REGARDING the demolition of Haslingden Conservative Club (LET, July 7), come on my time machine and I will take you back there 66 years ago. I'm dressed in grey flannel skirt, a blouse with a sailor collar, gun metal Bear Brand stockings and silver dance
THE turbulent ride that the £35billion Eurofighter project has been through looks like coming to an end tomorrow when the German Cabinet is expected to bankroll the jet. The real crunch comes in September when the German parliament votes on that deal,
THE COUNTRY sports lovers went to town today in droves as upwards of 70,000 of them gathered in London's Hyde Park to preach to a supposedly misinformed urban majority, hostile to fox-hunting, that there is lots to be said for it. Indeed, there is - though
ELDERLY Catholics are calling for a joint effort to tidy an overgrown graveyard where generations of the faith are buried. They say All Souls Cemetery, in Wheatley Lane Road, Barrowford, needs to be regularly maintained, and that a small annual contribution
BLADE RUNNERS Karen Barber and Steven Pickavance have joined the bandwagon of entries for a headline grabbing charity walk. The British Ice Skating champions are among the flood of local people pledged to tackle the Motorway Superwalk '97. The mammoth
HIGH-FLYING student Awais Khan took a break from his books to spend a year in work - and ended up winning a prestigious industry prize. The 19-year-old interrupted his journey to join the country's academic elite by stopping off with Railtrack. Awais,
WEST Craven Warriors Rugby League Club have entered a successful new phase after being granted planning permission for a new ground. Club leaders say they have defied the critics who said there was no interest or support for rugby league in the area.
A LOCAL firm is boosting its workforce with the help of the Merseyside Special Investment Fund (MSIF). Independent Radiation Assessment Services (IRAS), based at Bold Business Park, is the 50th firm to benefit from the unique fund launched eight months
A CLAMPDOWN on burglar alarms which cause a nuisance by sounding for prolonged periods has been launched by St Helens Council. Complaints about faulty alarms which annoy neighbours because the occupier is away have risen by 400 per cent nationally in
ASSOCIATION champions Golborne have been rocked by a double blow following their Lancashire Knockout exit. Andy Mullaney resigned the captaincy after the match and added that he was not willing to continue playing for the club. Gary Woodward, the Golborne
MEMBERS of a local government union were planning to lobby the full meeting of St Helens Council yesterday (Wednesday, July 9) as part of an ongoing campaign for a re-think on plans to transfer the running of elderly people's residential homes to the
A WINDFALL of £250,000 has been won to help East Lancashire's jobless find work. The European funds have been awarded to ELTEC to help pay for initiatives aimed at the long-term unemployed and others who find it very difficult to secure work. "This latest
AN economic review presented to St Helens Council's Development Committee reveals that the town enjoyed an economic boom time last year with a significant increase in new business attracted to the borough. The 1996 figures showed an increase in the number
Well folks it's good to know that we are top of the table for something... yes Lancaster Council currently heads the rest of the county when it comes to paying special responsibility allowances to its leader - and why not? There have been some sterling
TWO 14-year-old girls, who were raped last Thursday are being comforted by their families following their ordeals. Police are linking the rapes, which both occurred between 8pm and 9pm. Although both girls know of each other, they were not close friends
ST HELENS Council has welcomed Government plans to tighten control over firework sales but will continue to seek even tougher restrictions than those proposed. The council believes that the consultation document to tackle dangerous fireworks, launched
PICTURED: One of the very first classes proudly line up back in 1915. KITCHENER'S Army was braced for battle; George V reigned; Asquith occupied10 Downing Street, and Sir David Gamble was Mayor of St Helens when a well-loved seat of learning first opened
RAINHILL were defeated by Welsh title challengers St Asaph. Rainhill were inserted to bat and soon found themselves in trouble as the Australian Professional Schlimer clean bowled the home sides opener at 4-1. At 5-2 Peter Mercer and Mike Rotherham batted
ASTLEY Curate Russell Tague (pictured) is going to jail. He is leaving St Stephen's in August to become a prison chaplain. On September 1 Mr Tague becomes the first full-time chaplain at the 296 inmate Swinfen Hall Young Offenders Institute. He says:"
MANY amateur cricketers spend a lifetime in the game without treading the hallowed turf of its spiritual home at Lords - but a local lad is set to do that at just 19! Take a bow, talented teenager David Leather, of Knowsley Road, who has been selected
A YOUNGSTER from Chernobyl on his third visit to East Lancashire has fallen in love with something some kids usually hate - school dinners! Ten-year-old Vladimir Savchenko can't get enough of the meals after he was offered a temporary place at a primary
