A YOUNG arsonist is being hunted after starting 20 fires in Burnley. Firefighters said the youth seemed to see it "as a game" but needed to realise he was putting lives at risk. Phil Emmett, from the fire reduction team at Burnley fire station, also
HIGH-tech micro cameras fitted in front doors are being used to protect victims of domestic violence and bogus callers in a pioneering project in East Lancashire. Doorstep footage will be beamed directly on to the resident's TV set with programmes being
A FELT manufacturers was left badly damaged after a blaze suspected to have been caused by faulty machinery. The blaze took hold of the single storey mill in Spring Gardens Road in Colne at 3.15pm today. Some 16 workers at the Janesville Acoustics site
STAFF and patients at a Blackburn mental health unit - closed amid serious care concerns - are being told that it will not reopen for at least another four months. Health bosses at Lancashire Care NHS Trust moved swiftly to close the Woodlea Unit,
CLASSES teaching youngsters how to perform acrobatics using everyday obstacles are being launched in a bid to reduce anti-social behaviour. Police Community Support Officer Dave Johnson learned about the fast-growing sport of Le Parkour, or free running
A BABY was brought into the world by special delivery - her grandmother and father. Lorraine Hamer, 45, and Martin Bottomley, 25, took instructions over the phone from the ambulance service to help Lorraine's daughter and Martin's girlfriend Susan Hamer
ARSON-plagued streets are to be blocked off before Bonfire Night after firefighters were called to 110 blazes in one week last year. Hyndburn Council, the fire brigade and police will be restricting access to eight streets in a bid to cut the number
MANY East Lancashire farmers could face financial ruin following the latest outbreak of foot and mouth, a leading auctioneer has warned. The farming industry across Lancashire is in a state of lockdown following the ban on animal movements in the wake
HUNDREDS of hopefuls attended a recruitment drive by aerospace giant BAE Systems following the creation of 1,000 jobs. BAE Systems is currently touring the north west with a recruitment roadshow in a bid to fill the vacancies created as a result of its
THE show and sale of Suffolk and continental breeds of rams at Clitheroe Auction Mart saw a top price of 410gns. The Suffolk championship went to John Nutter of Hurst Green and his shearling ram. This animal went on to sell for 410gns to Martin Taylor
A SCHEME aimed at protecting Burnley taxi drivers from attacks by passengers was launched yesterday. The eight cabs are the first private hire vehicles in the borough to be fitted with the polycarbon safety shields, which will divide drivers from their
YOUTHS deliberately setting off fire alarms at a Hyndburn social centre are putting the lives of thousands of residents at risk, according to firefighters. For two consecutive nights Hyndburn firefighters have been called out to the New Era centre in
A MAN who admitted handling a stolen laptop which he sold to his girlfriend's dad has been jailed for six months. Judge Pamela Badley told Warren Hamer: "You have an unenviable record for dishonesty." Hamer, 28, of Lower Barnes Street, Clayton-le-Moors
POLICE are preparing a European arrest warrant if DNA positively identifies a missing sex offender as being one half of a couple who disappeared in Jersey. Tests are currently being carried out on belongings left by a couple calling themselves Andrew
A NEW CCTV system costing £500,000 for the whole region will replace the present system which was paid for by Todmorden ratepayers. The town council decided to install its own system, as did Hebden Royd and Brighouse, but now Calderdale Council has relented
A WORKER on the cigarette counter at Morrisons in Blackburn repeatedly helped herself to money from the till over a five month period. Blackburn magistrates heard that Shamila Afzal covered her tracks by voiding sales on the till roll which meant that
A HI-TECH speed sign is back up and running in Pendle after firefighters agreed to climb ladders to help with its maintenance. Speed Indicator Devices (SpIDs), which show drivers their speed, often with a smile if they are within the limit and a frown
POLICE have seized £300,000 from a suspected bogus pension scheme they believe is run by two men who were jailed for a £54million VAT fraud. It is the first time officers have used civil confiscation powers to seize funds from a pension scheme.
