A BURNLEY woman who was subjected to a terrifying attack by four dogs last year said police should do more to combat dangerous breeds. Joy Hird spoke out after hearing about the tragic death of Blackburn baby Ava-Jayne Marie Corless, who was mauled
THE mum of a baby who was mauled to death by a dog in Blackburn said she ‘wants the world to know how much she loved her’. Little Ava-Jayne Corless, affectionately nicknamed Twinkle by her family, was killed on Monday night after being savaged
TWO ex-friends have both been cleared of raping a Burnley schoolgirl decades ago. John Pye, now 56, and Paul Harrold, now 54, were yesterday acquitted of all sex charges against them by a jury at the town's crown court, after a trial lasting more
AN ‘outstanding’ Accrington school has unveiled plans to replace one of its ageing buildings in a £900,000 project. St Christopher’s Church of England High School, in Queen Road West, said the two-storey modern building would make a safer, better
A LEGAL loophole is to be closed, extending dangerous dog legislation to private property. It is hoped this will make it easier to prosecute anyone who owns a dog which attacks someone while in a home, similar to the circumstances surrounding baby
VETERAN DJ Dave Lee Travis has been found not guilty of 12 indecent assault charges. But the jury at London's Southwark Crown Court failed to reach verdicts on two other charges and were discharged. Travis, 68, showed no reaction as the verdicts
HYNDBURN Tory boss Peter Britcliffe has blamed council leader Miles Parkinson for the decline of Accrington town centre in the wake of criticism from a Labour colleague in Blackburn. Blackburn with Darwen borough finance boss, Andy Kay, told business
A MILLION pound makeover at an Oswaldtwistle park has moved one step closer. Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund awarded community groups working on a project at Rhyddings Park £100,000. The money would be used to develop long term
OLDER people in Hyndburn have been invited to have their say about social isolation. A consultation has been launched as part of a bid for lottery money to help tackle loneliness and to improve the wellbeing of the borough’s older people. Hyndburn
Hyndburn MP Graham Jones has written to the Coal Authority about a tunnel collapse in Baxenden. The gardens of five households are still off limits after a section of the 150-year-old Inch Mine caved in off Manchester Road, leaving a 25 feet deep
MOUNTAIN rescue teams who patrol Darwen’s moors are improving the training of dogs for a variety of operations. Bolton Mountain Rescue team members are extending the training of search and rescue dogs and the training of their dog handlers.
AN initiative providing children and families with affordable activities could be lost after a vital funding stream came to an end. Summer Fun 4 All, which puts on days out and activities for children living in Darwen and its rural surrounding
STAFF at a textiles firm raised almost £6,000 to support local children and young people. Workers from Herbert Parkinson, in Monton Road, Darwen, did a sponsored bike ride, curtain sale, pop-up charity shop and a pound day raffle. They presented
FREE motorcycle chain locks and ground anchors will be given away tomorrow to Darwen residents with motorbikes and scooters by police. The move comes after several motorcycle thefts. Free anti-tamper number plate screws for car owners will
BEST-selling Blackburn author Josephine Cox will become a patron of Blackburn with Darwen’s library service. The international author will attend a plaque-unveiling ceremony to mark the occasion at Blackburn Central Library today. She is visiting
A CABINET maker who twice met Pope John Paul II has died, aged 81. George Pearce, of Victoria Road in Pleasington, Blackburn, was well known for his bespoke furniture and 40 years of volunteer work with West End Catholic Youth Club. Son Frank
THE all-new, British luxury automotive brand, David Brown Automotive, has announced the outline specifications of its first car. Underneath its bespoke exterior design, will be the chassis and powertrain of a Jaguar XKR. This means the car, set
OPERA singer and former Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School student, Alwyn Mellor, will perform at the school’s centenary concert on Saturday, March 1. The former pupil regularly sings with some of the world’s best orchestras, including the BBC
MORE than 900 homes are still without power across Lancashire following yesterday's gales. VIEW OUR PICTURE GALLERY FOLLOW THE STORY LIVE HERE Engineers have been called out to several sites to try and reconnect customers. In East Lancashire