EX-BOXER Matt Weir, who with brothers Johnny and Jimmy formed a locally famous 1930s' fighting force, has died aged 78. A widower, Mr Weir had worked as a miner at Mosley Common Colliery. He died last week in his sleep at his home in Somerset Avenue,
KEEN walker Dave Hoyle from Rainford is celebrating after successfully completing the 145-mile Grand Union Canal Walk! The Gore-Tex Challenge walk runs along the canal towpath between Little Venice in London, and Gas Street Basin in Birmingham, passing
RAINFORD were forced to settle for a draw at home to Halsall on Saturday. On a wicket that was a tribute to head groundsman Ian Harrison, Rainford mustered a modest 163 from their allotted overs. This was largely due to an innings of quality from overseas
FEARS are growing for the safety of a former Eccleston man who has been missing since Friday, June 27. Alan Latto (76) who suffers from Alzheimers Disease and heart condition, has not been seen since walking out of the Tudor Bank Nursing Home in Southport
STEPHEN Rogers know what his right arm's for - and it going to get him to the 2000 Olympic Games! On Saturday at the 1997 British Amateur Armwrestling Championships he showed just why he's up with the best. The 38 years-old heating engineer came third
Saints 20 Bradford Bulls 38 FALLEN champions Saints battled bravely before the unbeaten Bulls almost predictably took another giant step on the title trail at Knowsley Road on Sunday night. And, in notching their 16th successive Super League victory and
SAINTS make only their second trip to Australia when they jet out from Manchester to Sydney on Monday for the second leg of the World Club Championship. They lost both games on their previous visit in 1976, and this time they will be seeking to avenge
AN Astley man is warning parents in Leigh to ignore requests in the street for them to buy copies of a publication called "Gag Mag". William Scott of First Avenue said he bought a copy in Leigh on Saturday after thinking it was a traditional 'Rag Mag'
DAREDEVIL Julie Egerton is getting ready to take a leap into the unknown in aid of a worthy cause. For the 20-year-old, who is a social care student at St Helens College's Newton campus, is preparing to make a parachute jump to help raise money for local
NALGO must have left Burrows Lane on Sunday evening still trying to comprehend how they lost their Kaufman Cup quarter-final against Prescot and Odyssey. The game see-sawed throughout the afternoon. NALGO, put into bat by Tony Bonner, were reeling at
A 14-year-old schoolgirl was indecently assaulted by a man in a car as she walked home along Mill Lane, Sutton, at about 9pm last Wednesday. Three men men in a red E-registration Vauxhall Astra, drove by the girl and shouted a number of suggestive comments
NORTH West Water are inviting members of the public to call in at their mobile visitor centre when it visits Blackbrook on Monday, July 14 and Thursday, August 14, with details of a £950,000 mains rehabilitation scheme. Located at the Ship Inn, the mobile
HOW can the Lancashire Evening Telegraph's claim that it 'strives to maintain high standards of accuracy, fairness and balance' be sustained when it is obviously slanted to the Left? Going off your Opinion column (LET, July 3), it would have one believe
A STUDENT from Burnley who came up with an award-winning design for a CD holder could get her big break next week. Elaine Boyle, 22, whose talents have just won her £1,000, is showing off her blueprint at the New Designers exhibition in London. If she's
PET-LOVING pensioner Gladys Small doesn't have a minute's peace. Her home in Accrington Road, Burnley, is filled with the sound of a chattering five year old. But Mrs Small, who is 81, wouldn't swap her noisy blue-eyed boy Joey for the world. Budgerigar
DID the Town Clerk jump or was he pushed? Will we ever know? I fear not. Do we have the right to know, considering the large amount of public money involved, of course we do. I understand the agreement was reached between three councillors, a representative
FANCY a spot of dragon boat racing, all in a good cause? Supporters of the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust in Burnley are challenging all-comers to join them in the fun when they take to Sale Water Park on July 20. Fund raising manager Steve Joyce said
AFTER successfully battling through to the British Deep Water Finals, Lancaster's water polo team ended their challenge for the title in disappointing style. Several key players were missing which made it extremely difficult to compete against the best
A COUNCIL has hit back at claims that its 12-month 'good behaviour' tenancy agreements will make people homeless, arguing that it will reduce the need for evictions. National housing charity Shelter voiced concern about the introductory agreements, piloted
DIE-HARD Daniel O'Donnell fans have set up camp outside King George's Hall, Blackburn - four days before tickets for the Irish crooner's next concerts go on sale. Beverley Rutter from Oldham, Betty Turner from Halifax and Elaine Dymond from Barnsley took
