VIRGIN Trains' "shoddy and shabby" service to the North West has been condemned by MPs. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott joined with Labour's Tony Lloyd and Nicholas Winterton in branding the service "miserable" and "over-priced". The exchange in the
REGARDING the price of petrol, I take it Chris Wrigley (Letters, July 5) is not a car owner, with his "I'm all right, Jack," attitude. Some people need cars to enable them to work. They need to work to provide for their families so that they do not suffer
REGARDING the attempt by relatives of the Argentine seamen who died during the sinking of the General Belgrano to claim compensation, prior to the Falklands War, the only role most of the Argentine army played was a paramilitary one involving the bullying
A TERRORIST who plotted to blow up strategic locations in Britain from a base in Accrington during the height of the IRA's reign of terror has been freed -- less than six years into a 25-year jail sentence. Feilim O'Hadhmaill, 42, who was arrested after
LOCAL MPs have backed Leigh Centurions bid to join Super League next year. The town's MP Lawrence Cunliffe has put down a Commons motion calling on the Rugby Football League to re-examine the club's application to join the top flight. The motion notes
BARNSLEY boss Dave Bassett today ruled out a summer swoop for Blackburn Rovers out of favour striker Nathan Blake. Welsh international Blake has been told by manager Graeme Souness that he is free to find himself a new club this summer. But despite rumours
BARNSLEY boss Dave Bassett is backing Craig Hignett to lead Blackburn Rovers to promotion next season following his £2.25 million switch to Ewood Park. Tykes chief Bassett was forced to admit defeat in his bid to keep Hignett at Oakwell earlier this week
FORGOTTEN man Simon Grayson could be a shock transfer target for new Celtic boss Martin O'Neill. The 30-year-old full-back has been told by Blackburn boss Graeme Souness he is free to find himself a new club this summer, following the arrival of John
FOUR people were arrested in early morning police raids on houses in Burnley today as part of a crackdown on burglary. About a dozen officers took part in the operation, targeting homes in Casterton Avenue and Latham Street. Two men and two women were
COUNCIL staff and community groups are working round the clock to ensure blooming Burnley looks its best for Friday's visit of the North West in Bloom judges. In the afternoon the judging will start with a walk around the town centre and a visit to the
THE Guide Association has awarded Brownie Charlotte Fennell the prestigious Star of Merit in recognition of her brave battle for life. The Rossendale nine-year-old made a miraculous recovery after being desperately ill with a brain tumour. And, during
THE head and former headteacher of Mansfield High School, Brierfield, said to have inflated pupil numbers to get more cash, have appeared at Burnley Crown Court. Ernest Pickup, 60, of Whalley Road, Wilpshire, and Alan Duckworth, 48, of Patterdale Close
Wallasey Motor Club have appealed for north west marshals to help with the running of the New Brighton promenade rally weekend on July 22 and 23. The two-day event features the Chelsea 2000 Promenade Stages and the John Price Rallying Millennium Challenge
CHORLEY'S Ray Witts won the John Goodhall Memorial Trophy at Coventry, after eliminating leader Nick Houghton with four laps to go. John Lund, who finished fifth, could add this year's European title to his bulging trophy cabinet this weekend. The Clitheroe-based
The Lancashire Automobile Club hosts the annual Coast to Coast run. Starting from Blackpool's Metropole Hotel at 8am on Saturday, August 5, competitors will call at a variety of checkpoints before finishing at the Ox Pasture Hall Hotel, Scarborough. Classic
A YOUNG wife was allegedly mown down in the street by a woman neighbour whose family was feuding with hers, a jury was told. Burnley Crown Court heard how Farzana Kauser Taj went over the bonnet of the car after it drove straight towards her and mounted
ADVICE to local consumers and businesses will be offered by the Lancashire County Council's Trading Standards department, who are going on the road in the county this summer. Their newly refurbished mobile display unit will visit Clitheroe on Tuesday
SHEFFIELD Wednesday's Lee Briscoe checked in in time for pre season training as Burnley manager Stan Ternent made his first major signing of the summer today. Briscoe, available under the Bosman ruling, is a left sided player who became the Clarets first
NICKY Daws doesn't expect to be a Burnley player when the Clarets begin life in Division One. The pre-season build-up doesn't seem set to include Daws or Scott Green, who has agreed a new three-year deal at Wigan. Bury midfielder Daws has long been touted