SKODA has added the all-new Rapid Spaceback and the facelifted Yeti crossover to the Motability Scheme. The latest models, which are accessible through the programme to individuals receiving the higher rate mobility component of the disability
TAI chi students donated £260 to an employment charity – so they could play with swords. People at the Lighthouse Tai Chi class at Haslingden Sports Centre made a small donation each to East Lancashire into Employment and practiced the ancient
ROSSENDALE Hospice is urging residents to nominate people for the Valley’s Woman of the Year award. The hospice has been recognising and celebrating the achievements of remarkable women from Rossendale at its annual award ceremony and fundraising
PLANS for an extra classroom block have been devised to cope with an expected baby boom in the Bacup area. Birth rates in the Rossendale town rose by just over 17 per cent between 2001-02 and 2010-11, leaving an accommodation headache for education
LONGRIDGE residents have been called on to sign a petition to ‘protect the town which is under siege’ from developers. Dilworth councillors Ken Hind and Rupert Swarbrick want residents to sign the ‘Save Longridge’ petition after delivering 600
A TOTAL of £9,000 has been handed over to two charities after being raised from last year’s Clitheroe Town Bonfire. Crossroads Care and Life Education Lancashire received £4,500 each from the organising committee. The event was put together
PLANS to build 62 properties on the site of a Barrow garden centre will be voted on by Ribble Valley Borough Council today. The plans were sent in by proprietor Chris Hanson, of Hanson’s Garden Centre in Whalley Road, after a public consultation
A TALENT show will be held tonight in Bolton-by-Bowland. The event, which has been organised by The Friends of Bolton-by-Bowland Primary School, will start at 6.30pm at the Gisburn Road school. Tickets cost £5 for adults and the event is free
THE last surviving pub in a Ribble Valley village is set to remain closed after plans to refurbish the interior were refused by Ribble Valley Borough Council. The White Bull Hotel in Gisburn closed in November ahead of the proposed refurbishment
A FORMER professional rally co-driver left paralysed after a cycling accident is aiming to raise £40,000 to combat his ‘daily struggle’. Chris Wood fell off his bike a few days before Christmas two years ago, leaving him with little, or no, movement
TEENAGE Blackburn Rovers defender Jack O’Connell has spoken of his honour at having been handed the captain’s armband during his loan spell at League Two outfit Rochdale. The 19-year-old has made just 56 senior appearances – all on loan away from
SCHOOLCHILDREN who lost playground fights, slipped on grass, and fell over whilst skiing were paid thousands of pounds in compensation payouts, it can be revealed. More than £800,000 was paid out by Blackburn with Darwen and Lancashire County councils
IT’S that time of the year again. Valentine’s Day is here and whether you’re loved-up or dreading it, we have 10 ideas to set you up. From romance to no-mance, and every quirky alternate in-between, there will be no excuse for being unprepared.
CAMPAIGNERS have been told that resurfacing work on a problem road in Barnoldswick should take place in around six weeks’ time. County highway engineers will repair Kirkstall Drive during April. Coun Lindsay Gaskell said: “The road’s been in
FOUR hospital wards used by patients in Colne and West Craven have been upgraded to ensure they are ‘dementia-friendly’. Around £700,000 has been spent on the project at Airedale Hospital, at Steeton, which has seen a former mental health unit
A LEADING family show from the Edinburgh Festival is set to be staged in Pendle early next month. Duck Egg Theatre will bring ‘Leave Hitler To Me Lad’ to the Rainhall Centre in Barnoldswick on Friday, March 7. Part of the Spot-on Rural Touring
A PLEDGE has been made that cash should be available to help shore up a flood-hit Pendle town in the wake of problems being experienced in the south. Council bosses have indicated £40,000 should be available to complete flood defence works in Earby
A PROJECT has been launched in West Craven to honour every soldier who made the supreme sacrifice during the First World War. Town councillors in Earby have proposed providing an individual cross to honour every local life lost during the conflict
BLACKBURN with Darwen councillor and former mayor Dorothy Walsh died this morning. Tributes are expected to be paid to the Labour councillor, who lived in Hereford Road and represented the Higher Croft ward, at a council meeting later tonight.
