of the Phoenix regeneration project. It launched

  • Deputy mayor takes sun room fight to top

    A DEPUTY mayor has declared war on her own council after being told she cannot have a conservatory on the back of her house. Coun Dorothy Walsh has reported Black-burn with Darwen Council to the Planning Inspectorate after her retrospective application

  • Death-junction roundabout ‘is too dear’

    THE CAMPAIGN for a roundabout at an A59 accident blackspot has hit the skids over cash. For years, campaigners, led by Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans, have pleaded for a roundabout at the junction of Sabden Road and Pendle Road, near Clitheroe. In the

  • Drunken driver ‘was assault victim’

    A MUM claimed she jumped in her car while over the drink-drive limit in a panic after being assaulted during a night out. But prosecutor Charlotte Crane told Blackburn magistrates that while she could confirm that a man had been charged with assault,

  • Two-year ban for crash motorist

    AN ACCRINGTON motorist who crashed into a wall trying to escape from police has been banned from driving for two years. Shiraz Younis, 20, of College Street, who has never held a driving licence, admitted driving without due care and attention when he

  • Shopping centre plan passed

    SWEEPING plans to redevelop and modernise Blackburn's shopping centre were last night given the go-ahead by the council. The Mall, which runs Blackburn Shopping Centre, plans to build 42 new retail units in an extension which would replace Lord Square

  • Time rises again

    TIME-branded computers are to be produced in East Lancashire again eight months after the previous manufacturers collapsed with the loss of 580 jobs. A new company called Time UK Factory Ltd, backed by Time's original founders, has announced plans to

  • Lobby peers to stop ID cards

    THE House of Lords is about to vote on amendments to the ID Cards Bill. It is generally believed the strategy that Conservative and Lib Dem Lords will take on the Report Stage of the bill will be to amend the bill to remove compulsion. It is unlikely

  • Morten's mission

    MORTEN Gamst Pedersen is set to give Manchester United even more reason to rue not plucking him from Norwegian football. It was Blackburn Rovers who eventually took the plunge in the summer of 2004 when they brought the exciting 22-year-old prospect to

  • Residents delighted as flats are flattened

    A BLOCK of rundown flats and shops in Burnley which has been a magnet for drug dealing and arsonists is finally being demolished. Residents have repeatedly complained about anti-social behaviour and have campaigned for years for the block in Calderbrook

  • Keith repays his debt to lifesaver

    COPIES of a picture of a world famous surgeon are being sold to raise cash for charity -- by one of his former patients. Keith Whalley, of Ulster Street, Burnley, was operated on by Sir Harry Platt after he was diagnosed with polio as a seven-year-old

  • Marina death man named by police

    A 30-year-old Nelson man who died after being found face down in water at Hartlepool Marina has been named by police as Paul Clement. Police said Mr Clement, who was found in the water on Wednesday evening, was from Lancashire but had been staying with

  • Dealer gets five years

    A DEALER who sold hard drugs on the streets of Nelson has been jailed for five years. Afzal Asif, 22, was caught out after supplying in view of plain clothes police. He was bailed and weeks later was spotted again in Chapel Street, throwing away a chocolate

  • Council housing 'bribery'

    PENDLE Council is being "bullied and bribed" into transferring its municipal housing to a registered social landlord, Lord Tony Greaves has told Parliament. He made his comments ahead of a vote by council house tenants, who are being asked to choose whether

  • Stephen Cummings column: Yet another winter of discontent

    JANUARY is notoriously a bad month for Burnley. Sadly, 2006 shows no signs of breaking the mould. Out of the Cup, defeated in the derby, winless since Boxing Day and currently lying eight points off the play-offs, the club clearly needs a lift. Instead

  • New laws to beat fly-tippers

    CHANGES in the law to help local authorities crackdown on litter, graffiti, fly-posting and fly-tipping will be discussed by Hyndburn Council next week. Members of the community safety and well-being committee will be given a presentation by Coun Ann

  • Top cop pledges to fight illegal parking

    GREAT HARWOOD'S top policeman has promised his officers will be patrolling to cut the amount of illegal parking in the area. Inspector John O'Reilly addressed a meeting of the Great Harwood Area Council after residents raised concerns about wheelchair

