Val Cowan's Web World

RAWTENSTALL Fire Station has gone global with its own pages on the world wide web.

Nick Clough, a sub-officer on the station's Green Watch, has set up an unofficial site about the station using his own personal web space.

He is hoping it will help spread the fire safety message - as well as let people know a bit more about the station's work.

Nick said he had the idea of the site after the fire service asked stations to explore ways of getting in touch with the local community.

"I had this web space doing nothing and I didn't want to put pictures of my pets and family on it so I thought I would use it for some benefit," he said.

"I have done it in my own time. We have used it as an experiment really."

The site includes a history of the station, information on incidents attended by crews and tips on fire safety.

Nick used a software package to design the pages but taught himself a bit about HTML - the language used to write web pages - and other programming tricks as he went along.

His efforts have so far attracted more than 1,000 visitors to the site, including a former Rossendale resident now living in Christchurch, New Zealand, and a former Blackburn man now working as a firefighter and paramedic in Florida, US.

Website - http://members.tripod.com/rawtenstallfire/

A secret insight

FANCY airing your relationship problems on the web? Online women's channel, iCircle, is looking for a couple to take part in a fly-on-the-web documentary.

The couple will be expected to reveal the highs and lows of their relationship to millions of people through their online diaries.

The producers claim it will be "the country's most honest documentary", with the aim of prompting online discussions between members of the subscription channel and offline between men and women.

Couples wishing to take part should be aged between 25 and 45, be living together and have been in the relationship for at least a year.

Applications can be made online at the Ask Anna site, or by e-mailing editor@askanna.co.uk.

But a word of warning before you sign your privacy away - flies caught in a web usually end up getting eaten!

http://www.icircle.co.uk

Cheque it out!

WE have all been sent sample cheques in the post as an advertising ploy.

You know, the ones which look just like the real thing, but which wouldn't possibly fool a bank if you tried to cash them.

Or would they? In 1995 American Patrick Combs decided to test the system, by paying in a sample cheque for more than $95,000.

He fully expected the bank to notice and send the "cheque" back.

But remarkably, it cleared and he was able to withdraw the money.

The next few months saw Patrick locked in a battle with the bank over who had the right to the money.

Find out what happened - and who ended up with the cash - at Patrick's website.

http://www.dnai.com/pcombs/$$tablecontents.html

They are not forgotten

THE Royal British Legion is using the internet to help ensure those who lost their lives in war are never forgotten.

The organisation set up a website inviting people throughout the Commonwealth to take part in this morning's two minute silence. Next year, the hope is that people around the world will join in, remembering those who have lost their lives in any country, for any cause.

The website has details of how people can get involved and is also asking for internet users to send in their own experiences to be posted on the site.

A very worthy use of web space. http://www.globalsilence.com

In memory of Michael

ON November 22 it will two years since rock star Michael Hutchence, lead singer of INXS, died.

His family have now set up a memorial website, outlining his life and carrying tributes from family, friends and fans. Conspicuous by its absence is any mention of his partner, Paula Yates.

http://www.michaelhutchence.org

Legal forms

MORE than 400 legal forms are now available to download free from EveryForm's website. And the list of forms available includes some from Companies House and the Land Registry.

http://www.everyform.net

Macy's site

SINGER Macy Gray, currently in the charts with I Try, has an attractive official website.

It includes details of her UK gigs in December.

http://www.macygray.com

Motoring on

DON'T think your old car will see you through the winter?

Then find a new one through Fish4Cars on our website.

http://www.thisislancashire.co.uk

Seen something interesting on the web? Send an e-mail to vcowan@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.