ONE of the trickiest Cabinet Committees I ever chaired was about bans on smoking, in pubs, restaurants, and all other enclosed public spaces. Our 2005 manifesto had said that pubs not serving food would be free to choose whether to be smoke-free
A CHILD returning home from school with a cut knee is par for the course. But it obviously prompted one Lancashire family to take legal action against his or her school and win more than £4,000 in compensation. In total, Blackburn with Darwen and
A TEAM of almost 70 police officers will take part in a charity run in memory of two colleagues. They will be taking part in the Run to Remember Challenge, set up after WPCs Nicola Hughes and Fiona Bone were murdered by one-eyed Dale Creegan in
A TYRE business that was destroyed by fire has reopened at a new site. PC Tyres was just one of three industrial units in Rockcliffe Road, Bacup, that a blaze ripped through last November. Owner Peter Salt was forced to close his 19-year-old
ANOTHER three people have been arrested over violent clashes between Burnley FC and Sheffield Wednesday fans last month. Detectives released a gallery of 22 men suspected of storming Burnley Miners Club after the clubs met in the Championship on
DOZENS of floral tributes have been left in memory of baby Ava-Jayne Corless in the street in which she was killed by a dog. The 11-month-old baby was mauled to death while she visited Lee Wright in Emily Street with her mum Chloe King. Flowers
BLACKBURN Rovers’ position in the Championship at this stage last season? That would be eighth with 43 points after 30 matches. Fast forward 12 months and their position now is? That would be 10th with exactly the same amount of points and having played
A CAR collided with a bus in Nelson town centre causing traffic chaos yesterday. The black Audi saloon was in collision into a white Tyrer shuttle bus, which was carrying five passengers. The drivers and passengers were questioned by police following
AN 82-year-old Nelson-born man died following complications for a total hip replacement, an inquest at Blackburn heard. James Moran, 82, of Meadow Close, Reedley, was admitted to the Royal Blackburn Hospital for the procedure, which was undertaken
AN inquest into a Burnley man who was found collapsed at his home last August has been adjourned by the Blackburn coroner. Simon Eatough, 48, was found by his mother at his home in Marsden Road on August 9, Blackburn Coroner’s Court was told. He
CHILD Action Northwest has sent out an SOS for a charitable sports masseur, physiotherapist or qualified massage therapist to support their team of runners in this year’s Manchester 10k on Sunday May 18. The charity has a spot booked for the fundraiser
LANCASHIRE'S Stoptober campaign has been hailed as a success following the release of the latest stop-smoking figures. The figures show that 45 per cent of people who decided to quit smoking as a result of Stoptober have now quit for four weeks
DUE to adverse weather conditions, Calico Housing’s Neighbourhood Action Team inspection of Griffin Estate, in Burnley, has been postponed. It will now take place on Tuesday, February 18. The Neighbourhood Action Teams pay monthly visits to estates
A WEEK of free seminars, training sessions, masterclasses and workshops is taking place in Burnley to help businesses get off the ground. Burnley Business week runs until tomorrow with various activities across the town to help guide businesses
IT says much for the season Burnley are enjoying that it has practically slipped under the radar that they face a reunion with former manager Eddie Howe on Saturday boasting an eight-game unbeaten league run. On the one hand given how long they’ve spent
ACCRINGTON Stanley are hopeful that tomorrow night’s home game against Scunthorpe United will go ahead despite stormy conditions in the area. Rain is forecast for tomorrow but the club are putting measures in place to try to get the game on. “We have
AGE UK in Blackburn will now be able to buy some essential equipment thanks to the Lancashire Telegraph. The charity has been awarded £1,180 by the Gannett Foundation which will be used to provide specialised recliner chairs for the Spring Bank
Hall Street in Blackburn has been reopened after debris was removed from the road. Fencing had been damaged in the strong winds. SUPPLY teacher Amber Davies said she was ‘lucky to be alive’ after a huge tree fell on her Nissan Micra as she
RAMSBOTTOM Young People’s Project will be holding its next meeting at Nuttall Park Community Base on Tuesday, February 25 at 7.30pm. The group will be discussing funding applications, volunteers, the credit union and more.