DOUBTS were cast over Burnley's pre-season tour to Northern Ireland today when new boss Chris Waddle admitted to "some concern" about the situation in the troubled province. Adrian Heath had long since drawn up plans to visit Northern Ireland as a key
ENGLAND hero Chris Waddle arrived at Turf Moor this week determined to put the Clarets back on the path to glory. The ex-international star was paraded in front of delighted fans who gathered at the stadium to greet him on Tuesday morning. Waddle, who
COUNCIL bosses have landed the owners of Nightingale Hall Farm with tough new conditions to neutralise the smell for nearby residents. The two-pronged rules dictate that the foul smell should not go beyond the boundaries of the animal rendering plant
FOR Fylde families with a very sick child the chance to go away on holiday abroad was something many of them could only dream about. That was until ChildFlight, a charity specially dedicated to giving families with children with life threatening conditions
MORECAMBE family's fresh start in Scotland has ended in tragedy after their three young children died in a house fire. The Risk family moved to Airdrie from the West End of Morecambe three weeks ago. A fire broke out at their flat on Monday morning and
IF you always wondered what Les McKeown and the Bay City Rollers wear up their kilts you have another chance to try and find out! Les McKeown will be back in town this Christmas wearing his trademark tartan as part of the Magic Of Coronation Street's
PLANS to expand a Morecambe drug clinic has horrified local residents. Shopkeepers and residents in the Deansgate area of the resort claim the planned expansion of the drugs advice and needle exchange centre will make the area "a disreputable, no-go zone
ONE man's fight to avoid the road to ruin has finally been won - with help from the Citizen. The plight of wheelchair-bound pensioner Denys Wright, who was ordered to appear in court because he couldn't afford to pay almost £1,500 towards the upkeep of
CLEVELEYS residents have stepped up their fight against plans for housing on an area of green land. More than 400 people packed the Frank Townend Centre for a public meeting to listen to objections raised by members of the Holiday Association of Cleveleys
AN Atherton couple travelled more than 2,500 miles on an unusual pilgrimage ... to a factory which shut down in the 1970s. Scooter fanatics drove their scooters across Europe to see the famous Lambretta factory in Milan. And at the weekend they re-lived
THE magic of Blackpool's fertility statues has struck again - show dog Schnorbitz has given birth to 15 pups. The St Bernard placed her paw on the icons, which are said to result in pregnancy for women who touch them, during a photocall when they arrived
SUPER League referee Ste Ganson is the new coach of North West Counties League outfit Portico Panthers. And he will welcome anyone wishing to join them for pre-season training at the Scholes Lane playing fields on Tuesdays and Thursdays (7pm). Besides
HEAVY rain in recent weeks has caused a drastic shortage of strawberries in the Leigh area. And as strawberry-loving Wimbledon tennis fans suffered from its worst weather for years with rain stopping play, so too rain stopped play at Kenyon Hall Farm
EXCITEMENT will be unBEARable as thousands of teddies bear down on Blackpool Zoo this Sunday (July 13). For the zoo, celebrating its 25th anniversary, is attempting to get into the Guinness Book of Records by staging the world's largest teddy bear's picnic
Results from the National Westminster Bank Northern League U18s, weekend of July 5/6: Blackpool - Fleetwood postponed; *Kendal 114 - Lancaster 106; Morecambe - Leyland postponed; Netherfield - Darwen, Darwen conceded the points; Preston - Chorley, Preston
STEER clear of overhead power lines and the canals is the holiday warning from NORWEB and the police. With school holidays here there is a higher risk of injury or death to children through interference with power lines and substations or swimming in
YOUNG Liverpool prospect John Whitty won the latest pro-am event at Riley's Snooker Club at Preston, beating 16-year-old Scott Mackenzie from Glasgow in the final 3-1. The next pro-am competition starts at 11am on Sunday July 27. Prize lmoney is £1,000
AFTER two washed out weeks Sutton got back into league action. But the story was depressingly familiar as they clung on for a draw at Parkfield. The home side took first knock and for 20 overs Sutton looked good as Ray Foster's tidy control brought him
BAND members are polishing their piccolos and tuning up their trumpets as they prepare to make history. Musicians in the Darwen District Scout and Guide Band will be travelling to Cheshire on Saturday (July 12) for their first competition. They will be
ACCRINGTON Cricket Club are confident they will get the green light to create a school of excellence when council officials meet next month. The Lancashire League outfit have already met with members of Hyndburn Council's planning department to thrash
GEOGRAPHY teacher George Pike certainly doesn't believe in leaving his work behind him after school hours. For Gordon has won an Earthwatch Millennium Fellowship which will see him travelling to Lithuania next month to join a geographic expedition to
