REVIEW OF THE YEAR: The biggest stories of 2018 in East Lancashire

PLANS were announced for a new £6.5million independent Reel cinema at the former Waves Water Fun Centre site in Nab Lane, Blackburn.

Blackburn with Darwen submitted the application and said the new cinema would include two food and drink outlets together with a licensed bar.

FEBRUARY

A DISGRACED police officer who kissed and groped a vulnerable domestic abuse victim and ‘groomed’ others was jailed for two years after being found guilty of misconduct in public office.

A jury of five men and seven women took less than three hours to unanimously convict PC Ihsan Ali on four counts of misconduct in public office in relation to four women after a seven-day trial at Preston Crown Court.

MARCH

A CAMPAIGN to put up a statue of trailblazing former Blackburn MP Barbara Castle in the town centre was launched.

A special appeal hopes to raise £50,000 from the public to pay for the high-profile landmark paying tribute to her contribution to the town and the role of women in public life.

APRIL

BLACKBURN ROVERS bounced back to the Championship at the first time of asking – sealed by a dramatic late win at Doncaster Rovers last night.

Skipper Charlie Mulgrew scored the only goal of the game to send the thousands of travelling Rovers fans into raptures – and many thousands more.

READ MORE: Rovers promoted - picture special

MAY

A COUPLE say they were ‘hostages’ imprisoned in their dream home after a 6ft high fence was put up outside their front window.

The wooden barrier, wrecking their view, was placed there by a farmer in dispute with the national housing developer who built the new estate.

JUNE

LANCASHIRE’S top cop insisted the travellers who caused more than £100,000 damage at a brewery would face justice. Chief Constable Andy Rhodes had come underfire for his force’s response to 100 travellers arriving at the former Thwaites site in Penny Street and laying waste to the offices and brewery.

JULY

RESIDENTS complained to a council about the state of the road surface in their street because engineers are due to resurface it.

Neighbours in East Park Avenue, Blackburn, have branded the work as ‘ridiculous’, ‘crazy’ and ‘a waste of money’.

Council highways boss Cllr Phil Riley said it was the first time he could recall residents complaining about their street being resurfaced rather than being left out.

AUGUST

A COUNCIL announced plans to start charging for parking in a town centre on a Sunday for the first time.

The new fees for on and off-street parking in Blackburn were condemned as ‘short-sighted’ and ‘fleecing’ drivers who want to go shopping.

SEPTEMBER

BLACKBURN town centre is to get a second £8million office block to complete its ambitious Cathedral Quarter development, it was announced.

The six-storey building, Two Cathedral Square, will complete the square around Lancashire’s premier Anglican church and create 300 new white collar jobs.

OCTOBER

A COUNCIL leader and former Tory MP was facing three separate investigations over claims of bullying and public misconduct, a Lancashire Telegraph investigation revealed.

Cllr Ken Hind was the ‘subject’ of a current Ribble Valley Council inquiry into a complaint of bullying by Conservative group colleague Cllr Sue Bibby.

NOVEMBER

THERE was a familiar but unexpected face in the Moorgate FC changing rooms at Pleasington Playing Fields - none other than Blackburn Rovers legend Colin Hendry.

The 52-year-old, capped 51 times by Scotland and captain of his country at the 1998 World Cup finals, answered a tweet to play for the Blackburn Sunday League side where he was just ‘one of the lads’.

DECEMBER

A PEACOCK has taken up residence in a quiet street, and people in the area are loving it.

The large, colourful bird has been a regular fixture in Kirkdale Close and, despite a couple of complaints from neighbours about damage to roof tiles, the peacock, known as Ernie, is bringing joy to many households.