A MAN whose mental health is worrying police will have a psychiatric report made on his condition, a court was told. Burnley Magistr-ates' Court heard how Patrick Leona-rd, 35, subject to a criminal anti-social behaviour order, did not present a danger
HEALTH watchdogs have pledged to keep a close eye on the performance of ambulance services in East Lancashire after a controversial hosptial shake up. Campaigners from the North West Ambulance Service's public and patient information (PPI) forum are
A TEENAGER has been handed a two year anti-social behaviour order banning him from a town centre after a campaign of intimidation. Magistrates gave Jonathan Hogan, 16, of Waterside Road, Summerseat, Ramsbottom, the ASBO after the youth court was told
A RURAL dance festival has been told to finish fours earlier after complaints from residents. The Full Phat dance festival is taking place this Saturday in Howgill Lane, Rimington, and was originally granted a licence by Ribble Valley Council for music
WBU welterweight champion Michael Jennings' latest fight has been postponed due to illness. The Chorley fighter, who was due to face Vladimir Khodokovski in a non-title bout tomorrow night, has suffered from a chest infection and withdrawn. The bill
A mechanic has been charged with theft of Aston Martin parts worth £151,000 from a Longridge garage where he worked. Paul Ronald Clayton, 41, of Castle Street, Skipton, was charged at Blackburn magistrates with theft from his employer, Simon Livesey,
A FAMILY have paid tribute to a father-of-two who died after he was thrown from his motorbike. Police are appealing for witnesses following the death of Christopher Lees, 40, of Nelson, after he lost control of his Kawazaki Ninja on a bend near the Moorcock
AN operation to crack down on thieves who are targeting rural villages is continuing after another spree of thefts at the start of September. Operation Orpheus was launched in August in response to crimes in Balderstone, Osbaldeston, Mellor and Ramsgreave
THESE nine cherubic faces are altar or choirboys from St John's Church, Read. But that is as much as we know. We have no idea of the date they were captured on camera, or where - could it be Read Hall? If any readers could fill in the missing blanks
THIS summer has marked the 50th anniversary of the first Clitheroe Kid radio series, by little Jimmy Clitheroe. The series ran from July to September in 1957, and went on to run every year until 1972. At its peak, the show attracted a staggering 10
Looking Back continues the war-time story of the late Burnley historian Leslie Chapples, who left his new bride at home when called up to serve his country. Leslie is now on board the SV Denbighshire one of 40 troop ships being escorted by 30 from the
A WOMAN who complained about her neighbour's behaviour was confronted by the brother shouting racist abuse. Blackburn magistrates heard that Asif Mukhtar called Susan Rennie a racist name and said if she wanted trouble he had "people coming." Mukhtar
A SHOPKEEPER from Nelson faces a bill of £1,350 after magistrates convicted him of selling cigarettes to a 13-year-old child. Aatif Waris pleaded guilty to selling the cigarettes in February from his shop, T A Off Licence, Livingstone Walk, Brierfield
A KNIFEMAN spared jail by a judge returned to court and asked to be sent to prison. Mark Bailey, 27, had been given a suspended custodial sentence after flouting a community order. But he told the probation service he would not comply with it and was
A DRUNKEN man who groped a policewoman's bottom has escaped being put on the Sex Offender Register. Burnley magistrates heard how married Shahid Latif, 34, would have been eligible for notification if he was given a community order for 12 months or longer
A VAN driver has been warned he faces a lengthy prison sentence after admitting killing four members of the same family in a horrific road crash. Scott Easton, 23, admitted causing the deaths by dangerous driving of Paula Gilbert, 29, her fiance Neil
Julia Haworth, the Burnley actress who plays Claire Peacock in Coronation Street, has given Pendleside Hospice a boost by using one of the charity's shopping bags. Featuring the hospice logo, the eco-friendly bags are made from biodegradable jute and
The night team-mates Graeme Le Saux and David Batty started fighting on the pitch in a freezing Moscow will always haunt Blackburn Rovers fans. Here, Le Saux - in his new autobiography Left Field - reveals the truth behind the clash ... I HAD nothing