A GRIEVING mother today made a heartfelt plea to be left in peace as she mourns the tragic death of her toddler son. Catrina Rae broke down as she spoke of being forced to ask for a police escort to leave her home to arrange 21-month-old Alexander's funeral
AS hordes of people turned out to mark Darwen Tower's centenary, thousands of miles away businessman Frank Bull was also raising a glass to the famous landmark. In the Australian state of Victoria, Frank had just christened his new company Tower Personal
A TRANQUIL water mill crematorium is planned at a woodland cemetery. Robin Gerrard, manager of the New Manchester Woodlands Cemetery at Mosley Common, says the aim is to get away from a "factory funeral" setting. He has submitted plans to Wigan Council
LOCAL residents have accused local police of using 'secret police' methods by using council vans to trap unwary motorists with radar guns. The residents, who decline to be named, claim police officers were wrong to use the vans and should use police vehicles
PAUL Warhurst is talking to newly-promoted Crystal Palace about a £1.25 million move to Selhurst Park. The out-of-contract Blackburn Rovers utility player had discussions with Wembley play-off winners Palace yesterday when he stayed behind as Roy Hodgson
A POPULAR county councillor who died of cancer in March has received two more tributes. Last week Dennis Golden's 67-year-old mum Marie wept when the Citizen told her that part of a South Ribble road was to be named after her son. South Ribble MP David
Award-winning Canadian trio Corky and the Juice Pigs will give people's favourite Johnny Vegas a run for his money at the Rubber Chicken Comedy Club summer special at Blakey's Cafe Bar on Wednesday. The St Helens hell-raiser has picked up a cult following
FULL marks to hospitals in Preston which received glowing reports in the NHS Performance Tables. Preston Acute Hospitals Trust scored 100 per cent for assessing patients within five minutes of arrival to the Accident and Emergency Department. It also
A FIVE-YEAR long row is still going on between a householder and the council over £15,000-worth of building work. Angry Olga Reid who received a grant for maintenance to her Lytham Road home in Preston in 1992, claims contractors employed by the local
Results from the Vaux Northern League, weekend of July 5/6 are: Division One: (*batted first) *Blackpool 88 - Chorley 85-2; Darwen 94-8 - *St Annes 193-7; *Fleetwood 250-1 - Preston 188; *Lancaster 152-7 - Morecambe 88-9; Leyland 152-7 - *Kendal 224-3
PLANNERS are pouring over blueprints for a multi-million pound retail park which promises to create 120 jobs. The companies behind the scheme, Creswell Estates and Property Division of BG, say the Blackburn site has already attracted interest from national
TOO few runs and an unsettled side - both are symptoms which Rishton have shown this season as they have fallen from grace in a most dramatic fashion. After two years on the top of the EW Cartons Lancashire League, players and members alike have been
POLICE are urging rape victims not to be scared of coming forward after a woman admitted she lied about a brutal town centre attack. The woman alleged she had been violently raped in an alleyway off Church Street, Preston after becoming separated from
I am writing to say I agree with recent letters in the Citizen regarding young troublemakers. It is obvious to those of us who were around when young people were disciplined for wrong-doing that the cause of the problems come from all the do-gooders who
Bridie Geoghegan of Skeffington Road, Preston, has had part of her lung removed after suffering from cancer. For Bridie, St Catherine's has been a life-saver, it gave her the chance to share her fears and experiences with people who understand. "I've
ANN Tattersall's love affair with dishy Damon Hill may be sending her family round the bend, but the Formula One heartthrob really gets her heart racing. The Sacred Heart Primary School teacher is so infatuated with the reigning world champion that she
PRESTON band Blue are battling for a place in the final of BandNation in Sheffield next month. Blue boasts drummer Mark Whiteside from Ashton, Preston, bass guitarist Peter Brown from Ribbleton, Preston, and singer/guitarist Seamus McLouglin from Whitestake
EAST Lancashire's health services helped the region take top honours in this week's performance tables. Almost 90 per cent of the stars awarded to Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Healthcare NHS Trust were ranked three and above and 58 per cent of
ROVERS jetted off to Scandinavia this week with three new players on board. But manager Roy Hodgson hopes to return with some extra baggage - £2 million target Martin Dahlin. The Swedish striker is yet to sign from Seria A side AC Roma, but Hodgson is
THE Citizen's Brick By Brick appeal for St Catherine's Hospice is gaining support from community leaders all over the county. A new £1.3 million Day care extension is being built and our appeal will help raise the £250,000 still needed to pay for it.