  • New appeal over club arson car clue

    DETECTIVES hunting arsonists who burned down a Great Harwood nightclub have renewed their appeal for information almost 12 months after the blaze. And today they revealed that the car driven into Monroe's and set on fire was bought in Oswaldtwistle four

  • Cabbie assaulted for 'lustful' looks

    A MAN has been given a suspended prison sentence for attacking a taxi driver who he thought was lusting after his girlfriend. Neil John Hardy, 20, of Row Greave Road, Oswaldtwistle, has pleaded guilty to assaulting Kalid Hussain in Accrington just before

  • X-Factor judge praises Michael

    A MAN with a learning disability has proved he has got the X-Factor after his bagpipe playing was praised by Sharon Osbourne. Michael Lonsdale, 20, from Springfield Road, Great Harwood, had very low self-esteem and lacked confidence over meeting people

  • 'An experience I won't forget'

    Alice Patten debuts opposite Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan in UTVs much-awaited Rang De Basanti, releasing on January 19. Here she speaks of time filming and her hopes for the future. How did you land yourself the role in Rang De Basanti? The offer came

  • Margo column: Credit where credit's due to our MP Jack

    WE have got to know each other over the last few years, so you will have gathered that although I don't belong to any particular political party, in the main my leaning is a little to the right, as they say. But, in all honesty, I have to express my admiration

  • Canaries clash on TV

    Burnley have received an unexpected financial boost with the news that the Turf Moor clash with Norwich City in late March has been selected for live screening by Sky Television. It will be the third time the Clarets have appeared live this season following

  • Give us our flag back

    THREE Burnley fans destined to fly the flag for Burnley at next summer's World Cup are appealing for thieves to return their pride and joy, which was snatched from a pizza restaraunt in the wake of Saturday's defeat to Preston North End. The huge nine

  • Branch fears same old story

    LOYAL servant Graham Branch fears that Ade Akinbiyi will leave Burnley this week if the price is right. The Clarets' longest serving player has grown accustomed to seeing strikers leave the club in recent years to fill a financial black hole. Fouteen

  • Rowdy boys 'spoil school'

    A MINORITY of boys are undermining efforts to turn around Darwen Moorland High School because "weak" teachers cannot control them, inspectors claim. The school in Holden Fold is still on course to come out of 'special measures' in March but HM Inspectorate

  • Graves wrecked

    VANDALS have gone on the rampage through an East Lancashire cemetery, desecrating graves and pushing over headstones. And police - who suspect drunken youths were responsible for the damage - who sent an empty bottle of cider for forensic analysis in

  • Dugdale picture raises £10,000 at Sotheby's

    AN oil painting by one of Blackburn's finest artists has been sold for nearly £10,000 at Sotheby's in London, nearly £3,000 more than expected. The picture by Blackburn-born Thomas Cantrell Dugdale (1880-1952) event-ually fetched £9,840 by a mystery bidder

  • Harman's before the court

    Hearings at Blackburn Magistrates' Court had an unusual spectator yesterday -- constitutional affairs minister Harriet Harman. She toured the court in Northgate, meeting staff and observing proceedings as part of a visit to be updated on progress within

  • £40,000 fraud woman facing prison

    A BLACKBURN woman who has admitted a large-scale fraud is facing a possible prison sentence. Julie Cafferty pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court to six charges in a case said to involve £40,000-£50,000. The defendant, 40, of Bentham Road, Blackburn,

  • Pub boss tells of relief after club doorman admits attack

    A NIGHTCLUB door-man has admitted attacking a Blackburn pub landlord who was left fighting for life on his stag night. Barry Dowd, a worker at Blackpool's Syndicate nightclub, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to James Foley. Preston Crown

  • Tributes paid to a 'decent man'

    A DETECTIVE who died when his sports car crashed on the motorway was an award-winning officer whose death has stunned colleagues across the force. Detective Sergeant Mick Thornber, 48, had lived and worked in the Blackburn area most of his 29-year-career

  • Adnan Ahmed Interview

    Huddersfield Town's Adnan Ahmed has spoken about his family's support in helping him to get where he is. Adnan featured in his sides FA cup tie against Premiership champions Chelsea and although the League One side went down 2-1 they left with their heads

  • Should we condemning the speed-daters?