The Heart of Home Spring, summer, autumn, winter happy to be Mum's content at home with family The smell of Sunday roast in the kitchen, Pot-pourri fragrance in every room A chair by the fire to snuggle in The garden with flowers in bloom. Gifts
TWO hundred indoor bowlers will lose their rinks when the mill they use is closed. The Blackburn Indoor Bowling Club has been running for 20 years at Albion Mill, Albion Street, Ewood. But it cannot afford to replace the bowling rinks it will lose so
Once again Colne is to receive another award from North West in Bloom Another year of hard work by the team has paid off. We are indebted to our sponsers,Boundry Mill,Barnfield Construction,and Pendle Borough Council. Without their support we could
BESART Berisha has been ruled out for the rest of the season. The Albanian international, who was signed by Burnley on a three year deal in the summer, has undergone cruciate ligament surgery. Berisha has been sidelined with a knee injury since returning
I would like to say Goodbye and Good Luck to Samantha Shale. If you are not already aware, Samantha has been the Darwen Reporter for the Lancashire Telegraph. I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to Samantha for all the support she has given
A MUSIC teacher jailed for indecently assaulting two children has been freed from jail by top judges. Bernard Robin Heading, now 67, was jailed for ten months in August after admitting two specimen offences of indecent assault. Heading ran the Farfisa
PLANS to build a £3.5million health club on the site of the disused supermarket are being submitted to the council. The Kwik Save building at New Hall Hey, Rawtenstall, has stood empty since its closure earlier this year. Property developers Hurst-wood
A 32-year-old woman was brought to East Lancashire, given a cheque book and bank card and taken "shopping" by a man she knew only as James, a court was told. Blackburn magistrates heard Viola Matereke had bought clothing worth more than £900 and a large
A SALVATION Army-run homeless project has been praised for its work by county council top brass. Chair of Lancashire County Council Wendy Dwyer said the Crossroads facility in Accrington, which opened in 1992 to help homeless youngsters aged 16 to 25
WHEN we go abroad for our summer holidays we want a rest, away from the madding crowd. But anyone spotting me on a lounger on the beach will have been surprised by my summer reading. I confess. I read the odd airport novel; but basically, I like "improving
A DAY out with his best friend came to a heart-breaking end for a 32-year-old man, a court was told. Blackburn magistrates heard that Carl Robert Waring caught his friend trying to kiss his partner. In the confrontation that followed the friend admitted
THWAITES Brewery in Blackburn celebrated its 200th birthday this year and the milestone has been recorded by historian Jehanne Wake. For she has produced a definitive book on the brewing dynasty, whose story is integral to the town's history. Daniel
AROUND 560 tons of steel have been delivered to the £10m Freckleton Street bridge site in Blackburn. The deck element of the bridge has 93 pieces with 4x1m diameter arches supporting the bridge. The longest beam section of the bridge is 20m in length
AN East Lancashire writer is having his work turned into a Hollywood movie. Burnley-born Paul Abbott, 47, who is best known for his TV work, including acclaimed Channel 4 show Shameless, is turning his Bafta award-winning drama State of Play into a film
John Payn discovered his niche in athletics late in life. And this week, the 74-year-old Chorley Athletic Club member has flown out to Italy looking for his third World Championship medal. The World Masters Athletics Championships for athletes aged
A LEADING college name of the past will be helping science students to reach for the stars in future. Last night marked the opening of the new multi-million pound Graystone Science Centre at St Mary's College in Blackburn. It is named after former college
A BOY who stayed next door to the room to where a woman perished in a hotel blaze is struggling to come to terms with his ordeal. And his mother has revealed how close her family came to tragedy in the Penhallow Hotel fire in Newquay last month. Susan
RACING legend Carl Fogarty has given himself until the end of this month to find sponsorship for his superbike team. An agreement has already been reached with MV Agusta to run their bikes for next season and Fogarty has spent the last 12 months trying
ACCRINGTON Motorsport Club are running an evening of marshal and time-keeping training. The event will take place in Accrington Cricket Club at 8pm on Friday, September 21. Organiser Steve Johnson said: "The event is open to anyone who is interested