SPECIAL roses keeping the memory of courageous Dunblane teacher Gwen Mayor and her slain pupils alive are being sought by gardeners from across Great Britain. Orders for the Gwen Mayor rose - a beautiful peach and apricot Hybrid Tea - are coming in each
LAZY, hazy days - Preston marina was buzzing with excitement this weekend as boats of all shapes and sizes docked for the Maritime Festival. Tall ships, yachts, tugs and narrow boats filled the harbour while on land, crowds swarmed round the waterfront
GLOBE trotter Ann Wearden has just flown in from Hong Kong after watching the official hand-over ceremony which returned the island to Chinese rule. The traveller extraordinaire who lives in Oakwood Drive, Fulwood, Preston, was determined to be at the
BAKERY staff are celebrating after being served up a batch of qualifications. More than half the workforce at Cherrytree Bakery, Burnley, has been awarded certificates in areas ranging from first aid to fork lift truck driving. The firm, which produces
FYLDE hospitals are fighting fit according to the Government's latest health league tables. Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde Community Health Trust, which manages eight local hospitals and healthcare units, scored a top five-stars in ten key areas of waiting
"YES, I agree it's gone up a lot, but a tremendous amount of work goes into being on the council. It's up to others to judge whether we are worth it." These are the words of Council Leader Stanley Henig (pictured) who has voted to increase his 'special
A BLACKPOOL leukaemia sufferer is limbering up for an early-morning leap from Blackpool Tower on Wednesday (July 16). In front of TV cameras, Angela Latham hopes to overcome a recent setback in her own treatment to raise money for other sufferers. Angela
The people of Morecambe have buried their heads in the sand for too long now and it is now time to stop the rot. Nobody, including John Burrows, is not entitled to redundancy pay if they have done any wrong - however I believe in this case nobody has.
GORDON Brown's budget is to be welcomed for his proposals to help people with disabilities into work. The injection of £200 million over five years into training and other support will help open up the world of work to a part of society that has been
BOWLERS from all over the world will be taking part in a 10-pin bowling extravaganza at the Hollywood Bowl. The British Senior Open Championships for the over 50s will be held on Friday and Saturday, July 18 and 19, with the grand final on Sunday, July
IT may have taken Blackpool FC a year to decide that Nigel Worthington belonged at Bloomfield Road, but now they believe they have got their man. The former Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds fullback was installed as manager on Tuesday (July 8), a full season
STUDENTS are signing up for a college course where the sky's no limit. Star-seekers are rushing to be part of the region's first GCSE astronomy class at Accrington and Rossendale College. It's a rare opportunity for potential Patrick Moores, who will
ONE of Leigh's best known faces retires today after 20 years at Railway Road Post Office. Mary Owen, 54, of Walmsley Road, who includes stamp collecting among her hobbies, is retiring to spend more time with her family and to pursue her favourite pastimes
POLICE are appealing for witnesses to an accident at the A6 roundabout with Brownedge Road in which a motorcyclist died. The man from Mobberley, Cheshire, was on his way home after ordering a new bike, a Ducati, from Bill Head's in Preston. He collided
THE Grimsargh Players have scooped second prize in a theatre competition. The group's play Dancing at Lughnasa won the honour at the All England Theatre Festival (West Pennine Division) Full Length Play contest. Frank Hartley also won best director award
A NIGHTCLUB owner believes Hyndburn nightlife will be left in the dark if an application to extend opening hours is not accepted. Afrika's nightclub in Accrington have asked Hyndburn Borough Council for permission to extend its opening hours to 3am -
MORE than 500 people applied for nearly 100 jobs at a new multi-million pound business set to open in Burnley in September. Cornwell Parker PLC, the furniture, fabrics and wallcoverings group, is centralising its warehouse and distribution at the Network
Results from the Moore and Smalley Palace Shield, from the weekend of July 5/6: BAe Preston 105-7 - *Springfields 104; *Fulwood & Broughton 142-8 - BAe Warton 133-8; *Garstang 206-6 - Dutton Forshaw 130-5; Longridge 73 - *Penwortham 74; *Thornton
TELEVISION researchers are waiting to hear whether former Accrington teacher Alistair Beeston will tell his story of deception in a studio debate. The former deputy head of St Peter's C of E Primary, who recently completed a three-month jail sentence
PUNTERS at a Preston pub are deflated after party poopers untied their pride and joy - a 30ft inflatable airship-shaped balloon - and let it fly off into the sunset. Now regulars and workers alike at The Waterfront Toby Restaurant on Preston's docks need
THE public is to be consulted over plans to focus mental health care at Leigh Infirmary. Wigan and Bolton Health Authority have announced the consultation process over the transfer of in-patient mental health services to Leigh. The plans are part of a
A LEIGH factory worker and a teenager were both hailed heroes after pulling a drowning woman out of the Leigh branch of the Leeds-Liverpool Canal at Leigh Bridge. And after their mission of mercy the pair quietly left the scene and went to work. Ian Jackson