A LOCAL history society meeting will be held at Edenfield village community centre on Tuesday, featuring an illustrated talk on the history of a local road haulage company. The meeting will be held at 7.30pm and be followed by refreshments. For
A MYSTICAL half-term walk through the woods and indoor workshop will be held at The Whitaker, Rossendale’s museum and art gallery in Rawtenstall, on Tuesday. Families are invited to follow a trail to spot wicker owls, and understand the virtues
THE St Michael and St John’s Cub pack in Clitheroe are appealing for new leaders New leaders will receive full support from current leaders. For more information call Julia Kennedy on 01200 538793 or email julia_ kennedy83@hotmail.com
DO something amazing and give blood in the Ribble Valley tomorrow. The sessions will take place at St James’ Church Hall, St James’ Street, Clitheroe. They will be held from 1.45pm to 3.45pm and 5pm to 7.30pm. For more information call
A ‘STYLE Diva Boutique Fashion Show’ is to be staged in Gisburn next month. The event, which will be held on Saturday, March 22, will take place at Gisburn Festival Hall. It will start at 7.30pm and tickets cost £5, which includes a free glass
A PROPOSAL to build 102 properties in Barrow is set to be voted on by councillors on today. The plan, which was submitted by McDermott Homes Ltd, includes within it plans to build 20 ‘affordable homes’ on the site off Middle Lodge Road. Wiswell
AN illustrated talk by Stuart James on Peru is at the Rainhall Centre, Barnoldswick, on February 27 at 7pm.
A VACANCY has arisen for a town councillor for Earby’s East Ward. Nominations must be received by next Monday and if an election is required, it will take place no later than April 24.
A FLEDGLING artists’ group is being formed in Earby for painters, sculptors and crafters. Those interested in meeting weekly at New Road Community Centre should call or text 0784 090 3245.
ANTI-social behaviour caused by people hanging around outside an off-licence in Walton Street, Colne, has become a priority for police in Waterside after the problem was raised at a community surgery.
AN appeal for fresh players has been made by Earby Brass Band, also including lapsed or new musicians. The group meets on Thursdays for rehearsals at All Saints Church, Skipton Road, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.
COLNE Park High School raised £50 for Shelter with a charity bake-off — one the first events put together by its new fundraising group.
A TEENAGE swimmer with learning difficulties is making waves on the international scene. Tom Hamer, 15, from Rawtenstall, has his sights set on the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow this summer. The Alder Grange High School student was just one
THE Pendle Forest Association will meet at 7.30pm on March 11 at the Nazareth Unitarian Church in Padiham. The voluntary group will be given a lecture by David Wiseman entitled ‘Transported by Two Burnley Lads’. For more information call 01282
A COLLEGE yesterday found a novel way to encourage exercise. Burnley College urged students and staff to get active by erecting a trampoline in the atrium for workouts between classes.
AROUND 30 homes in Red Lees Avenue, in Burnley, suffered a power cut yesterday. The cause of the outage is believed to have been an underground cable fault which was reported at around 9.37am.
AN OFFENDER attempted to break in to a business unit on Billington Road Industrial Estate in Burnley through the front door, breaking the door handle, but leaving empty-handed. Police are urging firms on the estate to check heir CCTV images for
LANCASHIRE actress Alice Barry, who is probably most famous for playing Lillian Tyler in TV show Shameless has a new website and fan club. Fan club members will have access to exclusive material, plus the chance to attend meet and greet parties where
BEGGING in Burnley town centre is to be tackled by police after residents at a neighbourhood meeting said the issue was becoming a nuisance.
A CLARETS fan is selling a signed Burnley match ball in a presentation cube for £150 to raise money for Pendleside Hospice. The ball is from the current season’s Burnley v Yeovil game. Call the hospice for more details on 01282 440100.
SCOTT Andrew Grant, 40, of Hargrove Avenue, Padiham, has been sent for crown court trial by Burnley magistrates and bailed until February 24. He is accused of unlawfully wounding Berat Mjekiqi.