    Speed dating. Its the new way to meet people, all the rage down south and the centre of great controversy, so I was most surprised when my friend, Maria told me that she had been on a speed date. After my initial shock had worn off, I questioned why Maria

  • Have you got the talent?

    Contact Theatre are holding writing workshops on the 13th February 2006 to find new talent in the region. Contact has joined forces with renowned Kali Theatre Company (Asian Womens Theatre Company) to find the newest Asian women writers in Manchester

  • Heroes remembered

    Youth Action, a local youth charity from Blackburn conducted a six-month research project on the South Asian veterans' contribution to World War II. The project, entitled 'Mutual Respect', aimed to recognize the commitment that South Asian veterans made

  • 86 Labour party members suspended

    A total of 86 new members of Cheetham Labour Party were suspended this month, Asian Image has learned. And they have been told a full investigation by the Manchester Blackley Constituency Labour Party is taking place regarding possible membership abuse

  • Hiral loses 34 inch locks for charity

    An inspirational schoolgirl had her unusually long hair cut off to raise cash for Cancer Research UK. When she was five, Hiral Vara decided she wanted to do something positive following the deaths of her grandfather and her uncle from cancer. She refused

  • Doctor is cleared

    A doctor has been cleared of allegations he indecently assaulted a 17-year-old female patient. The verdict, after a three-day trial, means that Dr Tanuku Venkata Suryanarayana, 56, of Old Langho, can return to medicine. He was suspended from his duties

  • A dangerous trek to reach survivors

    A delegation from Muslim Global Relief (MGR) have returned from the disaster zone and share with Asian Image readers their experiences. Upon arrival to Pakistan the team met Government officials of Punjab and attended a specially organised briefing and

  • Pay it back

    In two separate occasions those who profit from drug dealing have paid the price for their crimes. In Lancashire Ayub Khansia, 47,was ordered to hand over £2.4million of crime cash -- the largest amount ever confiscated from a criminal in the region.

  • Nominate Your Icons of England!

    The Muslim Council of Great Britain is inviting the Muslim community to identify its own cultural icons. It is all part of a new online project being launched in January 2006. ICONS A Portrait of England at www.ICONS.org.uk will paint a virtual portrait

  • Griving pilgrims search for relatives

    Hundreds of worried pilgrims crowded around a photo display at a medical centre in Mina, Saudi Arabia, scanning anxiously for pictures of loved ones who may have been among the 362 people killed the day before in a deadly stampede. Medical officials at

  • Drug dealer pays for the 'high life'

    A high performance car dealer in Bradford has been jailed for 25 years for plotting to flood the district with 130kg of heroin with a street value of £7 million. Father-of-four Khalid Malik lived the high life while selfishly ignoring the tragedy and

  • The myth of return

    Javed Bashir, Honoury Visiting Fellow at the University of Bradford, visited Mirpur as a part of education delegation. There he spoke to people affected by the proposed Mangla Dam extension. Here he reccounts the trip. A large number of Lancashires Pakistani

  • Put a stop to hols for offenders

    RE the story about a teenage offender being taken to Jamaica (LET, January 12). I just cannot believe what I read. If I lived in the Blackburn with Darwen area, I would refuse to pay my council tax. Perhaps I'd qualify for a free trip too. Councillors

  • Panopticons a waste of money

    WHY does Mid Pennine Arts persist in trying to foist these Panopticons on the people of East Lancashire who at best seem disinterested in them, if not totally against them? I applaud Hyndburn Council's stance against this project. I am sure local councils

  • Regional rule would be better for all

    I DID enjoy Ken Holden's letter (LET, January 13). Instead of wasting vast sums of money on superfluous wars such as Iraq, Switzerland is building two 40-mile long rail tunnels to keep heavy freight off the roads. Meanwhile, Transport Secretary Alistair

  • Graves wrecked

    VANDALS have gone on the rampage through an East Lancashire cemetery, desecrating graves and pushing over headstones. And police - who suspect drunken youths were responsible for the damage - who sent an empty bottle of cider for forensic analysis in

  • Traffic misery to end?