BUSINESSES which fail to deal with rubbish properly face fines of up to £20,000 -- and campaign group Water Watch wants to help companies avoid the risks. Water Watch has joined the Environment Agency and Viridor Waste Management to come up with pollution
A BUSINESS angel has touched a nursing home to give it wings. Clitheroe-based Lancashire Nursing and Residential Homes have received a £60,000 investment to help to reopen Clitheroe Residential Home, Eshton Terrace, which has been in administration for
GREENMOUNT County Primary pupils are officially ace. Forget Wimbledon, they swept the board at a much more important event when they took part in the Bury School's Short Tennis Competition last week, winning every single category. Elizabeth Ullathorne
TOFFEE-sucking shoppers clicked with artist Margaret Mytton when she snapped their pictures while they were snapping up sweets. Margaret, of Todmorden, took the shots as they selected their favourites on Eunice's sweet stall in Rawtenstall market -- and
THERE were tears as well as cheers when Blackamoor School broke up for the holidays for the very last time. After 60 years of helping physically and mentally disabled children, the school, has closed as part of Blackburn with Darwen Council's controversial
PATIENTS are waiting up to 13 months to be assessed at physiotherapy outpatient clinics before they can start treatment. More than 1,000 people are on the waiting list for the Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust. In the last month, waiting
THE boss of a company which lost more than £300,000 last year today said he was considering installing a controversial mobile 'phone mast in a bid to save jobs. Managing director of Blackburn's Cavalier Carpets, James Sprint, said he had already rejected
LOUISE Ann Scott was caught in a vicious circle as she tried to get increased access to her children who had been placed in foster care. Blackburn magistrates heard that she had kicked a heroin habit which had encouraged social services to say she could
EAST Lancashire autotesters represented the north west at the annual inter-association competition at Glasgow. Current BTRDA championship leader Tim Sargeant, from Burnley, and Accrington's Steve Johnson joined Cheshire's Paul Kelly in a three-man ANWCC
BILLED as he most competitive British Superbike season ever, north west fans can judge for themselves when the fastest men on two wheels visit Oulton Park this weekend. Going into the second half of the season, all attention has been focused on the long-running
ACCRINGTON Stanley supporters are putting their money where their mouth is and backing manager John Coleman to deliver promotion next season. The ambitious Crown Ground club have already sold over 200 season tickets since winning the UniBond First Division
SIDECAR racer Dave Holden beat the odds to score his best result in the British Championship this year. The Blackburn rider shrugged off a broken second gear and rear suspension to claim an excellent second and third at Oulton Park's ACU/MRO meeting.
IT is, of course, the fate of many of football's old-time heroes and even of those from not so long ago -- to have to watch ruefully as even moderately-talented players swap clubs today for astronomic fees and wages while they scrape by on small earnings
TWO Bury Conservative councillors have been arrested by police investigating an allegation of vote-rigging during May's local elections. Councillors Bob Bibby and James Taylor were detained by detectives at Manchester Airport on Monday (July 10). Minutes
Livesey WI, Livesey Parish Community Hall, York Terrace, Feniscowles, 7.30pm. Video Libraries, St Peter's Community Centre, Haslingden, 8pm. Haslingden Local History Society's Book Launch "Helmshore," at Haslingden Cricket Club, 7pm-9pm. Eddie Harvey,
Understandable outrage greeted the news that IRA terrorist Feilim O'Hadhmaill had been freed less than six years into a 25-year jail sentence. O'Hadhmaill was caught in Accrington with a cache of exposives, and was clearly part of an operation which would
Nature Watch, with Ron Freethy WE were discussing several points in the office the other day on the subject of bird biology. Two questions were asked which may be of interest to readers. Firstly, how long do birds live? Secondly, do birds which migrate
IT is quite clear that Tony Blair does not give a stuff about the high cost of petrol and diesel fuel and the problems that this is creating for many people and businesses. After watching and listening to his cavalier attitude in reply to a serious question
IN the early hours of Sunday, June 4, devastating floods hit Todmorden, causing damage to approximately 700 homes and 30 businesses. Eighty homes have had to be evacuated until they can be repaired. Many elderly people and young families had no insurance