A TODDLER war has broken out between a private children's nursery and one of the region's major house builders. And nursery owner Carol Reilly has vowed to put her nursery under siege if necessary "until Wainhomes come to their senses!" Carol, who started
NEVER heard of them? Surely you must have heard something, after all, wasn't it this superb Oxford-based band who dominated the Glastonbury Festival just a couple of weeks ago? And this new album is destined - unless Oasis know something they don't -
DREAMS are turning into reality for promising Blackburn band The Bond who have just completed their long-awaited debut album. For the four piece collective - whose ambitions have always been to expand their skills into other mediums - have just recorded
THE father of a murdered nine-year-old is still praying for his son's sex killer to be brought to justice 12 years on. The semi-naked body of young Imraan Vohra was found dumped in Avenham Park, Preston on July 13, 1985. He had been sexually assaulted
THE Lancashire FA Football Development Scheme will be staging football coaching courses during the summer holidays. Preston College, St Vincents Road, Fulwood is the local venue - for children aged 6-14. It's being held on Monday-Thursday, August 4-7,
MID-table respectability and a slice of luck are Blackburn Northern's aims for the remainder of the their Ribblesdale League campaign. The Pleckgate Road side slipped into the bottom two of the table after last weekend's double defeat, but skipper Mel
MEN are more than ever turning to cosmetic surgery as a means of achieving the perfect body. Forty percent of all enquiries to cosmetic clinics are from men wanting pert pecs and the chin of Desperate Dan. A new survey has revealed however that an overwhelming
Preston's ambassadors returned from Poland this week after attending the Twin Cities Festival in Kalisz. Mayor Dick Evans went with fellow councillors Pat Whittle and Jean Al-Serraj, as well as drama students from Preston College and youngsters from Brookfield
THIS year's Citizen/Crown Paints Community Awards has a distinctive sporty flavour with local groups jumping at the chance of a share of the £4,000 bounty. Cricket, football and kick boxing clubs have all returned their applications for this year's record
OASIS fever hit the streets of Preston when a record shop opened it's doors at midnight to sell Britain's biggest band's new single. Hundreds of fans flocked to HMV on Fishergate to get their hands on D'You Know What I Mean on July 7. And 25-year-old
POLICE chiefs said "G'day" to tough new road safety ideas from Down Under in a high-profile seminar held in Lancashire. Top cops from the Australian state of Victoria descended on the county's police headquarters in Hutton to push their hard-hitting campaign
THE Prison Service is facing a national crisis following threats of a walk-out by officers at Garth Prison in Ulnes Walton near Leyland. Staff have warned of overcrowding which they believe could erupt into chaos at any moment, but despite their pleas
SUPPLIERS of the latest toy craze aimed at children aged just six are cleaning up their act after the Citizen uncovered instructions littered with offensive words. Youngsters all over Preston have been queueing for hours to buy cyberpets, little electric
HOMELESS campaigner Shelter has slammed Blackburn with Darwen Council's new one-year tenancy trial period as "unnecessarily harsh." Shelter's regional branch says that the policy - which was aimed at cutting tenancy problems such as nuisance neighbours
RIBBLE Valley MP Nigel Evans states he will not support the Bill to ban hunting (LET, June 4). What is the justification of hunting with hounds when public opinion is very strongly in favour of change? Write asking your MP to be in the House of Commons
A LECTURER who this week took his former bosses to an industrial tribunal for unfair dismissal is celebrating a £27,000 out-of-court settlement. Pat Walsh, who was made redundant from Accrington and Rossendale College in December last year, claimed unfair
BEACHY Head is now the world's number one suicide spot. I can't see that going into the local tourist brochure somehow. It's pretty easy to tell it's bad by the huge number of people who go there by public transport and only buy single tickets. At a greyhound
JUST as nuclear physics, chemicals and biology are used to destroy, a report at the British Medical Association's conference this month warned that genetic weapons could be available within 10 years. We have ethnic cleansing, now genetic cleansing. Is
POLISH war veterans are in danger of losing their only meeting place in Preston. The Polish Club, on St Mark's Road, is falling down because of severe dry rot tearing through the floors. But members, some of whom fought for England in the Second world
LAUREL and Hardy are undoubtedly the Kings of Comedy and one of them comes from these fair shores. STEVE TINNISWOOD went on the trail of the lonesome pine ... and ended up in Ulverston. THE SMALL TOWN with the big heart is how a sign post describes the
THE world of football had hardly seen a talent like it. Tom Finney burst on the scene with a dazzling array of wing wizardry that was a sheer delight to watch and the comparison in skill between Finney and Matthews showed just how rich Lancashire was
FARMERS from East Lancashire travelled to London today - many for the first time in their lives - to join a huge protest rally. Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans was joining two coachloads of his constituents at a rally aimed at highlighting the importance