    A £3million project aimed at ending the traffic chaos at East Lancashire's most notorious roundabout has been unveiled by highways bosses. The Highways Agency has agreed to spend £1.8million installing traffic lights at each of the junctions leading onto

  • Rovers 'no' to Gonzalo

    BLACKBURN boss Mark Hughes has abandoned his interest in Uruguayan midfielder Gonzalo de los Santos. The former Valencia star, who was recently linked with a switch to Arsenal, has spent the last week on trial with Rovers in the hope of securing a lucrative

  • Office fire started by heater

    A FAULTY electrical heater started a fire in the offices of a community group in Pendle. Fire crews were called to the headquarters of Pendle Pakistan Welfare Association (PPWA), Nelson, around 1.45pm yesterday. Fire crews said an electrical fault in

  • Boy, 13, offered £5 to perform sex acts

    POLICE are to review procedures after a court heard it took officers months to charge a convicted child abuser who had offered a boy cash for sex acts. Terence Bradley, 47, had approached the 13-year-old in Nelson town centre. The victim pointed him out

  • Council housing 'bribery'

    PENDLE Council is being "bullied and bribed" into transferring its municipal housing to a registered social landlord, Lord Tony Greaves has told Parliament. He made his comments ahead of a vote by council house tenants, who are being asked to choose whether

  • Jason Whalley column: Toon mess was painful reminder

    IF press speculation is to be believed Saturday's defeat against Rovers could be Graeme Souness's last in charge of Newcastle United. Should this prove to be true, how ironic this game can be. I'm sure we all remember the first game after Souness had

  • Easier access scheme

    GREAT Harwood people are being asked to point out areas of town which need special kerbs to improve disabled access. Leaders of the Great Harwood Area Council have agreed to look at provision of drop kerbs. A plan has been drawn up by the council including

  • Last man standing

    Mr Bachchan senior has two big movies out this month of which the second, Family Blood and Ties, should be with us by Christmas. In the first of the releases he plays Suryaveer Singh an ex-commando who is mentally scarred from many years in the army and

  • Singing Queen recieves Lifetime Achievement award

    Lata Mangeshkar, Indias famous singer, received a lifetime achievement award for her contribution to Indian popular music and culture at the Merrill Lynch Diwali and Eid Charity Dinner. The event was co-sponsored by fine jewelry company Adora, which is

  • Abhishek Bachchan Interview

    Abhishek Bachchan talks to us about his new film Bluff Master which sees him play a professional con-artist. Are you looking forward to the release of Bluff Master this December 16? "Of course, I look forward to every release. Its a fun film and the fact

  • Blades boss hints at new Akinbiyi bid

    NEIL Warnock has dropped his strongest hint yet that Sheffield United are ready to test Burnley's resolve with a new bid for Ade Akinbiyi. The Clarets are waiting with bated breath to see if the Blades follow up two rejected offers with a third, improved

  • Canning back in league

    KIWI all-rounder Tama Canning is set to make a sensational return to the Lancashire League with Haslingden. Canning, 28, spent four seasons with Accrington before being released at the end of last season after something of a disastrous season for both

  • Holt pulls out the stops

    NELSON striker Michael Holt turned from goal-getter to goalkeeper as he helped his side maintain their push for promotion from the North West Counties League Division Two. The former Blackburn Rovers hitman went between the stick when the Blues number

  • Blades boss hints at new Akinbiyi bid

    NEIL Warnock has dropped his strongest hint yet that Sheffield United are ready to test Burnley's resolve with a new bid for Ade Akinbiyi. The Clarets are waiting with bated breath to see if the Blades follow up two rejected offers with a third, improved

  • Rovers 'no' to Gonzalo

    BLACKBURN boss Mark Hughes has abandoned his interest in Uruguayan midfielder Gonzalo de los Santos. The former Valencia star, who was recently linked with a switch to Arsenal, has spent the last week on trial with Rovers in the hope of securing a lucrative

