VILLAGE schools in East Lancashire were given fresh hope in their battle for survival, when small rural schools threatened by closure won a limited reprieve from Education Secretary Kenneth Baker, who revised guidelines which said only in exceptional circumstances could schools with less than 60 pupils or three full-time staff be retained.

Jockey Lester Piggott was committed for Old Bailey trial on tax charges by magistrates.

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