THE Mayor of Darwen has described residents who dump rubbish in their own communities as ‘pigs’. Coun Paul Browne said he would buy a drink for anyone in Darwen who could name a back alley in the town that is dirtier than the one between Preston
THE total cost of policing English Defence League and counter-protestors in Lancashire was £1.4million, it can be revealed. Previous figures for individual demonstrations have come from estimates based on police salaries and impact on businesses
HYNDBURN residents could see the number of recycling containers reduced as a major review gets under way. The borough council has set up a panel to examine how to improve recycling. And one option being considered is reducing the amount
FOUR-FIFTHS of schools across East Lancashire were closed today due to the teachers' strike over pensions. Just 70 out of 339 East Lancashire schools were fully open as the industrial action hit hard. 62 of those schools which opened
SMOKE could be seen across Blackburn today after a fire involving 400 used car tyres. Firefighters from two crews used jets and and five litres of foam to extinguish the blaze in Thornley Avenue in the Whitebirk area of Blackburn at 1pm today
Police have released an Evo-fit image of a man they want to speak to following an assault in Burnley. The incident happened on June 1 at around 10pm when the victim, an 18-year-old man, was walking along Talbot Street in Briercliffe when he was approached
AN entrepreneur from Burnley camped at Wimbledon for three nights to be in with a chance of securing a ticket to watch Andy Murray’s straight-sets victory on Centre Court yesterday. Laurence Daw, 24, who pitched his tent at SW19 on Sunday afternoon,
Pendle Council has gained the North West Skills Award from the NW Employers’ Association in recognition of its commitment to staff learning and development. Representatives from the engineering special project, communications, tourism, parks, the
OLDER patients at Royal Blackburn Hospital described staff as ‘kind, caring and respectful’ and told independent inspectors that its food was ‘very good’. Care Quality Commission inspectors visited the hospital in April as part of a national
ONE of the main benefits of the convincing win of Lancashire-based Bradley Wiggins in the British National Championship Road Race is that it allows him to start the Tour de France this weekend in the distinctive and prestigious national champion
WHO’D be a football manager? Burnley boss Eddie Howe has spent the summer searching the market to ‘tweak’ his squad – as yet to no avail – while at neighbouring Accrington Stanley John Coleman was faced with a rebuilding task on the eve of the first
Durham opened up a handy 23-point lead at the top of the LV= County Championship First Division table with a five-wicket win over second-placed Lancashire at Liverpool. In-form Dale Benkenstein guided the visitors past their victory target of 181 in
Accrington Stanley players were put through their paces on their first day of pre-season training at Blackburn Rugby Union club yesterday. Around half a dozen trialists were there, including centre backs Nik Kudiersky and Chris Lynch – released
POLICE in Lancashire have criticised a new legal ruling on bailing criminal suspects — saying it is ‘hard to believe’ the decision that has been made. Officers will no longer be able to bail suspects for more than four days without either charging
A TRICKSTER stole cash and jewellery from an 84-year-old Nelson woman after pretending to be from the water board. Police said the man called on the woman and distracted her by asking her to help check the water pressure. As she ran
CHRIS McCann has ended all uncertainty over his future by agreeing a new two-year deal with Burnley. McCann’s current contract had been due to expire this week but he has now agreeing to remain at Turf Moor until 2013 after lengthy negotiations since
STUDENT Danny Maynard has won a prestigious award from the University of Central Lancashire in recognition of his coaching work with Blackburn Harriers. The 18-year old recently completed the first year of a degree course in Sports Coaching at UCLAN
AS the weather warms up and the days continue to get longer, runners have been taking up a variety of long distance challenges, often to raise cash for their favourite charities. Darwen Dasher George Morini was one of the first to get into
FORMER champion Steve Johnson rolled back the years on last weekend’s CSMA North West Autotest at Lymm when he wheeled out his 1275cc Mini Special in a return to the sport he graced almost a decade ago. Johnson, from Accrington, put in a class-winning
EAST Lancashire’s best known rally co-driver, Ian Grindrod, is set to renew his famous partnership with legendary ‘Flying Scotsman’ Jimmy McRae. In the 80s the McRae/Grindrod combination was revered as one of the most successful in rallying history
ALEX MacDonald has agreed a one-year deal to stay at Burnley. The 21-year-old was out of contract but has been offered a deal after gaining experience on loan at Falkirk and Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
THE North West saw a rise in the number of people killed at work last year, new figures reveal. The Health and Safety Executive said 23 people died in the workplace during 2010/11, up from 17 a year earlier. Nationally, the rate is 0.6 deaths
A THIEVING telesales worker who claimed he had not done his community service because of his work has been jailed. Burnley Crown Court heard how Zayn Sheikh, 20, flouted a community order for the second time. He had done just over half of the 120 hours
WHEN a young English nobleman was thwarted in love he abandoned the court, retired to his estate near Manchester and built a canal to serve his coal mines. The Bridgewater Canal was the sensation of the age and led others to follow the example
PUPILS were congratulated for their achievements at a special Accrington Academy awards evening. They were recognised and commended for their progress and their attainment by staff last night. Principal Andrew Bateman thanked the pupils
FRANK Casper believes Burnley may find it easier to return to the Premier League at the second attempt after backing them to emulate the team of the 1970s. Casper was part of Jimmy Adamson’s Clarets side that suffered relegation from the top flight in
A BUNCH of lads in the fifth year at Blackburn Technical High School formed a caving club in 1951 to explore deep underground. The Pennine Junior Speleologists went exploring the caves and potholes in the Yorkshire moors around Settle.