  • Nicotine patches query in death of partner

    A DARWEN woman queried whether a nicotine patch had played a part in the sudden death of her 38-year-old partner. An inquest heard Andrea West left Garry Lee Cowburn asleep on the settee when she went to bed but came down in the middle of the night to

  • Food hygiene help on offer

    THE Asian Business Federation has launched an initiative to make sure businesses in the food and drinks industry comply with new legislation. The ABF, based in Blackburn, has launched Food Smart, a 13-step initiative to make sure firms meet HACCP (Hazard

  • Roundabout way to a solution

    Whitebirk roundabout has been a thorn in the side of commuters for decades, a bottleneck which leaves people crawling into Blackburn at busy times. Now highways bosses believe a new scheme to install traffic lights and bus lanes will finally provide an

  • Angling firm left dangling on line

    A FISHING shop owner who makes world-renowned salmon lures claims he is being sold down the river by council regeneration plans. Spintec has been based in Johnston Street, Blackburn, for 35 years. But while surrounding properties have been given a facelift

  • Adal is the speed king

    Move over the Rawalpindi Express. Here comes the Manningham Missile. Teenager Adal Islam, a pupil at Carlton-Bolling College, has won a cricket speed bowling competition from an entry of over 500 at Edgbaston in Birmingham. Islam, who plays for Manningham

  • Money can't buy you love

    Friendship is everything but then again when a woman is involved it can mean nothing. Two friends spend most their time together despite one being unimaginably richer than the other. Money it seems is the least if their worries but the bond is tested

  • Cafe Dil has a big heart

    A juniors league is looking forward to a stable future thanks to a sponsorship deal with Cafe Dil Caf Dil owner Zah Hussain didn't hesitate in sponsoring the Blackburn Soccer Series league which has kids as young as seven taking part. This year the Soccer

  • Islamic Bank opens in Manchester

    Islamic Bank of Britain, the only totally Islamic British bank to operate in the UK, officially opened the doors of its Manchester. The branch, the first in the North West and seventh in the UK will be based on Stockport Road, Longsight. It employs eight

  • Trio are freed

    Three men who beat up an alleged sex pest have all kept their freedom at Burnley Crown Court. The trios victim had been left with multiple linear marks to his neck but they were probably caused by a fourth man who had grabbed him around the neck, Burnley

  • Chairman visits Lord Mayor

    The Chairman of Kashmir Liberation Front,Yasin Malik visited the Lord Mayor of Manchester. He was welcomed by the Mayor - Coun Afzal Khan at the town Hall and thanked the people of Manchester for their help towards the earthquake victims and also for

  • Jewel thief warning

    Families are being warned that a professional burglar is after their gold. The burglar, who extensively researches his victims, has struck eight times in the past month in Blackburn. Police said he seems to be targeting wealthy Asian families living in

  • Demonstrators claim victory

    A planned protest outside the offices of a community association turned into a celebration. Fundraisers from the 8/10 Group had gathered outside the Kashmiri Association Blackburn (KAB) to urge bosses to release over £30,000 in funds which had been sitting

  • 'It was an awful sight'

    Musa Ismail and Sher Alam have visited many regions struck by disasters in their lives but nothing prepared them for the destruction they saw in Kashmir. They helped raise £30,000 within weeks of the disaster and visited the disaster zone in November.

  • See your ideas grow

    Four housing associations have banded together to promote the enterprise culture in some of the norths most deprived districts. The idea is to use self-employment as a way of bringing jobs and new hope to parts of Manchester where this is not traditionally

  • Brick attack victim's anger

    A teenager who hurled a brick through a car window leaving a passenger with life-threatening injuries, has been jailed for more than four years. Rizwan Atcha was so badly injured in the attack that doctors feared he would die. He has been left with permanent

  • Being young can be bad for your licence

    Young drivers are always getting a raw deal argues Sabina Patel Asian Images newest columnist. Is penalising newly qualified motorists by confiscating their licence really going to make a big difference? Mention driving to people and chances are, it will