A DEVOTED wife whose husband left her for a woman he met through the Internet has been left to pay thousands of pounds worth of his unpaid debts she says. Heartbroken Carol Ellson and her two teenage children now face an uncertain future after her husband
LEYLAND DAF are celebrating their first win of the season after their last ball victory at Parkside Road over former league leaders Netherfield. The home side batting first declared at 202 for 3 after 36 overs. Netherfield's South African professional
SCHOOLBOY David Crossley's family is living in hope that he will be allowed home to continue his recovery - nine months after he was crushed by a quarter-tonne gravestone. Jean and Jack Crossley, who visit their 10-year-old son's hospital bedside every
A ROOKIE member of a mountain rescue team was thrown in at the deep end after a climber fell 20ft in a Belmont quarry. Giles Denn, 19, of Reservior Street, Darwen, joined Bolton Mountain Rescue Team just three months ago. But his initial training proved
HUNDREDS of families in Blackburn were to be asked for blood samples to see if they were at risk from old lead water pipes. It followed a survey which showed some houses had more than 1,000 times the lead limit for water supplies. The samples were to
BURNLEY was to get £1 million of Governnment grants to carry out major improvements in the town. The announcement was made by Rossendale and Darwen MP David Trippier, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of the Environment with responsibility
NEIL BRAMWELL speaks out THE length of Mike Tyson's ban should never have been an issue. Tyson should now be where he belongs - behind bars - chewing over the length of his new prison sentence. This savage will be able to fight again in just over a year
LANCASHIRE coach Dav Whatmore today pledged to dig out the reasons for yesterday's NatWest Trophy defeat by Sussex - and put them right in the Championship. The crushing seven wicket loss, to a Sussex side which hadn't beaten another first class county
A MOTHER left mourning the death of her 17-year-old son has warned East Lancashire drug users - the first time you dabble could be your last. Justin Craven, who, his family insist, had only previously tried 'soft' drugs, was killed after taking methadone
NEW St Helens North MP Dave Watts has hailed Gordon Brown's first Labour Budget as a "people's Budget." He said: "This budget delivers on Labour's manifesto promises. It provides resources for education and health and will put people back to work through
THE North-West could lose almost £600 million in crucial Euro aid, the government was warned today. A major campaign to ensure that the European Union's Regional Aid Budget is not axed in 1999 is being launched at Westminster. The Alliance For Regional
ST HELENS Credit Union Development Association held an awareness day at the Hardshaw Centre, and were bowled over by the interest shown by the public. The event was so successful that on the day more than 100 people became new members of the credit unions
LEIGH CENTURIONS 32 DONCASTER DRAGONS 6 KEITH Latham's super subs enabled the Centurions to finally win at a canter and help ease the painful memory of the agonising last minute defeat at Batley which severely damaged their promotion hopes. John Gunning
LOVING mum Julie Fisher was so touched by the plight of her own son Peter, who was born with congenital bilateral cataracts (thick capsules which form on the eye), that she has decided to help raise money for a revolutionary laser for treatment at Alder
THE article 'A murder a week probation shocker' (LET, July 2) didn't tell us anything we didn't already know. It was simply an exercise in blame shifting. But why blame the probation service when villains who should never have been released in the first
A FAMILY today hit back at claims they performed an exorcism in their house. Neighbours had called police after hearing screams coming from the home in Whitewell Place, Blackburn. The neighbours claimed the family had told them they had become possessed
STAFF from Newton Library are appealing for the return of a 19th century cast-iron bell which was stolen in the early hours of Tuesday, June 17. The bell dates back to 1832 and its original home was at the now-closed Newton Viaduct station. However, it
ST HELENS served up another cliffhanger of a game against Northern on Saturday. Ian Mackus led the batting with a fighting 61 assisted by Craig Horabin (25) and Darren Tyms (24) to enable a declaration at 184 for 8. Northern went for the runs in fine
CHILDREN are being warned to take extra care when crossing roads near ice cream vans and drivers are also being urged to be extra vigilant. The warning comes after three-years-old Stevie Banks of Coronation Avenue, Atherton, was injured on Monday afternoon
TWO local police officers were among 23 commended by Chief Constable of Merseyside, James Sharples at a ceremony in Liverpool on Monday, July 7. Inspector John A. Sayers of St Helens & Knowsley Traffic Group has been commended for endeavour, resourcefulness
ARSONISTS caused more than £40,000 worth of damage in an attack on a Boothstown factory complex on Sunday morning. Police are investigating after intruders poured petrol over heavy goods vehicles and electrical products at Excel Logistics, Chaddock Lane
OWENS Corning St Helens Recs were unable to force a result in a close and hard fought game against Newton-le-Willows. Batting first on a slow low wicket, Newton's opening partnership of Scothern and Holcroft started steadily, profiting from some sloppy
Sheffield Eagles 14 Saints 12 SUFFERING Saints can be excused for thinking that the Don Valley Stadium is fast becoming their graveyard following this fourth successive defeat. And, despite the narrow margin and a fortuitous late winner by the Eagles,