A MAN accused of sex offences has been sent for crown court trial and remanded on bail until February 24 by Burnley magistrates. Robert Gyles Court, 21, of Salterforth Road, Earby, is , accused of two offences of sexual activity with a female child
THE films ‘Bee Movie’ and ‘Glastonbury’ are showing on Saturday at Darwen Library Theatre as part of this year’s People Planet Festival, which runs until February 21.
FREE health checks are available at Darwen Library tomorrow from 10am to 4pm to anyone aged 35 to 74 who lives, works, is educated, or has a GP in Blackburn with Darwen, and has not already been diagnosed with diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol
SEAN Dyche has labelled Sam Vokes as a “shining light” for the Clarets this season, and praised the striker for taking his game onto another level. The 24-year-old grabbed his 16th goal of the season to clinch a derby win for Burnley at Bolton – their
A VALENTINE’S disco will be held at St Barnabas’ CofE Primary School, Knowlesley Road, tomorrow. The infants’ disco is from 6pm to 7pm, and the junior disco takes place between 7.15 and 8.15. Tickets are on sale from the school office for £2.
THE John Ellis Trio play at Number 39 Hopstar Brewery Tap, Darwen, tonight. John Ellis, a pianist and singer, has written scores for various theatre productions and had a successful 12-piece band, which toured between 1995 and 2001. Appearing alongside
A VOLUNTEERING fair at Blackburn College University Centre will show students how to maximise opportunities. It takes place on February 27 from 11.30am to 2.30pm.
Accrington Stanley have rearranged their League Two clash with Morecambe for Tuesday, March 18, with a 7.45pm kick off. The original fixture was abandonded after 56 minutes due to a waterlogged pitch. Stanley host Scunthorpe in the league tomorrow
A DOG that lived in the house where 11-month-old baby Ava-Jayne Corless was mauled to death had previously killed a cat, it has been revealed. The RSPCA, which attended the incident, was also called on two other occasions to issues involving dogs
OAKHILL Catholic independent day school in Whalley is holding an open evening from 6pm to 8pm on March 4 when parents are invited to look around the nursery, prep and senior school. The school is open to boys and girls aged 10 to 16.
ACCRINGTON Stanley's plucky youngsters bowed out of the FA Youth Cup with a 3-0 defeat away at Reading in the fifth round. Stanley had never previously been beyond the third round of the competition and had beaten West Ham and Bristol City on their
A FUN day takes place on Sunday at Audley Sports Centre in Chester Street, Blackburn, from 11am to 4pm in aid of the Blackburn with Darwen Kidney care Appeal.
A LODGER was threatened with what he thought was a nine-inch metal bar but what was, in fact, a large electronic cigarette when two men burst into a house in the middle of the night looking for a baby’s dad, a court heard. Adam Bird was told by
FIT-AGAIN Corry Evans is desperate to get his stop-start Blackburn Rovers career off the ground – and play his part in the club’s push for the play-offs. The box-to-box midfielder has made just eight appearances for Rovers since signing from Hull City
A VOCATIONAL centre’s principal has been speaking to students at other East Lancashire schools. Martin Callagher of Burnley University Technical College visited Pleckgate High School in Blackburn and the Hollins Technology College in Accrington
LONDON University expert Cynthia Johnston will give lecture on Blackburn Museum’s landmark collection of manuscripts and early printed books gathered together by local man RE Hart. She will discuss the collection in a talk at the Museum and Art
ANTI-social behaviour around the Livesey and Meadowhead area at evenings and weekends has been reported to police, who plan to launch a crackdown.
CANDLES were blamed for a fire that started in an Oswaldtwistle bedroom yesterday morning. Firefighters were called to the terraced address, in Blackburn Road, at 4am. The home’s occupants had woken up by their smoke alarms, and were stood
BURGLARS have been targeting unlocked homes in the Livesey Branch Road area of Blackburn. The issue was prioritised by police officers during a meeting with residents.
A PERFORMANCE of the Wizard of Oz is to be held Mount Carmel High School, Accrington, tonight at 7pm. Tickets are £4 for adults, £2 for children and £10 for family tickets.