THE unrelenting attack and, some would say, robbery on the motorist goes on. The fallacy that if the government reduced the tax on petrol by 2p per litre, the walls of the health service would come tumbling down, or transport policies would be affected
NO party, Tory, Labour or Liberal-Democrat, will move into the euro without a referendum. The stance of some right-wing Tories towards our place in Europe is a national scandal. We are encouraged to retain sterling as if it is some sort of symbolic shield
CLOSING Church Street in Blackburn town centre to traffic with no clear alternative route is a risky option and would cause congestion elsewhere -- it would be easier to get out of Blackburn than into it. There are no obvious routes from one part of town
COUNCILLORS have called time on revellers leaving pubs and clubs carrying their drinks. New licensing conditions are to be introduced following concern by hospital chiefs that at least 10 people a week are injured by broken glass, either accidentally
FOUR people were arrested in early morning police raids on houses in Burnley today as part of a crackdown on burglary. About a dozen officers took part in the operation, targeting homes in Casterton Avenue and Latham Street. Two men and two women were
ROVERS new boy Stig Inge Bjornebye will not link up with his new team-mates until next week. Manager Graeme Souness has granted the former Liverpool player an extended holiday, following his exploits in Euro 2000, meaning he will miss Rovers' mini tour
VILLAGERS will be left without vital post office services if a new subpostmaster is not appointed within the next seven days. Laneshaw Bridge Post Office, in Keighley Road, Colne, will close on Wednesday, July 19, if former subpostmaster John Normanton
PEOPLE living in one of the poorest areas in Lancashire will have their say on how a £21 million housing redevelopment should take shape. Residents in the area known as Nelson West are invited to air their views at two public meetings. Nelson West, covering
A MAN who hit a police officer during an early hours street fracas kept his freedom after magistrates said the blow was neither malicious nor intentional. The Burnley bench had been told how Jamie Southern, 25, struck out with a clenched fist, striking
HEALTH watchdogs in East Lancashire have made a plea for funding for the North West air ambulance. Frank Clifford, chairman of Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Community Health Council (CHC), seconded a motion at the CHC national conference which was put
CARL Fogarty is to make a special appearance at the Aberdare Park national road race meeting on July 22-23. The reigning World Superbike Champion will be joined by Red Bull Ducati riders John Reynolds and James Haydon in a special autograph session at
July 15: Grantham, Lincs: MSA Rally, round five Mobil1 British Rally Championship. July 16: Northampton raceway: BriSCA F1 European Championship, starts 1.30pm, admission is £10 adults, £5 children. July 16: Oulton Park, Cheshire: British Superbike Championship
Neil Simpson has entered this weekend's MSA Rally, round five of the Mobil 1 British Championship. Fresh from his class win on the Jim Clark Memorial Rally, the Colne driver will again drive his Pirelli and Browns Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6. Simpson is joined
OULTON Park's ACU Championship meeting featured a packed programme of 11 races for Super Sidecars, Suzuki Bandit Supersport 400 and 600, Grand Prix 250 and Powerbikes. Burnley's Richard Winn claimed third place in the one-make Suzuki Bandit race, after
TELEVISION Grand Prix commentator Tony Jardine and former British rally champions Jimmy McRae and Russell Brookes are just three of the names lined up for John Price Millennium Rally Challenge. The one-off, invitation-only team event features a host of
SHOPPERS at Asda in Colne got more than they bargained for when police and fire officers set up shop to hand out bags of advice on crime prevention and fire safety. The joint initiative aimed to encourage shoppers to play their part in helping to make
FIRE crews from Burnley and Padiham fought for 90 minutes to get a blaze at Burnley Paper Mills under control using water from the River Calder. The crews were called to the Ashfield Road works just before 2am where 100 tons of baled waste paper was alight
LOTTERY millionairess Kath Brindle moved into a £250,000 six-bedroomed mansion within walking distance of her old terraced home. And the business boss who sold the £2.25 million winner her luxury Blackburn dream house praised her for the way she handled
A NATIONWIDE search has been launched as the hunt for Ruksana Khatun, who vanished from her Accrington home on June 10. Police say her parents are becoming more distraught as each day passes with no word about their 15-year-old daughter, a pupil at Hollins
AT first glance, many people may think that Jonathan Chadwick is Manchester United's new £7million signing Fabien Barthez. But the man dubbed a lookalike of the goalkeeping star is actually a supervisor at Dutton Carpets Ltd in Blackburn. Jonathan, 30