SIX local pubs have been awarded the 'Investor in People' Standard. The Grapes, St Helens Road, Eccleston Park; the Royal Oak, Eccleston; the Griffin, Bold Heath; the Ship Inn, Rainhill; the Griffin, Eccleston; and the Waterside, Carr Mill, all achieved
IT'S Grim up North - even in midsummer. And big-hearted bikers are out to show the brighter side of life in the region with a two-day summer party rock and bike show at Atherton Collieries Football ground in Alder Street, Atherton (July19-20). The far-reaching
THE P & R Laboratory Group, based in Reginald Road, Sutton, has announced the acquisition of the long-established Speke company James W. Turner (Liverpool) Ltd. The integration of Turner operations, including the Bibby Sterelin agency, into P &
GOVERNMENT approval for a £177,000 building scheme was music to the ears of Blackpool pupils. For the funding to renovate its music and technology departments came through after many years of bidding by St George's High School and Lancashire Education
SPECIAL constables are needed to help cut crime in Leigh town centre. And to fill the gap Greater Manchester Police are looking to recruit men and women between 19 and 50. Their duties will include patrolling the community, dealing with incidents and
A MAN who entered an off-licence posing as a customer threatened a female shop assistant before pushing her into the back room and stealing more than £800 worth of cigarettes. The robbery occurred at the Cellar 5 store in Peckers Hill Road, Sutton, between
ONE of Blackpool's premier hotels has gone green - and is saving itself thousands of pounds a year because of it. No longer does rubbish from the Norbreck Castle Hotel simply get thrown away, instead it is recycled and sold on to others. Waste is divided
COACH Shaun McRae was reported as saying some of the Knowsley Road players were cowards after defeat at Sheffield. But he refused to apologise for expressing his feelings after Saints' abysmal performance. WHITTLE: Talk of a clear-out, cowardice, players
THREE months ago Daniel Mawdsley was diagnosed as suffering from diabetes, but he hasn't let it get in the way of his favourite sport. Now he has proved it by taking a silver medal for judo at the Lancashire Youth Games. After just one month of practice
BURNLEY teenagers are taking up the environmental challenge this summer by volunteering for green schemes over the school holidays. The Youth Green Action scheme, run by the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers and Lancashire Wildlife Trust, started
MOST Burnley fans were cock-a-hoop at Chris Waddle's arrival as manager - but some were worried that he wouldn't have the cash to buy the right players. Andrew Short, a follower since the 60s, voiced a common view when he said: "I'm pleased with the appointment
I HAVE just seen Blackburn's latest monstrosity, masquerading as a work of art outside King George's Hall. It convinces me more than ever that members of the council are living on a different planet. Any light engineering firm could have made this eyesore
EXCITED young historians were transformed into stars for the day when a TV crew dropped in at their school. Pupils in class five at the Benjamin Hargreaves School, Accrington, were filmed for the Channel 4 documentary Collector's Lot. Their teachers were
ROWING families, over-enthusiastic vacuum cleaners and blaring music are making life a misery for neighbours. The problem is getting so bad in some areas that local councils are joining forces to encourage people to make a special effort to cut down the
LANCASTER City's fixture list for 1997-98 has been released and their first match in the Unibond Premier Division is home against Runcorn. Their first away match of the season sees them play Hyde Utd and their FA Cup campaign kicks off on September 13
A BLITZ on drivers could mean hefty fines for anyone who is slap-dash with their paperwork. The police in Lancashire are having a crackdown on drivers who fail to register changes in vehicle ownership. From now on anyone stopped by the police will automatically
MORECAMBE Football Club is set to start work on a new stand at Christie Park following a massive £200,000 cash boost from the council. The council loan, plus a £250,000 grant from the Football Trust, means the Shrimps will be fit and ready to gain entry
HOSPITAL performance league tables show Burnley Health Care has improved in at least eight services. There are shorter waiting times for patients referred by their GPs to see specialists in urology, general medicine and oral surgery; the number of cataract
LANCASTER'S Acute Hospitals Trust 'broke a leg' to come second best in the region in the latest NHS performance tables. Out of a total of 58 trusts in the North West, Lancaster came joint second overall for the number of five-star awards it won for its
THE controversial movie 'Crash' is set to be screened in Lancaster but only councillors may get to see it. The Dukes have plans to show David Cronenberg's film as part of a season of films examining censorship but the city council's licensing group could
A NEW conference centre co-ordinator has been appointed at East Lancashire Education Business Partnerships. Celia Duxbury, from Clayton-le-Moors, has a background in tourism, having organised the North West Tourist Board's Welcome Host customer care programme
WEDDING bells are in the air for Fylde funnyman Tom Bright who proposed to girlfriend Diane Lee Carol in front of 600 people. Tom got down on one knee at the end of Saturday's Mystique show (July 5) at the Pleasure Beach in which the couple both star.