People arrested in Craven on weekends will be taken to York in future. Currently, anyone arrested and charged on a Friday will appear at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court the next day. But later this year, weekend and bank holiday court appearances
IN December 2009, Judge Simon Newell held two hearings in his Chambers to decide whether accused rapist Jonathan Vass should be granted bail. The repercussions of his decision to release the former paramedic were to be devastating as, seven
ACCRINGTON Stanley have agreed a deal to sign former Blackpool defender Danny Coid – as they wait for news on the futures of Alex Cisak and Terry Gornell. Coid has agreed a one-year contract with the option to extend the deal after being released
MOTOCROSS racing problems have “come back with a vengence” in Tockholes, according to a councillor who helped ban the sport on farmland seven years ago. Councillor Jean Rigby said residents living near Shaws Farm, off Stockclough Lane, have
HISTORIAN Steve Chapples tells how the opening of Burnley’s first park was celebrated with bunting, bands and beef roast. Burnley is now blessed with more acreage of parkland for its geographical size than most Lancashire towns, but it was
I do my bit as far as possible, composting where I can, separating my paper, tins, bottles, cardboard and garden waste. But it seems Hyndburn Council’s ridiculous stance on recycling is a sad one for the planet! Over the weekend I trimmed the
MAY I congratulate B J Dutton of Colne (LT, June 28) who hit the nail on the head regarding anti-social behaviour. I challenged a parent, about their kids running over our garden chasing their full-size leather football and not giving a monkey’s about
THE originators of the Abortion Act were probably filled with intentions which seemed good to them, but what we have had is millions of deaths before birth. Now we are being asked to consider legalising assisted suicide or euthanasia where anyone judged
A new social networking site, this time launched by Google? Another excuse for sad, unfulfilled people to squander precious time. Observer, Blackburn.
THERE has been a lot of concern about government changes to benefits, especially the Disability Living Allowance. People with genuine disabilities who need help to live independent lives have been fearful that their financial lifeline might be severed
THE ambulance service has apologised after a spike in the number of emergency calls led to long delays. Elderly Yak Wan, who suffers from a raft of health problems and was vomiting blood, was left waiting for an ambulance for more than three
Coronation Street fans have launched a campaign to save their favourite character Fiz Stape being locked up for a crime she did not commit. Fiz, played by Rossendale actress Jennie McAlpine, is at the centre of the show’s biggest current storyline
MY column is a bit of a reflective one this week (and may perhaps show some signs of a mid-life crisis.) A few weeks ago I wrote a column on Focus closing and in it mentioned a helpful staff member. Well, he rang this morning to say thank you
FORMER Blackburn Rovers and Everton striker Francis Jeffers was among those put through their paces on Accrington Stanley’s first day of pre-season training yesterday. Jeffers is a friend of Stanley assistant Jimmy Bell and was invited to training
I START with a big “thank you” to all those 100 or so constituents who’ve complained to me about the astonishing rise in their motor insurance premiums. Most of those complaining were angry, too, that their premiums were up by 30, 40, or 50 per cent
BLACKBURN Rovers are considering a move for Nedum Onuoha after contacting Manchester City to express their interest in the defender. Rovers are looking to bolster their defence this summer and it is understood they have enquired about the availability
PARENTS have said they will struggle to cope with school closures due to today’s strike action. Yesterday many parents in East Lancashire said they would have to book the day off, work from home or arrange for friends and relatives to look
Rolls-Royce has unveiled a mammoth £625million deal – just a week after wrapping up contracts worth £1.6billion at the Paris Air Show. Rolls-Royce has signed an agreement to supply its Trent 700 engines to power 15 Airbus A330 aircraft operated
A NELSON man died after falling into a canal and knocking himself out following a drinking binge. Eastern European Arpad Bilko fell off the wall on which he was sitting, overlooking the canal in Nelson, to the side of the Morrisons supermarket.
A BENEFITS cheat has been jailed after pretending he needed to use a wheelchair in a scene straight out of TV comedy Little Britain. Publican Peter Dixon was secretly filmed by investigators holding his left arm in a limp fashion while a helper
THE ‘batman’ had to be called after an injured baby bat was found at a popular Rossendale theatre workshop. Staff at the Horse and Bamboo Theatre in Waterfoot had no idea that bats were nesting in the attic of their Bacup Road site.
EAST Lancashire’s job centres, courts and tax offices will all be affected by today’s strikes. Every job centre in the area, including the large Jobcentre Plus sites in Blackburn and Burnley, will be effectively closed for business, with staff