BLACKBURN driver Simon Mawdsley is ready to put the pedal to the metal this Saturday at the Formula Two World of Shale final at Mildenhall, Suffolk. The 33-year-old qualified for the event after finishing 14th in the eight-round competition. Only the
NEAR our sheltered bungalows we are having extensive building work for one of the new super schools' Twenty yards away, eight mature beautiful trees have lost, or will shortly lose their lives. All the wild creatures that lived in and around the building
One of the main requirements for the Muslim community is to bury their deceased as soon as practically possible. This has been facilitated in Blackburn with Darwen for many years by some of the main service providers. I, in my capacity as general secretary
WHAT'S wrong with the people of Blackburn? Am I of just a small minority who objects to the demands being made by the council regarding the gravestones in Pleasington Cemetery? Are the rest of you happy to pay your hard-earned cash? Why should we, when
Vauxhall's VXR Racing Driver of the Year competition arrived in the North West last Sunday and Chorley's Christopher Morris was one of the competitors trying his luck to win a place in the Grand Final - which aims to find the UK's best natural driving
Jet-setting Denise Park is still catching her breath after a dream week in America. The Clitheroe physiotherapist took part in the world's largest relay race - the 197-mile long Nike Hood to Coast Relay at Oregon. And she also met one of her sporting
ANIMAL movements have been banned in Lancashire after the suspected foot and mouth outbreak in Surrey. County council bosses have imposed the conditions and bosses are urging the public to report anyone who breaks the ban. Police and trading standards
I LOVE Jo Frost, aka Supernanny - really I do. It's just that I don't believe for one minute that the little tearaways she so effectively tames using her revolutionary "naughty step" don't revert to their spawn-of-satan behaviour after she's gone.
THE North West Air Ambulance has flown its 7,000th mission. The ambulance was deployed to an incident at Trax in Preston yesterday afternoon after a 30-year-old man came off his bike and suffered serious spinal injuries. It was first on the scene due
DANIEL Williams today insisted he is still interested in buying Blackburn Rovers. In an exclusive interview with the Lancashire Telegraph, the New Jersey-based millionaire has denied reports his takeover bid is on the verge of collapse. A story in one
YOUTHS deliberately setting off fire alarms at a Hyndburn social centre are putting the lives of thousands of residents at risk. For two consecutive nights now firefighters from Hyndburn's station at Church have been called out to the New Era centre
PEOPLE living near a window makers had a lucky escape following a suspected arson attack on a diesel tank nearby. Fortunately there was little diesel left within the tank, situated next to Wright Windows, in Harrison Street, Burnley, by the time firefighters
BESART Berisha has revealed his frustration at getting injured so early in the season, but has vowed to fight his way back to full fitness. The Burnley wide man has been sidelined with a knee injury since returning from international duty over a fortnight
INDIA Test batsman VVS Laxman's first century for Lancashire put the title-chasers in control of this Division One County Championship match at Old Trafford. The 32 year-old eased his way to three figures off 152 balls as the rest of his colleagues struggled
Stiff Little Fingers, one of the punk era's great cult bands, are being celebrated in an all-new DVD, entitled Still Burning With Incendiary. The DVD, written and directed by Grammy award-winner and punk icon Don Letts, will be released by Fremantle
The Tour of Britain is heading our way tomorrow, giving plenty of opportunities for local cycling fans to watch Britain's biggest bike race go by. Leaving Liverpool at 10.15am, stage five heads through Southport and into East Lancashire, via Walton-le-Dale
CLITHEROE chairman Carl Garner has revealed that a "substantial donation" has been made to FC United of Manchester after Tuesday night's match was abandoned due to floodlight failure. The UniBond League Division One North game at Shawbridge was plunged
THE majority of Muslims in East Lancashire begin fasting today for the holy month of Ramadan. Thousands of people in the area and millions across the world will fast for up to 30 days. During Ramadan Muslims will not eat or drink from dawn to dusk in