VETERANS in Communities, a Haslingden-based military charity, has started its own choir and singing group. The first meeting will be tomorrow from 6.30pm to 8.30pm at its centre in Bury Road.
A FAMILY quiz night and disco will be held at the Royal British Legion club, in Towneley Road, Longridge, from 7.30pm tomorrow. Tickets are £3 for adults and £2.50 for under 14s.
HELP Direct is looking for volunteers to help extend its signposting service. The Help Direct team is responsible for signposting customers across East Lancashire to the right services to enable them to improve their health and wellbeing and live independently
A FREE winter money saving and information event is set to be held in Blackburn on Friday, March 7. The event will be staged at the Energy Zone, Newfield Drive, from 10.30am to noon. It will include tips on staying healthy, crime prevention
A 200-YEAR-OLD traditional clog dance has been saved after Rossendale councillors invoked a long-forgotten law. The Britannia Coconut Dancers’ annual Easter Saturday procession through Bacup and Stacksteads was under threat after Lancashire Constabulary
AN extra 360 jobs look set to be brought to Burnley with the expansion of leading online fashion retailer www.boohoo.com. And it is hoped the workforce at at the site, in Widow Hill Road, may soar to 1,000 staff before the end of next year.
A 22-YEAR-OLD man has been killed in a road accident in Thailand. Popular Duncan Whittaker, from Great Harwood, had been on holiday in the Asian country with a friend when he was involved in the collision. The circumstances into Mr Whittaker
SHELLEY Rudman sits 11th after the first two runs in the Winter Olympic skeleton. Rudman, a silver medalist at the 2006 Games and the partner of Rossendale skeleton star Kristan Bromley, was 12th after the opening run but improved second time round to
YOUNG Blackburn Rovers midfielder Tim Payne has been called up by New Zealand for their friendly with Japan next month. The 20-year-old, who is yet to make a first-team appearance for Rovers, will be part of the All Whites’ 18-man squad for the trip
A WOMAN and her two young children were tied up by armed masked men who burst into their home. The robbers, who were armed with knives and wore skull masks, stole a number of firearms, including a pump action shotgun, a deer rifle, and a foxing
BLACKBURN Rovers striker David Goodwillie hopes his loan move to Championship rivals Blackpool will get his career back on track. Goodwillie, who will spend the rest of the season with the struggling Seasiders, has made just 10 starts for Rovers since
ACCRINGTON Stanley boss James Beattie says he has reassured his players that there has been no official approach from Oxford United for his services. Beattie remains the favourite for the vacancy at the Kassam Stadium but has insisted that his commitment
CHORLEY boss Garry Flitcroft believes his table-topping side have dealt a psychological blow to their Evo-Stik League Premier Division title rivals. The Magpies stretched their lead at the summit to five points on Tuesday night with a hard-fought 2-0
BURNLEY boss Sean Dyche didn’t necessarily need to do a pre-match team talk. The Bolton programme might as well have done it for him. In the visitors’ factfile section of “Wanderers”, edition 18, were the phrases: “Recent inconsistencies see the Clarets
RAIL services across the country have been badly hit by the terrible storms, with high winds, heavy rain and trees and debris across tracks causing widespread delays for travellers. First Great Western is advising passengers no to travel, but has
BLACKBURN Harriers enjoyed a day to remember at the Winter Warmer 10k at Witton Park taking a one-two in the main race as well as clinching victory in the ladies event. The annual event, organised by Blackburn Road Runners, attracted nearly 400 runners
THE final Lancashire Sportshall League event of the season saw personal bests for all but one of the 16 young Chorley members taking part. In the Under 11 boys competition Jack Hughes won the javelin with a throw of 17.25m while Martin Rimmer finished
LAURA Massaro is not interested in records or revenge missions as she begins her National Squash Championship campaign today. The world number two from Chorley was denied an historic three wins in a row last year after losing in an epic final against
BARROWFORD navigator Daniel Barritt saw plenty of reasons for encouragement at the Rally Sweden – despite a crash thwarting hopes of a top 10 finish. Barritt and driver Elfyn Evans sat in ninth place going into the 24th and final stage of the World