A TERRORIST who plotted to blow up strategic locations in Britain from a base in Accrington during the height of the IRA's reign of terror has been freed -- less than six years into a 25-year jail sentence. Feilim O'Hadhmaill, 42, who was arrested after
MORE than £250,000 has been spent on policing Castle Cement's effect on the environment in the last two years -- believed to be more than any other site in the North West. Since April 1998 the Environment Agency has spent the sum on investigating complaints
A FABRICS firm has booked in a new customer. Panaz of Fence is creating a new range of fabrics for a chain of hotels. The collection of fabrics will be used for duvet covers, curtains and accessories for the hotels under the Whitbread Inns banner. The
A SIGN firm has proved itself to be in a different league! B&J Signs has manufactured two giant club crest signs for Dutch first division club Heracles, and manager Andrew Taylor is pictured with them. The firm is part of Burnley based Boydell &
CHRISTMAS has come early for the East Lancashire Hospice Appeal, as young artists from Darwen schools have drawn up new ways to raise cash. Moorland High School pupils Laura Marlow and Carly Ainsworth and Darwen Vale pupils Lucy Harrison and Jenny Collister
A POLICE campaign in Rossendale targeting out-of-town criminals slashed crime in just two weeks. Inspector Ewan Cameron, in charge at Rossendale West, said before the campaign there had been 18 crimes in two weeks in Edenfield, including 10 burglaries
EIGHT churches in Haslingden and Helmshore have joined forces to celebrate the millennium with a tent mission. A large marquee will be erected at Haslingden Sports Centre on Saturday and events will be held in the tent until July 23. The Rev Garry Wareham
A BUSINESSMAN has moved out of Rossendale and invested £500,000 in new premises in Bury, claiming police have failed to act over fires and vandalism running into tens of thousands of pounds. Raymond and Marie Stansfield own R M Stansfield 24-hour vehicle
RETIRED child psychiatrist Delbert Tolton Goates died of head injuries sustained when he fell in the street and banged his head on the floor. An inquest heard that Mr Goates, who was born in Logan, Utah, United States of America, had come to Blackburn
DRINKING water quality in the north west is the best it's ever been, claim inspectors -- despite a bug outbreak which threatened 10,000 East Lancashire homes this year. The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) today revealed that 99.7 per cent of water supplies
THE parents of a seven-year-old girl say they are being forced to teach her from home because there is no room for her at local primary schools. Since moving to Rishton in March, Brian and Julie O'Shaughnessey have been unable to find a school able to
A LEADING policeman, a retired magistrates' clerk and a council of mosques secretary are set to be joined by a borough resident on a new standards panel set up by Blackburn with Darwen Council. The standards committee will lay down the rules for councillors
SOME cynics will label Nick Makinson as a football anorak but his sporting knowledge has long since earned him the unofficial title of East Lancashire's soccer quiz king. He can converse in confidence with fans from all over the country on the beautiful
LANCASHIRE captain John Crawley today demanded a big improvement as they aimed to get their Championship bid back on track in Taunton. Crawley's team slipped to third in the table with their disappointing draw at Derby and the captain admitted: "We didn't
PRESTON look set to add Jimmy Lumsden to their coaching staff. The former Bristol City manager will once more link up with David Moyes after the two worked together at Ashton Gate when Moyes was a player there in the mid 80's.
AUGUST 19 Leek Town... A) 22 Altrincham...(H) 26 Emley...(H) 28 Barrow...(A) SEPTEMBER 2 Whitby Town...(A) 5 Runcorn...(H) 9 Worksop Town...(H) 12 Lancaster City...(A) 16 Hucknall Town...(A) (Date of FA Cu p 1st qual round) 19 Bishop Auckland...(H) 23
CHERRY Tree skipper David Hayes ended the weekend with a broken arm but solace could come in the shape of more silverware for his team after they stayed on course for a Jennings Ribblesdale League and Cup double. The Blackburn club have monopolised the
SAME game, new name is the verdict of Darwen all-rounder Gareth Cordingley as the Northern Premier League's inaugural season passes the half-way point. The league was granted Premier status by the England and Wales Cricket Board at the start of the summer
THE wheel seems to have come off justice in the case of car-owner Carole Shrubb -- who ended up with a bill for more than her car was worth in order to get it back after it was stolen. All right, it was only a B-reg Vauxhall Nova with more than 120,000
